Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-05
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Highly Interesting Correspondence.


A copy Of the following highly interesting
correspondence has been placed id out hands
for publication. twill be read with NOR than
ordinary ayidity: M
PHIlapEIfHIA, JulJ3, 1884.
Hon. JNo. NJ. CLAYTON. dear Sir: aanv
OF your fellow citizens, deeply impressed with
the Importance OF having all the Offices under
the general and State government filed with
able and intelligent men, free from the pre;u.
dice and IGNORANCE of our institutions. which
foreign birth, education, and influence is so ant
to produce, and also feeling high respect for
your personal character and admirinp the
ability displayed by you in conducting the af
lars OF the nation, whilst filing station but
little inferior in responsibility to that of The
President OF the United States himself are en-.
couraged to hope, from some of your late
speeches and votes, in the Senate ofthe United
States, that you coincide with them in senti.
ment, and that you will endeavor to carry ont
their views, by conserving to be their candidate
TOR the highest Office within their gift. But the
more fully to ascertain your views, Won win
confer favor by stating, whether, il elected.
you will pledge yourself to exclude from ali
| civil offices, persons who do not possess the
requisite constitutional qualifications for filling
the offices of PRECEDENT and Vice President Of
the United States; except, in the case of foreign
| diplomatic or commercial agencies, or other
wise, where the services Of persons possessing
the aforementioned qualifications, cannot be
commanded, without detriment to. the public
interest.
The opinions, freely expressed by you, in
debating the question, now prominently before
the people, have made us fully acqu ainted with
your views in regard to them.
will merely add, that neither myself nor
those for whom act, are in any way connected
with any secret society or organization, but are
simply actuated by very salutary and neces.
sary reform into every department of our gov
eminent. am, very respectfully, your friend,
D. RODNEY KING.
WASHINGTON, august 8, 1854.
ID. RODNEY KING, Esq.-My Dear Sir: Pro-
tracted and severe sickness since the receipt of
your letter of the Sd ultimo, has prevented me
from keeping up my correspondence. But for
tins, your letter would have received an immedi-
ate answer. Let me begin, then, by replying
to your principal question / respond to that
by declaring frankly, that never was, am not
now, and never shall be candidate for the
Presidency. have seen enough of it to form
decided opinion, that for me, there is no no
sition IN this country less desirable shall be
content with the seat in the Senate of the
United States, which the kind partiality of
friends in my native State have assigned TO me.
Indeed, l would not exchange it for any under
the government.
The year 1856 must decide momentous is
sue In this country-Are the American peo.
pie prepared to share with aliens the right of
governing this nation, at the ballotbox, as
soon as these aliens can make declaration of
intention? They may, and often do make,
such declaration, within week, or even q
day, after landing on our soil. again, are the
American people prepared to share with aliens.
every blessing and benefit conferred upon them
as American citizens, and even to give them a
share Of the public domain By the Ne.
braska bill, Congress has conferred upon them
the right of voting, and by the Homestead bill.
which is still pending, and to be decided upon
next winter, they are to have an equal share of
the public domain. on the same terms with ma
tive and naturalized citizens. Again. the
American people must decide whether, other
circumstances being equal, the native citizen
is or is not fairly entitled to preference in the
distribution Of honors and Offices, in the conn
try which gave them birth.
The state of my health will not permit me
to discuss these questions in letter. Our
naturalization laws are unquestionabIy defee
tive, or our almshouse would not now be filed
with paupers. OF the $4,000 paupers in the
United States, $4,000 are foreigners, and &C..
600 natives. The annals of crime have isweIled
as the jails Of Europe have poured their con.
tents into the country, and the felon convict.
reeking from a murder in Europe, or who has
had the fortune TO escape punishment for any
other crime abroad, easily gains naturalization
here, by spending a part Of FIVE years within
the limits Of the United States. Our country
has become Botany Bay, into which Europe
annually discharges her criminals of eyery de.
scription.
have no prejudice against the honest for
eigner, who comes here to seek an ASYLUM from
the tyranny of rulers abroad All INV sympa
thies are with them, and when they become
naturahzed, / will defend them, as American
citizens, in all their rights, as fully as those
born on the soil. would ineulcate and prac
tice religious liberation, in its broadest sense.
but / would see to it that no men of any sect,
whose creed teaches them TO deny relinious
federation to me and my countrymen, should
ever hold office here, or power Of any kind TO
persecute as for our religions opinions No
man who Acknowledges allegiance to any for.
eign potentate or power, or who holds himself
under obligations to obey the edicts of any such
potentate or power, shall be by my vote placed
in any post or Office under the American gov
eminent. ! would defend the rights Of men of
all religions 10 the full extent to which those
rights are guaranteed by the American Consti-
tuition. But while would advise every Anne.
rican citizen to defend the religious rights of
all others, even at the hazard of his life, would
at the same time advise him TO peril his life
not less freely in defence Of his own
do not undertake 10 enter into the subject
how far foreigners, who are not naturalized IN
this country, should be permitted TO hold Office.
You viii find that you can lay down no general
rule upon this subject, to which there will not
necessarily be exceptions. II is sufficient for
my purpose, standing as ! do, without the
power, and without the wish to have the power.
to confer Offices upon others, TO say, that in INV
judgment, native American citizen, under
equal circumstances Of qualifications and merit.
is better entitled TO the honors and Offices Of
the country than foreigner, whether natural
lied or not.
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