Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-07-14

IIpPoaru 70 cheapening the right Of citizenship
ny onerlhg bounties to tie olirrs ,r ,Lr
WIN, " o"'"c mere aud be equal to our own
people in all respects.
Mr. Dodge, of Iowa. r.rorro1 T., q, s;,oil,.
provision in the presumption acts If az and
" as contained in this hill. Durin, fine
debate on the act OF 3S, Mr.. Morrirk Of
Maryland moved the amendment rostrirtin.,
the right Of prc-cmptiun to citizens. and thnt
restriction was opposed and defeated then.
lie defended earnestly the foreign born ropu-
lation OF the Northwestern States and said
th"N were as honest. industrious. aud ~
loyal as any other class Of citizens. fla war
was to be made upon the foreign born poIi-
lation. he wanted the struggle TO he an Ter,
one He did not want it to- take place ul,ou
a single provision in tins or any other BILL
ne desired them IT, oiT"r some direct rrptn.i-
non on which the issue could be fairly met
lie asked the most courageous Of thu opIo-
nrntS ana enemies Of the foreign born rpl,i-
latipn. whether they were willing to trot,ns,.
a repeal ol the naturalization law Did thoy
desire the repeal of those laws He did not
believe any OF them did, except perhaps some
members "l that miserable faction. that con-
tehltlhlr organization called Native Amer
leans or know-Nothings lie then advocated
the passage Of the bull
Mr.. Brown opposed the striking out He
snld that he saw no objection to allowu,
aliens to occupy and cultivate the land until
such time as by law they could become cit-
zcns. H. saw no objection to giving men the
right to labor and improve the soil bv cult
Nation, when by the recent territorial laws.
the Senate had nearly unanimously given
them the right Of suffrage The labor Ola
man cultlvating the soil was Of the same value
to the country, whether performed by na-
nv" citizen or one who would be a citizen in
/ five years.
Mr. Dawson Advocated the striking out
lie was utterly opposed as an American
senator to vote priority Of privilege to aliens
! he naturalization laws regarded an alien as
| hve years under age, and for that time denied
HIM the rights OF citizenshp-yet this bin
allowed AN alien immediately upon entering
the country, to take possession Of a farm
while it excluded all the native born citizens
between sixteen and twenty-onc years tho
same right. 1T was an unjust and an outra-
geous discrimination between the native and
the alien, in favor of the latter against tho
! former. lie for settling the frontiers
with the native citizens who had defended the
country against those to whom this bill Of
iercd the land for nothing. lie was utterly
opposed to the whole bill 1t made an un-
Just discrimination against those engaged IN
mechanical and other occupations These
could not 20 to the West and cultivate tic
land, for they know nothing Of agriculture
yet they by their personal services in the
field of battle, and by their payment of taxes,
had acquired this territory which wa, to he
given away to foreigners. While be disap-
proved of the whole policy Of giving away the
public lands he would feel forced in Justice
to the rest of the people, to move an amend
ment. giving to each male person in the
/ nitcd States over twenty-onc wears and to
each unmarried female, maids and widows
over eighteen years, one hundred and sixteen
acres of land. This proportion. he argued.
was more just than the one now pending.
which denied the bounty extended to alien,
to our own people of both sexes. who could
not migrate to the West.
The bill was then postponed
Aitcr Il short Executive Session the senate
adjourned at four . clock.