Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-28
IMMIGRATION AND IT'S EFFECTS.

Fears are entertained by many Of our CO.
temporaries that the facilities afforded TO inn
migrants to become naturazed are lndiscreet
and dangerous The recent opening of trade
and intercoure with Asiatic countries, and the
rapid influx of Chinese and Japanese into our
Pacific territory has tended to increase thos,
apprehensons, and has induced many to cal
aloud upon Congress to place more rigid re
strictions upon naturalization.
For ourselves We apprehend no such danger
or evil results as have been predicted. We be-
lieve the admission Of foreigners to the rights
of citizens, to be the original policy Of tn,
government, and to be wise and necessary
Such was the doctrine implied in that pro
vision of the Constitution, which vested il
Congress the right and the duty to make an
uniform rule of naturalization. Such even be-
fore the adoption of the Constitution was one
Of the principles of the Declaration of hide
pendence, opposition to which was considered
to be one of the prominent grounds for resist
ance. Such, too, has been the policy pursued
by the wise administrators of our government
from its foundation to the present day. The
policy is just, because it extends to others a
participation in the blessings of free govern,
ment 1t is wise because il absorbs into ont
society and government class who would
otherwise be arrayed against it. 1t is safe,
because from the peculiar structure of our
Constitution, from the separation of local and
federal powers, the evils can never result here
which might well result in consolidated GO
yernment.
We propose briefly to show the truth of these
three positions, and calmly to discuss the ques
tion of immigration which has of late becom,
snch an unhappy subject of agitation. AND
here at the threshold we may lay down an IN
welcome proposition. We contend that no
government has right to exclude from It's
territory the rest of the world; that it is MOI
only generous and humane, but it is just and
incumbent that proper system Of naturaliza
ton, under certain wholesome restrictions.
should exist in every government. 1t is OF
this principle that we justify the original emf
grafton of the white race into this continent
and the consequent necessary interference witt
the pre-existing rights Of the Indian race. Il
the rapidly increasing population of the world,
was equally unjust and ungenerous that
nopol OF the whole continent should be bel
by few nomadc tribes. The same principl
was apl,l ed in the more recent history of the
velopment OF Chinese trade; and in that ca
the wisdom as well as the justice of NOR,
liberal policy has been amply INDICATED. Fo.
like reason it would be equally unjust. III
wise. AID urgenerous, if the immense, and,
yet, unoccupied territory of the United Stat
were closed against the dense and overgrow
population of the old world.
But il is well established, and we doubt not
will be freely conceded by all, that there is n.
means within the power ofthe government. eve
if it should so desire, "a prevent the imm
grafton of foreigners 10 our shores. Hence III
question is shifted 10 the disposition which j.
10 be made Of such foreigners when they ar
here. 1t would not require prophet to predic
the evil consequences which would result from.
a refusal on the part of the government TO ad
nit them to a participation in the rights and
privileges Of citizens. History is replete with
examples of the folly Of such policy, and tn
universal existence Of laws Of ma uralization is
in itself sufficient proof of the wisdom Of thu
nppnsite policv We need only advert to III
y hi TOR, at Iii gland, when for more thai
a canrnty fer he conquest Two distinct race.
the Norman aud the Saxon, with unequal political
privileges but with equal natural rights, wer
arrayed against each other in hostility. The Gun.
ming policy of William which induced him to
transfer the rich domains of the Saxon Thane
to the naughty and overbearing Norman baron,
while il may have strengthened his own power,
was replete with evil to the country which he
ruled The only true aud wise course to pursue
is to break down the barriers which may inter
pose between the two classes, and to absorb
them both in common interest and common
immense horde of foreigners who flock to our
shores, and who despite any such narrow
minded policy, would still flock here, we're ar
rayed against the government under which they
lived, and we're denied any participation in the
rights and privileges Of free citizens? We
leave it TO the wisdom of those, who seek to
exclude them, to answer this grave question.
Bot from the very nature of our government
there need never be the same apprehension en-
tertained in reference TO the admission Of for
eigners to the rights Of citizens as in othe-
countries. The distribution Of powers between
the States and the federal government will ever
act as safeguard against the evil conse
quences which might result from such a system.
Dispersed among the different States, inter
terested in the local institutions and domestic
policy Of the State Of their residence, and i'm.
bibing all the home patriotism which is so
strong in the breast Of every citizen, there can
never be the same unity Of sentiment, the same
concerted or consentaneous action as there
would be we're the government one concen-
trated and consolidated unit. Hence il is that
AZ consolidation oc =, a..