Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-11-14
AN ADDR 4 ss

Missouri Ndttre AnaericaH association, pre-
sented 6y Vespasian Ellis, Esq, President
Of tho Association, and Chairman Of the
Special Committee appointed to prepare
the same, and adopted IN a general meet
ing Of said association, February 5, 1841.
[coNTINuED.l
First: 1t is maintained by some, that the Dec
laraton of American Independence was not only
a general invitation to the people of the world
at large, to emigrate hither, and become Amer
ican citizens, but that this instrument guaran-
tees the right of SO doing, to all the sons and
daughters Of men, throughout all time.
Second: 1t is maintained by others, that it
is mans natural right to expatriate himself at
his pleasure, and adopt another country than
that of his birth, for the future home of himself
and his children.
Third 1t is held by others, that if Congress
should repeal the present laws ON the subject,
each State might for itself allow foreigners all
the rights and privileges of citizens and voters
within its limits and in its own sovereign discre
ton, and thus our purposes might be thwartcd.
Fourth: It is urged that if resident foreigners
were denied voice in our government, while
their property would be subject to taxation, it
would violate the assumed principle, that taxa
ton and representation are inseparable.
Fifth: 1t is argued that for as much as somo
foreigners aided us in acquiring American In
dependence, therefore, ALL foreigners are enti-
tied to enjoy the privileges which were thus
acquired
Sixth: 1t is objected, that it would be harsh
and illiberal to withdraw permission 50 long
enjoyed.
Seventh: 1t is alleged, that our principles are
the same as those contained in the odious alien
laws of the elder Adams.
These, and probably many other objections,
have been made to our principles and objects
while our doctrines have been misrepresented,
our motives assailcd, and ourselves abused and
villified by the partisan demagogucs of the day
We will briefly examine these objections The
assaults upon our motives, and the personal
abuse which has been showered upon us, we
shall treat with silent scorn
First, then, as to the argument drawn from
our Declaration of Independence that "all men
arc created equal and the supposed guaran.
tee contained in that instrument. We do not
deny, but we re-afir1n, that "all men are crea-
ted equal-that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain inalienable rights; that
among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness; that to secure these rights govern
ments are instituted amongst men, deriving
their just powers from the governed" These
principles are all true, as general propositions
and yet, in all civilized countries, and under all
regular governments, this natural equality is
lost, and these inalienable rights are controlled
by conventional regulations. The husband con-
trolls the wife; the officer commands the sol
dier; majorities coerce minorities "lfen is
taken away for crime; liberty" is restrained
to prevent or atone for offences; "the pursuit
of happiness is arrested, when it interferes with
social obligations; and even "the consent of
the governed is not obtained, so far as regards
minorities. But, why all this prating about nat
u1'dt equatityf Who denies its existence in
state ofaatureY Who maintains the applica-
ton of its principles in civil society? Is not the
negro by nature equal in his natural rights with
the white man? Surely. But one of our learned
opponents says, hcis excluded from participating
in the exercise of sovereignty upon the principles
of expediencyp Indeed Is not this the true
foundation of all similar exclusions2 1t is in
expedient to admit free negroes into the coun-
try, or to allow them to vote! This single ad-
mission OF our opponents prostratcs them.
Expediency" decides upon all exceptions to
the general principles upon which free govern
erpments are based. Females, minors, tran
sient persons, criminals, lunatics, negroes, and
others, are excluded from the enjoyment of the
rights of sovereignty upon grounds Of "expe-
diency." Citizens Of other States are excluded
from this right for one year in Missouri, on the
ground Of "expediency." Foreigners are al
lowed to emigrate hither, or not, as Congress
may deem "expedient" And foreigners are
excluded for five years from the polls, on the
ground Of expediency" They are forerer
excluded from holding the Office Of President of
the United States, or Governor of Missouri, on
the ground of expediency." They are ex-
cluded from the Senate Of the United States for
nine years, on the same ground Of "expeden-
cy." And zoe would exclude all future immi-
grants from the polls forever, upon this we'll
settled principle Of expedency." Surely our
opponents will not object TO our acting upon
this ground Of "expcdiency," which they are
compelled to recognise We respectfully sub
init that this admitted doctrine of "expedien-
cy destroys their beautiful theory of natural
rights as the foundation of government
In all free governments general principles are
established, and exceptions allowed, in pursu-
ance Of this undeniably Just doctrine Of tex
pediencyp But what guaranty is contained
in the Declaration Of Independence in favor of
foreignersp We know of none That instrIi-
mcnt sets forth the natural equality Of man by
birth--the principle that government ought to
be based upon the consent of the governed
the authority OF the people 10 alter their form
of government, when II fails 10 protect their
political rights-and after portraying the evils
under which they laborcd--the tyranny
OF their prince, and the repeated efforts they
had made to obtain redress, announces to the
world, that from that time forth these then col
onies were free and independent Statesl Not
one word of invitation to foreigners, nor sim
gle sentence proposing their future admission
into the country, can be found in that instru-
ment They complain indeed, that their King
had prevented the population of the colonies,
by obstructing the laws Of naturalization, but
do they assert that the law Of natural equality
was thus violatedP or, do they say to the world,
chen independent, come and enjoy the rights
for which we have fought and blcd? They do
not say so. On the contrary, when their indc-
pendence had been achieved, each State, as an
independent sovereignty, regulated the question
of immigration, each for itself, while the Arti-
cles Of Confederation were in forcel What
rights, then, did the Declaration Of Indepen.
dence confer upon foreigners, when each State
exercised the privilege Of naturalizing foreigners
on its own terms down to the time of the adop4