The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-05
SPEECH OF MR.. BEDINGER,
OF VIRGINIA

IN the House Of Representatives. December IL, lS4o-
On the resolutions Of Massachusetts asking
change in the naturalization laws
Ma. SpGAxER; Its with great deal Of dhidence,
aud with some reluctance, that have prevailed upon
myself 10 take part the discussion which the resou
tons, now pending before this House, have elected
And ] am sure should gladly avoid II II thought
that / could do so IN strict accordance with nay
duty. Bur after what have heard IN the course OF
this discussion--aer the turn which this debate has
takenafer the enumeration Of some Of the doctrines
which have been ayowed by the advocates of the
resoluiions-and especially after The eloQpes,t asd
se~atifxi vsusrs ef shc sesislenaA IRON Pennsylvs-
MA. Mr. Lsyn,l feel compelled to add even my
poor mite Of opposition, not so much TO the motion
itself for select committee, TO the sentiments
embodied in the resolutions, and the doctrines avow-
ed by their advocates. ..
have said that the remarks OF The gentleman
from Pennsylvania, Ma LEVIN, were eloquent and
beautiful and need not repeat it, for the House is
aware OF the fact That gentleman Is not in his seat,
believe, sir, and regret the less, what shall
say Of him will be spoken in his praise, and prefer
10 say Il in his absence. ......... .. I
John Randolph once said upon this floor, that any
one who could hold this House in silent and re-
specfu attention was an orator. Certainly, in John
RandoIph's accepiaton of the term, the gentleman
from Pennsylvania IL an orator. For no more aiien-
tive audience ever encouraged public speaker Than
this House while he addressed t. And whilst the
stream of his eloquence was poured out upon Us, 1
would TO God such noble efforts we made in better
cause. For sir, ! must be pardoned for saying that
in my poor Judgement the cause which has been so
ably and beautifully advocated here is unworthy Of
the efforts which have been made to sustain IL, un-
worthy of the zeal manifested for it, unworthy of
the heads, and unworthy hope, also; of the hearts
of its advocates. Andhowithsta standing the confident
prediction which we have heard, that its course is
onward, that there is a spirit now rising from hill
and vallies, throughout our whole land, which will
"laugh to scorn all opposition," Notwithstanding
this prediction so triumphantly made, l must ven
tlre my own poor prophecy-and IL possessed
any reputation would venture it all on the result
that when few brief years shall have passed
away, this will have gone down quietly
to the tomb Of the Capuleis--will have sunk to
utter oblivion, TO be heard Of no more forever.
IL must go down, sir, and whyi Not because 1t
has not giant arms and giant inteects to support
and defend it--not because there not hundreds
Of honest and excellent men, ready to devote them
selves, heart and soul, TO Its support--oo; but
il must falI--it must speedily be abandoned and for
gotten because it lacks that spirit of vitality
sary to render it immortal. Because 1t is not
based upon any great fundamental principle, by the
successful advancement Of which the condition OF
the human race would be amelioriated and i'm
proved. Because II ia anti-repubcan in its tendeu
cy; because is wholly selfish in its object and ORR
gin; because the voice of humanity is against it; and
because wants the broad foundation of justice and
truth to sustain it. l. .n.. ... ....... +. ..
Sir, what do the advocates of this cause desire'
They would 80 alter and modify the present exist
ing naturalization laws TO extend the period Of
probation, and deprive foreigners coming amongst
us of the rights and privileges now guaranteed to
them, and thus discourage and check emigration.
And the cry goes forth throughout the length and
breadth of this land, that the institutions, the free
institutions of our country, are in jeopardy from
the prejudces. and propossessons Of this class of
our population, who, for effects sake, are termed
foreigners. Now, sir, let US look at this question
for moment. do not mean even to attempt TO
argue II closely, lest, peradventure should he con-
sdered out of order. But let us look at it one mo-
ment have waited very patiently during the dis
cusson of this subject for the facts upon which gen.
tlemen rely in order to sustain their theory, that
there really is danger to be apfrehended from the
ignorance or preudices of our naturalzed citizens
/ confess, sir, / have waited in vain. have heard
fine specimens Of rhetoric; have seen beautiful
flights Of fancy, and Witnessed fine bursts of elo-
quence. But the facts for which have waited and
which should have supposed necessary to sustain
the position assumed, have not been forthcoming,
and the inference is that none such exist in the his
tory of our country; for if they did, surely the in
genuity Of gentlemen would have produced them in
support Of their cause. On the contrary, sir, moi
only past history utterly barren Of any
rences calculated to strengthen the impression
deavored to be made, but our whole experience is
directly opposed to this groundess theory of native
ism. Not only is there no solitary instance re-
corded in our history of any atieml upon the
part of our naturalized citizens against the in
stitutions of our country, but our whole exPe-
rience teaches us that they are among the very
first to stand by those institutions, that they
are equally as much attached TO them, If not
more So than many of our ''natve' citizens and
that, if need be, they often among the first to
resist foreign aggression, apd to arm w defence OF
those institutions. And, SO help me Heaven, be-
lieve that if the dark spot which now lowers upon
our political horizon shall swell into the storm cloud
of war, an army OF emgrants from the :" Green
Isle' might be thrown by there with such effect
as should shake the mistress Of the world on her
grit throne H.
But, sir, il was said with much emphasis that this
portion Of our population did not come among us
through choice or from any love Of institutions
and form of government that they forsook not the
lettering despotisms of the East because they loved
the young republic of the West, but because they
were driven thence by the strong arm Of power, by
the relentless hand Of oppression, or by the stern
necessity Of seeking refuge from starvation and
misery. II was eDoquenily said that no one voun-
tarily expatriates HIMSELF and that II must be some
dire necessity which compes us to desert the haun's
Of our childhood and the graves OF our ancestors
Grant the fact sir; shall then be told in the very
next breath, that those who have been driven from
their native land by the expressions of tyrannica
government, and have come fresh from the remem-
brsnce Of its Impressions and wrongs to this glori-
land Of Tours, with their souls expanded and ele-
waited by the great principles Of revolution, will
look back, nevertheless, with longing eyes to the
very despotism which crushed them; that they are
prepared to overurn undermine institutions,
and rear in their stead the old system Of oppression
while The pain Of its yoke is still CALLING themi Il
is preposterous il is monstrous to suppose it. Sir,
hui few Of these emigrants leave any flesh pots to
long for in the Egypts from whence they come.
And though the ties Of kindred and Of blood will
often call their memories back--though they may
often sigh for the green hills sunny plains Of their
native land, il ia only for those familiar scenes, md
not for the institutions of their country for which
they pine The exiled Swiss, when some familiar
strain salutes his ear, will doubtless sigh for his
snov-covered mountains; and the son Of the "Eme-
raid Isle" will often weep for the land Of his birth;
but the same memory which summons the tear to
his eve will FIRE his heart with indignation against
the system Of oppression which drove him away.
But il has been said, that the origin "nativism"
may be traced to a certain letter, written by GER
tain foreign demagogpe, to certain citizens in this
countrya luding, as suppose to the famous letter
Of Daniel 0Connel And shall il be said, SIR that
because foreign demsgogue chooses to write an
Impertlnent letter The American Poyernment AMI