The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-09-14
From As Neu York Tribune.
Nativlsm-Purc.

George w. Woodward heads the Pierce and
King State ticket in Pennsy vania a. candidate for
justice of the supreme court In 1867 he was \
member Of the convention which framed the pres.
ent constitution of Pennsylvania, and therein (see
convention proceedings, vol. ", p. 54a:)
"Mr. Woodward moved to amend the amend
ment by adding thereto the words 'and that the
said committee be also Instructed to inquire into
the proprety OF 30 amending the constitution to
faEvsNr any foreigners who may arrive in this
State after the fourth day of July, l84l, from ae
suirins ths right 10 cote or 10 hold office in tbs Com
nsOeDeGithP'
In support of this proposition, Mr.. Woodward
said. Up. 4a6-7:)
"Sir, appreciate az much as any man living the
many political rights and privileges which ], in
common with the people Of the United States, am
that Us Do but squander those privilege in con.
ferring them upon every individual who chooses
70 come and claim them. He knew that
great portion Of those who came among Us
from foreign countries consist frequently Of the
svors part Of the population Of those coantyis, that
they uRacQIonted toitk tie vaine Of these privi
kgss, and that, therefore, they DO not knoso ho to
criminately upon all, we are doing injury to our
liberties aud our instuti0ns; and believe that, if
the time has not yet come, II will speedily come,
when it will be indispensably necessary. either for
this body or some other body of this State or of
the United States, to inquire whether it 10 not right
70 put some plan into execution by which foreign
ers should be prevented from controlling our cleo
tons and browbeating our American citizens at
the polls."
Judge Woodward continues:
"Aad what claim have foreigners from any
country-aye. sir, from any country-which IA
strong enough to justify US in prohibiting po
laical privileges by comforting them careessly and
indiscriminately on every individual who may re-
side here for two or three years, become natu.
raaised citfson, and then command our Offices!
There are very many Of these emgrants who know
nothing Of political privileges in their own coun-
try before they emigrate to this. The world ia I'M
known to them, or If they hear Of il at all, they
hear Of II ~ something in which they have no par
tcipation. ls not this the fact1 Sir, we all know
that 1t is; we know that very many of these emf
grants never enjoyed any political privileges thsm
selves--that they haze knowledge Of them, AND,
LEAsT or ALL, haue they any knotOledge Of peo.
pie, our Government, or institutions. The nc
= quirement of this knowledge ia not the work Of q
day. They have no sympathy in common with
US; they have no qualifications to render them fit
recipients Of these high political privilege"
Only last fall September 6, 1851 he defended
the above proposition as follows:
'Who would complain of my proposition? Ger
tainly no foreigner then in the country, none on
his way to this country, none who should choose
TO come before the 4th of July, lS4l; for none of
these were to be excluded from any thing, either
residence or political privileges among Us. Nor
could those who should choose to come after the
4th Of July, lS4l, complain, for they would have
bad nearly four years. notice that they scers not to
adGve in our political priuileges."