The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-17

report, tina, which sfianaies from only six out OF
the Two hundred and twenty-three of its members
Were they to be treated in the same way as the
minority therel Any such claim not to be under
stood there. In order to proceed 10 the business OF
the House, he would move the previous question,
Mr.. RATHBuN arose, and said that he, as one
Of the Comn,ittee on the Judiciary in favor OF
The motion of the gentleman from Pennsylvania
for reference TO a select committee From what
that gentleman had said there, far he Mr.. r.
was concerned, he would be constrained, after the
first meeting of that committee, 10 be discharged
from any further consideration of the petitions be-
cause he had long considered, and did STILL that all
matters the subject fthU naturalization lave wefe
TOO well understood Is be brought up merely to
crafty lew members Of that House. He was in
favor of gratifying those gentlemen, so that if any
doubts existed they might be removed, and that
that banding, il had been called, might be kindly
treated, and properly brought up, and left In the
arms of the nursing fathsfs aid Nursing mothers
who had charge of il. He would ask the House
that the gentleman might be permitted TO use his
skill IN deylsing arguments 10 satisfy the House
that the foreigners who willingly come here should
not have the right to vote until the infant who came
from the same place acquired the same right. These
few remarks he made, in order that the subject
might be disposed of, and that the gentleman from
Pennsylvania should be heard
Mr.. MACLAY said that he regretted to hear his
! colleague Mr.. RArHnuNl express willingness to
ooheu ny StItlcndil
Pennsylvania, of this subject, to select committee
He (Mr. M hoped It would not be SO referred.
Why, scarcely week had elapsed since they had
subdivided that House into different standing COM
nnittees composed of gentlemen selected with refer
to their knowledge Of the various subjects like
y to come before that House for its action, and to
which it would be appropriate to refer them. Now,
they lost all the advantages Of this arrangement
and they were many and great--if they suffered il
to be broken in upon by these motions for refer
ences to select committees. There might be-there
were cases in which such committees were very
properly demanded, when there was popularity
in the subject or some other necessity for select
committee. Where was the necessity in that case
Those resolutions referred to, and asked for the
modification of laws long established, well under
Stood and from the very necessity Of the case, fire.
quently REQUIRED to, discussed, and examined. Two
years ago (said Mr.. M | would have willingly
voted in my place here for the reference now de-
manded. This subject seemed to occupy such
prominence in the public discussions Of the coun-
try, that, out of Difference to that general inter-
est, | should so have voted. But great change
has taken place since that period. The public
Judgment has been pronounced upon this subject.
This miserable native American movement no long
er excites the regards Of an intelligent community.
They have ceased to feel any interest in it. 1t
never existed in any strength, except in our large
cities and could stand the test of the healthy
atmosphere of the country. My friend from
PENNSYLVANIA Mr.. LEVIN knows very well that
this native party never had anything but sort Of
artificial vitality, and know it is not in the power
of any agitation here to galvanze it into life No,
sir; let the subject be referred to the standing Com
mittee on the Judiciary where it properly belongs,
and let that committee discharge the whole duty to
this House, and to this country, by giving to the
subject patient and detailed examination, and by
presenting such conclusions as shall show the sheer
absurdity of any change in system which has
prevailed from the foundation Of our government,
and of which so large portion of the prosperity of
our country is absolutely nothing else than pro-
duct
Mr. WINTHROP. The question before the
House related to a series of resolutions which he
had had the honor to present He could assure
gentlemen on all sides of the House that these reso-
lutions did originate in any factious desire to
excite agitation on the subject. They were the res
olutions of the legislature of Massachusetts,. They
did not undertake to point out any mode of altering
the naturalization laws of the country. They ex-
pressed no opinion whatever on that matter. But
they were predicated the idea that, in the opn-
ion of large majority of the people Of that State,
and as he believed, of the people of the country,
that some revision, some amendment Of our natur-
azation system was essentially necessary to the
preservation of our free institutions. The resou-
tons emanated from no third party. They were
resolutions emanating, he had already stated,
from the legislature Of Massachusetts. The sent-
mcnt had been expressed by the gentleman who
had just sat down, that native Americanism was
dead He (Mr. W.) might, perhaps, be willing to
assent to that sentiment if the gentleman meant that
native Amercansm, as third party in the various
localities in which it had originated, was dead. But
if the gentleman meant that there have been no
abuses-no gross frauds perpctrated in elections in
times past, and that gross frauds not likely to be
perpetrated in elections in all time to come, unless
we have a reform of naturalization laws, then
he (Mr. w ) totally disagreed with the gentleman
He did not know whether any member of that House
had taken the pains to examine the testimony fur
nlshed by another branch of the legislature, by
committee authorized to investigate this subject and
send for persons and papers, and who transacted
their business chiefly by Of dispositions taken
by persons duly authorized in the various States
But if they had not examined that document,
he hoped and trusted that member Of the
House would move to lay the resolutions on
the table, or attempt, in any way to shut out this
subject from fair and just examination, until he
had at least read and considered the plain evidence
furnished by gentlemen above all suspicion of any
party feeling-by members of the judicial system of
the States of New York, Louisiana, and Pennsyl-
vania--many Of whom, so long as they were associ.
aed with any party, belonged to that political par
ty so largely in the majority in that House. The
testimony of these Judges, able and venerable men,
showed that frauds-gross frauds had been.-perpe-
trated in various cities of the United States in con-
sequence of defects in the naturalization system
and pointing out themselves in the most direct and
unmistakeabIe terms the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of
the system necessary to the maintenance Of the pu-
rity of the bao-box. He had said more than he
had intended. He wished merely to call the atten-
ton of the House to the fact that the resolutions
did not emanate from the member from the Penn
sylvania, who was such active and prominent
member of the third party. He wished to call the
attention of the House to the fact that the resolu-
tons were the solemn expressions of the Legislature
of Massachusetts, that they spoke the sentiments of
the whole people of Massachusetts, certainly of
large portion Of them. He wished to call the at
tenuon Of the House to the fact, that probably the
whole delegation Of Massachusetts on that floor
not very large delegation indeed but one perhaps
entitled to as much consideration as any other
would cheefully support the member from Penn
sylvania in any measure calculated to bring this
subject fairly and fully before the candid investga-
ton of that House and of the country. He thought
that the reference to the Committee on the Judicial
ry was appropriate; but the member from Penn
sylvania desired its reference to select committee
he (Mr. W. would waive his motion, and give way
to that introduced by the gentleman from fennsyl-
vania.