The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-23

~FS t1f->Ss yg~{ <seSHG0o WAC nave been here
from tie foundation Of yotr government. They
pay for every thing; and ti,en, when the land Is
brought IN, not dollar scarcely is TO return 10 the
treasury of the country, but you give il away 20
those who shall come from foreign countries
Why, Mr.. President, this bill will add ~ ,bs
owners of those steamships immense fortune
N the way of increased transportation Of emf
gram. Our sea-slores will be covered with the
refuse OF foreign population, who will all find
Ter way upon the public lands. The citizen of
New Hampshire and Of Georgia, who is fixed 10
his location by bIrth-being stationed there vy;tb
all the conveniences Of life around him, and all
the advantages which have grown up by his IN
dustry-cannot leave his home He must s,ay
mere ana must contribute 10 pay for purchasing
The public lands To be given 10 these fore gpers
Mr.. President, have looked upon this state of
things and 1t has become TO me most un pheasant
source Of reflection; andH repeat what snid he
fore, that all our action here proceeds too much
! upon disposition to crafty those imm+d,atelv
around us. The old thirteen Siaes-which have
done most for this country, having sustained il up
70 the prescott moment--assls'ed by few Of The
States that have since come into the Union ara
To bear all the expenses, or al least the prentsr
| proportion OF them, and get none Of the advan
tages The public lands are going as fast as we can
give them away; and when we cannot find our own
countrynen willing to emigrate to take possession
OF them, we advertise to the world that anv far
eigner, from any part OF this globe, who may
choose to come here within the space of three
yours, IT he will only signify his intention To be-
come a cltizen--an intention which he NAV meyer
communicated be entitled to Il home and AGA
acres OF the public land, whether that land con-
tam a gold mine worth million Of dollars or not
And what is the idea in making such PROPOSE
nom That we want to increase the population
OF the country, when it is increasing sufficiently
rapid already. And to increase il how, ~
taxing your people first to buy the land, and then
ave y away 10 those people, the Paupers of the
speaks in favor of the rights Of his own country
men, and of his own section, he is called iiberal
The representatives Of the Western States il is
true, may want the foreigners TO settle more
RAPIDLY the new country--and / do not blame
4 them for having position to encourage them.
but co object to encouraging them to such an
extent as TO give them advantages which vour
own native born citizens cannot enjoy What,
advertise IN every paper on the continent of Eu-
rope that every foreigner who comes to this
country IN three years, and declares his inter-
tons, shall be entitled to go and settle md own
500 acres Of land Why, sir, the owners of steam
and sail vessea, and those interested in navigation.
an order that they may load down their sbips
with paapers from England and other countries
or Europe, VIII publish the news in every conn
try, OF Europe; and the European governments, in
order to get rid Of their paupers, will make ap-
preparations TO move them to this country. where
they know that they will be provided for, la this
| asylum Of the whole world with $50 acres of
land, merely by paying for declaration of inten-
ZION tn become citizens.
MIR. President, we ought to consider these
things, and 10 act upon them; and no gentleman
ought 10 consider me Liberal in relation to for
eigners. am not so. am myself AN immediate
descendant Of a foreigner. But have no idea OF
putting all the burden upon my own countrymen
for the benefit of the population which is to be in
cuced to immgrate 10 this country
Mr.. DOUGLAS. will barely remark that
he 10 nnda
to this bill The land cannot be granted to for
eigners until naturalization is completed.
Mr.. BENTON. That is just what was going
to say. l make II point never to interrupt a
gentleman while he is speaking; otherwise, |
would have corrected the gentleman before
Mr.: DAWSON How long will il require for
foreigner TO take ont his naturalization papers,
Mr. BENTON. About lie years.
MIR. DOUGLAS. From two to FIVE wears
Mr.. BENTON. 1t requires five years to COM
pleis them,
Mr., DAWSON. From the time he signifies
his intention, suppose he may go on and occu-
pv the land; and lie can go and hold it until
the time when his naturalization is COM
plete.
MIR, MASON. As that section OF the bill
stands with the proposed amendment, all persons
who are citizens Of the United States may partake
OF the bounty land, but they must be citizens of
the United States to enable them to do il. The
sehatorH ph Inuiaoa, Mr. BRIGHT, therefore, IS
not warranted IN saying that the provision OF the
law excludes in any manner those who are foreign
born. IL will admit all who are citizens Of the
United State. But If the amendment is not
adopted, one who is not citizen of the United
States may come upon the public lands, and re-
ceive donation OF IT, and enjoy il his owr.
Now, the policy Of the naturalization laws re-
quirss not only this preliminary declaration of in
tentIon, but that he shall become citizen till
i've years AFTER But after five years have expired
when he comes and asks that his naturalization
shall be con pleed, he must bring evidence that
he has behaved himself like good and orderly
citizen; he must bring good evidence of charac-
ter The policy of the naturalization laws will
not admit those to become citizens who, after "a
residence of five years, have not acquired such a
general reputation for good character az will cna-
bic their neigh to give them recommends
ton. And yet, in the face of that, the bill propo-
SEES to let the foreigner the next day af er he de-
clares his Intentionally which he liz not bound
have the same benefit that is extended to the
American citizen. Sir, have no hostility to ma
turazed citizens. recognize them all alike after
they have complied with the law. They then
stand on equal footing with other citizens; and
let them, say. enjoy the lands, if they e to be
gwen away, equally with the rest; but until they
do become citizens, can no propriety in Civ
ing them these lands.
Mr. FELCH. merely wish to call the a,ten-
ton OF the Senate to a provision contained in the
ioNlth oeStoHs tHt WHICH refers
TO this matter 1t is there provided that no .per-
son shall be entitled to patent of land donated
by this act, until he shall have produced to the
Surveyor General of Oregon the required evidence
that his naturalization is complete This pro-
vision, Of course, covers the very case provided
for in the section intended TO be stricken out, The
title to the land cannot be projected Until the ma
turalizaton is complete.
Mr.. BERRlEN, rise to make an inquiry OF
the gentlemen who are familiar with the details of
this hill ! understand that, after the individuals
declaring his intention TO become citizen, he IS
entted To $50 acres of land--ihat he may enter
upon the land, and take possession of and enjoy
1t, but he cannot get patent for ii until he be-
comes citizen. Now, my inquiry is: is there
any time limited in the bill within which he is re-
quired TO execute his intention which he has de-
clared Of becoming citizen, If not, he is pos
SCISSOR, whether he gets patent not ask
for information; and If that question cannot be
answered so as To remove the objection which ne
cessarlly results from statement of facts, then
the amendment proposed by the senator from Vir-
glnla ought, presume, TO receive the concurrence