Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-11
NUMBER "a.
AMERICAN ORGAN.
Garrett Davis ON Native American


II is time that We should become little more
America9zed and instead of feeding the paupers and
labores Of England, feed own; else, in short
time by our present policy, we shall be paupers our
selves.-Andrep Jackson.
Ihope we may find some means In future Of shielding
ourselves from foreign infaeace-potical, commercial,
or III whatever form II may be attempted. wish
there were an ocean Of fire between this and the Old
Worli.--I'homas JEFFERSON.
Against the insidious wiles offoreign influence, q
conure you TO believe me, fellow-citizens) the jeal
ousy of free people ought to be constantly awake
II is one Of the most baneful foes Of republican gov
ernment.- -Geaye Washington.
Foreign influence is Grecian horse TO the repubc
we cannot be too careful to exclude its entr nee
James Madison.
There is an imperative necessity for reforming the
naturalization laws Of the United States.--DaaieL
Webstr.
In the Kentucky State Convention, on Decem.
Der 10Th, lS49, the body proceeded to the consid-
Grafton Of the following resolution, offered by Mr.
Davis, and made the special order for that day:
"Resoiped That foreigners Of the following de-
scrpons and classes, only shall be entitled to voto
for any civil officer or shall be eligible to any civil
Office, or place Of trust or profit under the Com
monwealth of Kentucky:
!" l. Those who, at the time Of the adoption Of
this amended constitution shall be naturalized cit
izens of the United States.
this amended constitution, shall have declared
their purpose to become citizens of the United
States in conformity to the laws thereof and who
shall have become citizens.
"3. Those who, twenty-one years previously
thereto, shall have declared their purpose, accord
ing TO the existing provisions of the laws of the
United States, to become citizens thereof and
who then shall be citizens of the United States
"a. Minors, who shall have migrated with their
parents parent to the United States, twenty-onc
years after their names, ages, and particular de-
scripton of their persons, shall have been entered
on the records Of some court ofrcc Of the State
of Kentucky, or some other part of the United
States: such foreigners having also, in every case
the like qualifications of residence, and on all
other points that are required of native-born cit
zens: and properly authenticated copy Of the re-
cord being in all cases required for the vcritca-
ton of the facts"
After few general remarks, Mr.. Davis pro-
cecded thus !:
Having made these preliminary remarks, Mr.
President state the fact that Native Amelicanisn
is not mushroom Of yesterday. II dates back in
the United States several generations and has tho
weight ofillusrious to sanctionit Torepel, in
some degree, the imputations cast upon il, that 1t
originated in small and iactious motives and among
Insignificant adventurers will read to the con-
vention few extracts. First from letter ad-
dressed to Gov. Morris, dated White Plains, July
"a, ITS:
Baron stcuben, now find, is also wanting to
quit his inspectorship, for a command in the line.
This will be productive Of much discomfort In
word though think the Baron an excellent Off
Ger, do most devoutly wish we had not a single
foreigner amongst US except the Marquis dc Lafay
cite, who acts upon very different principles from
those which govern the rest"
From another, dated Philadelphia November
II, 1894, and addressed to John Adams, the elder:
"My opinion with respect to immigration is,
except of useful mechanics, and some particular
descriptions of men and professions there Is no
need Of encouragement"
A letter dated from his residence, JAN 90 1890
in reply to letter applying for office, has this pas
sage:
1T does not accord with the policy of this gov
ernment to bestow offices, civil or military, upon
foreigners to the exclusion Of our citizens.n
These extracts are taken from letters written by
the father Of his country, George Washington;
the first from amidst theconics Of our war of in
dependence, and the other whilst he was President;
and In his Life by Sparks, win not only they be
found, but several others, with passages on the
same subject Of equal distinctncss and force.
/ win read the sentiments of another on the sub
jcct Of foreign immigration;
"Civil government being the sole object offorn-
by common consent Every species Of govern
ment has its specific principles. Ours are more
peculiar than those of any other Ia the universe.
II Is composition Of the freest principles of the
English constitution, with others derived from nat
ural right, or natural reason. To these nothing
can be moro opposed than the maxims of absolute
monarchies. Yet from such we are to expect the
greatest number Of immigrants. They win bring
With them the principles of the governments they
la ,a1 I'm bat rlx stla "a
throw them of, It viii be in exchange for an vn-
bounded iiceatousness passing, as is usual, from,
one exfre,ne 10 another. II would be miracle
were they TO stop precisely at the point Of tenn.
perate liberty. These principles, with their Ian
guage, they win transmit to their children.
"In proportion TO their numbers, they win share
with us in the legislation. They win infuse into IL
their spirit warp and bias its direction and render
IL heterogeneous, incoherent distracted mass /
may appeal to experience during the present con-
test, for verifcation Of these coniectures. But,
IL they be not certain in event. are they not posi-
BILE, are they not probablcy Is Il not safer TO whit
with patience twenty seven years and three months
longer for the attainment Of any degree Of popu-
lation desired, or expectedg May not our govern
ment be more homogeneous, more pcacedbte, more
durobicw
Thus speaks Mr.. jefferson in his Notes on vir-
gnia presume that these two men Of dcathless
as any clanorous advocate Of the Foreigner IN this
convention; and Il might be safely assumed, that
what hey-beleved TO be wise and wholesome, could
not prove very pernicious. In the terrible throcs
Of our revolutionary struggles and when our young
institutions were in their cradle, and the country
contained population hardly adequate 70 It's pro-
lection against foreign and Indian aggression, these
far-sceing sages deprecated and condemned a heavy
foreign immigration and Mr.. Jefferson SAID, with
thorough philosophical and practical knowledge OF
man, they wonld bring with them maxims OF des-
potism, or unbow,dgd tiecnfiousaess, and produce
"a heterogeneous, incohcrcnt distracted mass"
If we wanted more numbers, he invokcd US TO swnit
the slower but 30 much more safe principle Of nat
ural increase rather than hazard the great danger
with which foreign immigration was fraught
But why am opposed to the encouragement Of
foreign immigration into country, and disposed
to apply any proper chcckstoit? Why do propose
70 suspend TO the foreigner for 21 years after he
shall have sgnihed formally bis Intention to be-
como citizen Of the United States the right OF
suffrage, the birthright Of no man but ono native
boms II is because the mighty tides Of immigra-
tion, each succeeding one increasing in volume,