Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-12-19
The Natul alization Laws.

There j. no doubt that our naturalization law
might be greatly improved. aud If even 1t were
fnithtuliy enforced it is, II would prove rem
edy for most Of the abuse. which have produced
- deep feeling throughout the country. For
instance. 1t Is required by the present law that
the court, by which the alien is admitted to ciii-
zrnshp, shall bc satisfied that, during the pre-
-crbed term of five years residence, "hc has
behaved n nun of good moral character, at
thched to the principles OF the Constitution OF
the United Statrs, and well disposed 10 the good
order and happiness IF the same" II this pro-
vision OF the law thoroughly carried into
effect throughout the Union, aud If no alien were
allowed Ia become citizen, who could not stand
this test after five years probation, there would
be little ground for complaint.
At an early period ol our history, it was con
sdered the trae policy OF the country 10 cncour-
age the naturalization OF foreigners In the De
clunlion of independence, one of the acts of op-
precision and tyranny charged against the King
Of England, i expressed III the following terms ::
He Inns ondeasored To prevent the population
OF these States; for that purpose obstrncting The
lars for the naturalization Of foreigners; reios-
ing To pnss others 10 encourage their migration
hllhe,, and raising the conditions of now nppro-
priatlons OF lands
Tho old confederation did not confer the pow
or OF naturalization upon Congress; bat it was
fully exercised by the individual states. The
general feeling throughout the country at that
Time may be inferred from the clause Just quo
ted from the Declaration of In dependence. But
some of the States admitted foreigners to citizen
ship easier terms than others; and ms n citizen
at one State was entitled to the privileges of all,
evils were experienced or feared from Che differ
rnt legislation Of different States in this respect.
According to MIR. Madison, tFcdcralist, l2) "the
dsslm.arlty IN the rules of naturalization has
long been remarked fault in our system,
aud u, laying II foundation for intricate and del
lcate questions 10 prevent any mischief from
his source, it was provided by the new Consti-
tutlon, that Congress should have power "to
tablsh an nm form rule of Naturalization
This power was exercised lay the first Congress;
and rs it was then thought greatly for the public
god To hold out inducements Ia immigration, the
hgst naturalization aw.approved March %. l79n,
required II residence Of OH two year, in the /.
Suites. Experience souu showed that two years
were too ehor, probation; and in 1875 the law
JU,tnauft WI, repealed, and another substituted
IN lts piae', requtrng as conditions OF nntulali'
zation, residence Ut i've years IN the country,
aud II notice OF three years of the intention to
b CONF II citizen.
The policy of encouraging foreign immigration
I" tic United Statrs and facilitating the citizen
ship of aliens had by this time become II party
question. The friends of General Washngton's
administration, whose tendencies were cunscr-
Nttisr, Were IN favor of longer term of proba-
ton and more stringent conditions OF admission.
The republican or democratic party, las il began
to be callc,) led by Mr. Jefferson, leaned to the
opposite COURSE. lhc state of affairs in Europe
III this time having thrown into This country a
number OF foreigners, especially Frenchmcn,
who were haheVed 10y tho dominant party To
trftaln principles aud to cherish purposes threat
cning the peace and safety of the 'nitcd States
Congress in i795 passed the famous ALIEN LAW.
This law authorized the President "to send out
oi the country all such aliens, ms he shall Judge
dangerous To the peace and safety of the United
States This act was aimed at the cm-saries
oi the French Directory, who were at the time
twarmlng in this country, they did in all G pun-
tles, that refused to tratcrnl2e with rcvolutnna-
~ France. We learn from Mr.. Jefcrson's let
tcrs THAT, as soon as the alien law passed, ship
load OF frenehmen including Nolney and Collot,
Immediately sailed for France Our commerce.
had bcen swept from the ocean by the corsairs of
that power; oar government had been insultrd
III the person Il lis enyoys by the Directory as
no independent government WIS perhaps ever in
suited before; hnd hn appeal to arms was be-
heved To toe inevitable. In this state of things
the power conferred on the President, viewed in
the hight OF impartial history, does not seem so
very objectionable nor unusual 1t, however,
eXcled the senslbllItics Of the democratic party
i'll the highest degree from one end of the CONT
nent to the other; and, in conjunction with the
sedition law, contributed more than any other
cause 10 the political revolution of 1901. As the
alien law was Ivy its terms limited to two years,
1t expired in June lSo0; but ii probably had the
effect OF securing to the democratic candidate
| tor the Presidency, at the election of the fol-
lowing autumn, the vote of the entire body of
| naturalized citizens.
In the first session of Mr.. ,Jeflerson's admins
traton, an act was past repeating the naturali
cation law of l195, with the enactment of most
| OF ITS substantial provisions, but dispensing
~ih the oath required ofhe alien, thai he had
| resided IRE years IN The country The imposi.
hon of this oath had been strongly objected To
by the democratic members, when the original
law was passed. BY dispensing with it, and
leaving the fact of five years residence to an
pear To the satisfaction Of the Court IA wide door
was opened 10 fraud When the character of
the tribunals Is considered, before which in
f., most ct our large cities the applications of the
aliens have been generally made, il will easily be
seen that there would seldom be any difficulty in
satisfying the Court of the five wears resi-
dencc. lfsome of these .,coart," are NOT belr1
1t l. easy, To satisfy" them, that shin loads of
/ immigrants, who have hardly landed ON our
shores have been five Years in the country
FROM TINS hrst entering wedge in lSi2, to the
present time, series of law, has been passed.
the object and tendency of which have been. INF
greater or less degree, tn facilitate naturalization
Such was the law of 1871 making Two years no
ticn of intention sufficient. Such was tie law of
le2N. introdacedbv Mr.. Buchanan, by which the
alien WAS relieved from the necessity imposed
upon hhn lay former laws, of registering
himself on hsanvd in this country. Such was
the act passed under Mr. Folks admin stration
/ III Isis, by which the former condition of five
/ years continuous residence was dispensed with.
! No act has be,n passed under the present al
/ ministration changing the naturalization laws