The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-12-27
Com. Stockton and the Know Moth
lnES.


AttsN McI.ANN RuRniNrrr,Esq, Wilmington, Del
/ Dear SRI have received your letter
of November %. and | thank you for
the sentiments Of friendly commentator
which it expresses
! Though withdrawn from public lie,
, nevertheless | am not inscn>iLlc 10 emo
tlons of qualification when | find my
lrinci lies or my past conduct the object
Of just and generous appreciation. Yet
IL is with unfcigncd reluctance that |
comply with the duty of answering your
letter. lest it should be construed into
desire on my l'ait to rcarrear on the
political arena have no such desire
The turbulence of political strife has no
charms for me my tastes, inclinatiors
and happiness lead me to prefer the
tranquility of private life.
But as | approved Of the principles Of
the Americas party when in lis infancy.
| am unwilling HAT it should be bclcy.
cd now, when it exists in the veor Of
manhood, that have become dcrciict to
those principles, or that | can refuse on
any proper occasion to avow myself to be
az -N'''N''N bNiiibtlht- NV Su1llik from
the fraternal recognition of those who
cspouse nay principles, no matter urdcr
what designation they may have former
ly acted. No sir. the history of our
country, since first approved your prin-
cplcs, has ouly strengthened and CON
iirmcd the opinions which entertained
at the period to which you refer
Un ,nur Ers INSTRUMENTATION.
| answer and say Il am in favor of
confirming all executive and aln.iuistra'
tive functions of Office to American born.
In relation to your second interroga
tory, | answer that am in favor of an
extension of the crind of residence pre-
vious TO naturalization, to at least TWEEN.
ty'one years. or total repeal Of the ma
tnrallzation laws, as in the wisdom If
tbs people may seem fit :"
Dcmagogucs should no longer be per
mtted to manufacture hordes Of freshly
imported aliens into voters to nuliify
the Voice of Americans in the ballot box
The corrupt rivalship Of parties for the
Purch ase Of foreign born Voters must
cease. 1t never will cease, however, UNI
I'll the swarms of emigrants who month,
ly land on our shores shall ceas c, to be
offered in the political market to the
highest bidder
In avowiug the principle that "Amcr-
leans alone should rule Amorica,"I do not
understand you to approve the disfran-
chisement of the foreign born who al
ready possess the right Of voting. The
larger proportion of our adcr ted fellow
citizens, at least the most intelligent a
mong them, believe are perfectly salts.
fed that the time has arrived when our
naturalization laws should be altered or
repealed That portion of them which
fully appreciate the dignity aad high
prcrogative oftsovereignty which they
enjoy as American citizens. Truo to the
country Of their adoption they are un
willing to leopard its Institutions to ben
eft future emigrants, even from the land
of their own nativity.
To your third interrogatory. I answer
Being a Christian people, it seems to me
that to preserve our posterity in the
faith of our fathers, we can do no less
E than to secure to our children always
perfect freedom of access to the Holy
Scriptures, without note or comment
While frankly expressing this opinion
/ must say, also, that agree with you
5 that any connection between sectaran
J ism and politics, or between Church ant
State, whether Protestant or Papist
= would be dangerous to liberty, aud hos
+ tile to the spirit and genius of the y
a merican Constitution.
You allude to my presentation of pc
titions, whilst in the Senate of tho
9 United States in favor of the exclusion
I of foreign paupers and conviets. On tina
4 subject will only say, that,had deem
ed the period propitious, such was ny
: sense Ct the dangers and evils Of the i'm
o portation of that class Of Foreigners
:, should have felt it my duty to propose
capitation import tax upon such omi
S grants, which would have effeetually sS
u cludod them from our ports. That sue
: u measure OF precaution has not NOR
! earnestly been urged upon Congress b
n the municipal authorities of our grea
IS cities, which are the chief suffers fror
tho influx of foreign paupcrs and fclon
C shows to what extent subseryienco to til
l. foreign element has influenced the actio
e of those entrusted with the public SAT,
l. y. Faithfully, your obi Seryt an
n fliend, RI. STOCKTON,