Washington sentinel., 1854-07-20

eigner, hold, occupy, and cultivate any portion
of the one hundred and sixty acres OF land
(although he cultivate but one acre) for five
years, at the expiration of that time he may OBJ
tain a patent. Now, sir, by compact between
the federal government and all the land States
of this Union, no one of those States can tax
one foot of land, the title to which is in the
government of the United States. That is a
proposition which will not presume, be de-
MED or questioned. Then, sir, you propose, by
this policy, to introduce into the State of Ala
bama any number Of foreigners who may go
there and settle upon the public and unappro.
priated lands, and allow them to enjoy, for a
period of five years, all the privileges Of society
and protection Of citizenship, without contribut-
ing one cent towards the support of the govern
ment of that State, in the way of taxation upon
that land, while the lands of native American
citizens lying within the State are being taxed.
Nor is this all / said, and repeat, that as
long as the federal government holds title to
those lands by special compact between the
cannot tax them. Now, suppose foreigner,
or any number of foreigners who 60 to settle
upon the public lands within my own State,
should not choose to contribute towards the
support Of the State government in the way
of taxation on their lands, but should wish
to enjoy immunity f,om taxes. All that is
necessary to enable them to escape the bur-
dens and still enjoy the benefits of govern
ment, is to abstain from asking for or receiving
q patent. They may thus hold on for life to
their free farm, free from taxation. In the
mean time, they may become naturalized citi.
zens under the naturalization laws. They may
then participate in the framing of laws, and in
the government of that State; and yet they are
exempted by the provisions of this bill, and by
compact between the State Of Alabama and
the federal government, from any obligation to
contribute, in the way of taxes upon their land,
to the support of that State. Do you suppose
that the Intelligent freemen Of Alabama can be
aattered or cajoled into an approval OF mea'
sure so unjust and injasious to them, and so
generous and beneficial to aliens?
But the most iniquitous and offensive part
of this bill is still untold. By another provision
of the bill, you propose to give to those foreign
immigrants within the State of Alabama, the
right and power of defrauding, swindling, and
injuring their neighbors and, at the same
time, you deny to those neighbors the right or
power Of any legal redress. You propose to
render those aliens perpetual bankrupts by CIV
ing them the benefit of a prospective as well as
retrospective bankrupt law, provided they will
not ask or receive patent, but will hold on to
their lands, and enjoy them without a patent,
as tenants of the federal government; for there
is no forfeiture attached to the failure to ask
for patent at the expiration Of five years and
those men may hold, use, and occupy the land
forever without receiving a title.
Mr.. BROWN. viii my friend from Ala
bama Just at this point allow me to interrupt
him, because it is this particular question on
which spoke the other day, and on which my
vote will depend as to striking out this section?
Mr.. CLAY. yield the floor with pleasure.
Mr.. BROWN. tried the other day to ex-
plain that, according to my understanding OF
this section, foreigner making his declaration
OF intention to become a citizen must perfect
his declaration by actually becoming citizen
within FIVE years, or else he will lose all the
rights conferred upon him under this act The
sixth section provides that foreigner who
shall have declared his intention, as required
by the naturalization laws of the United States
shall become citizen Of the same before the
issuance of the patent as made and provided
for in this act, shall be placed upon an equal
footing with the native-born citizen Of the
United States"
Now, the words "as made and provided for
in this act" relate, / apprehend, to the time
fixed for issuing the patent; and the whole sec
ton of il read, as | shall now read it, would
mean what believe it does mean as il stands: (:
"a foreigner who shall have filed his declara-
ton Of intention, as required by the naturali-
zation laws Of the United States, and shall be-
come a citizen Of the same before the expira-
ton Of the FIVE years from the date of that
declaration, shall be placed upon an equal
footing with the nativeb born citizen Of the
United States" That is the clear construction
Of the language, according to my understand
ing Of it, and tried so to explain the other
day. Therefore, unless he perfects that decla.
ration Of intention within FIVE years, by actually
becoming a citizen, he has no rights under this
statute, after the expiration Of the FIVE years
IL he may remain upon the land, according to
the construction which my friend from Alabama
puts upon it. TO all eternity, without becoming
a citizen, then shall vote TO strike out the
section and If it is not stricken out, shall
vote against the whole bill, because / am for
having no man settle down upon our soil, re
main there, occupy il forever, and not be a
citizen Of the country; but my clear interpre-
tation Of the section is as / have now stated it,
and as / explained when / spoke the other day
Mr.. CLAY. Mr.. President the explanation
Of my friend, the senator from Mississippi, is
but an illustration of the entire character Of
this bill. IL is bill foil of ambiguity, OF
equivocation, Of amphibology, as my friend
from Michigan Mr.. CAss suggests. 1t is
bill which admits Of different interpretations
in different quarters; but who is to interpret
it, and how its provisions are to be enforced,
are not provided for by it. Now, suppose that
the sixth section admits Of the Interpretation
Of my friend from Mississippi, and which other
senators friendly TO the bill say is the proper
Interpretation, where is the provision for GUST
ing these foreigners froR their settlement upon
the public lands, if, at the expiration Of five
years, they do not become naturalized7
Mr.. BROWN. will answer my friend. II
is by allowing anybody else TO enter, who
chooses to do so. If their right ceases, of
course the lands become subject to private
entry.
Mr. WALKER. Just as any person can
now enter lands when the pre-emption eI.
pires.
Mr.. CLAY. Let me ask whether either of
these senators, who make this suggestion in
the way Of correction, sincerely believe that, in
practice, effect would ever be given to their
idea7 Do they believe that anybody would
ever oust foreigners under such circums stapces2 2