Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-29
IMMIGRATION AND ITS EFFEcTs.

eHiporaries were without loundatlon. we DO
not wish, however, to be misunderstood We
agree that our system of naturalization should
be attended with certain wholesome restric
tions. We think that before a foreigner is ad
mitted to free participation in the rights of
citizen, his respect and love for our institu
lions should be attcsted by sufficient resi-
dence in the country and by correct and ex-
emplary conduct while here We think that
these precautions have been abundantly Sc
cured by our present laws of naturalization,
and that these laws need but little, if any ma
terial modification.
The length Of residence which should pre-
cede the admission of foreigner to citizen
ship, is at last mere question of time, to be
determined as all such practical questions
must be by the experience of the past That
experience has been since fixed upon FIVE
years as the most appropriate term of pro-
baton. 1t is in itself very significant that the
term agreed upon in the earliest legislation of
the government has been retained to the pre-
sent day. Nor has this been merely the result
called to this subject at various times and the
naturalization laws have been amended in
other respects on many occasions. Is not this
in itself strong evidence that the system has
worked successfully? But an additional rea,
son why we should respect the early legislation
OF the country on this and other subjects is
that such legislation was nearly cotemporane-
Gus with the adoption of the Constitution, and
may, therefore, be presumed to reflect more
clearly the design and meaning of that instru-
ment. That the term of five years should have
been thus early agreed upon. and retained I'M
changed through more than sixty years, is the
strongest presumptive evidence that it was
sufficiently long period of probation. That
some term of gears was intended to be fixed,
is evident from the Constitution itself, provid.
ing for the establishment of laws OF naturalza-
ton, and making the naturalized citizen, after
a certain period, eligible to all but the highest
Office in the gift of his adopted country.
Nor is this term of previous residence all
that is required Of the candidate for citizenship.
After residence Of at least three years in the
country and two before his admission-duri
which time he has had abundant opportunity
to learn the nature and imbibe the principles
Of our government-he is required to take an
oath before some court of record in the United
States, that it is his intention to become citi-
zen, to renounce all former allegiance, and to
support the Constitution Of his adopted country
Two years after that declaration has been made
this intention is to be carried into effect and
the court to whom the application is made
must in ike manner be satisfied that during
that time he has behaved as man of good
moral character, attached to the principles of
the Constitution Of the United States and well
disposed to the good order and happiness Of
the same"
Such is brief summary of the provisions Of
our present naturalization Law, and we are at a
loss TO know how it could be changed to advan-
tage. 1t has done all that can be expected Of
lap, and if there be any evils resulting from
it, they must be in the execution of its provi-
sions. We believe that the fault is not in the
federal law, but in the practical abrogation Of
the law by the admission Of foreigners by the
States to certain rights and franchises as resi-
dent aliens, before they have complied with the
prerequisites of citizenship. In connection
with this subject we would say that while we
have in our brief career upheld in all its force
the pure doctrine Of State rights, and while
we can boast with truth that after the straiest
L. L
structionists Of the Constitution, yet we, in like
manner, contend for fair and faithful main.
tenance Of the legitimate powers Of the federal
government Our motto, and the motto Of the
States rights party, is to render unto Caesar the
things that are Caesars, to watch with jealous
eye any aggression on the part Of the federal
government, but to maintain with a scrupulous
faith all the delegated powers of that govern
ment.
The Constitution, then, vests in Congress the
power 10 establish uniform rule Of naturali-
cation. From the very nature Of the term
uniform, il must have been designed that the
power should be vested alone in Congress for
if exercised by any other legislative bodies,
there could not fail to be frequent conflicts In
their laws which would utterly destroy any
uniformity in the rule Of naturalization. In.
deed, such has been the expressed opinion Of
the Supreme Court Of the United States in one
Of its decisions. What, then, was the intent
and meaning Of the trainers Of the Constitu-
ton in vesting this sole power in Congress?
Surely not TO give mere naked power, or
rather shadoS Of power, which could be com
pletely abrogated by the local regulations of
each State in the confederacy. Is that a mi.
form rule Of naturalization which in one State
admits the foreigner TO the exercise Of the
highest privilege Of the ciizen-the right ef
suffrage-almost Immediately on his arrival
and 10 another precludes him from that exer
else for Eve years Is the federal rule Of nat
uralization fairly and faithfully maintained,
when the foreigner Is invested with the sove-