The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-10-26
The Voice of a Statesman.

Peulency ol aUoptibS al tuo oehuuehIS
of Mr.. Clayton concerning persons natu-
ralzed in this country, it is refreshing to
hear statesman speaking out frankly
and boldly. The reason of this phenom-
enon is apparent-he does not want to
be president.
He has written the following letter, in
reply to one from D. r. King, of Phila-
delphia, who rendered him nomination
for President on the part of the Native
American interests, and asks him pledge
himself to exclude citizens Of foreign birth
from civil Offices.
Washington, Aug. g, 1851
D. RODNEY KING, Esq-MY DEAR
SIR: Protracted and severe sickness since
the receipt of your letter OF the third ul-
timo, has prevented me from keeping up
nv correspondence But for this your
letter would have received an immediate
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, a
candidate for the Presidency. l have
seen enough of it to form decided opin-
ion, that for me, there is no position in
this country less desirable. l shall be
content with the seat in the Senate of the
United States, which the kind partiality
of Friends in my native State has assign
ed to ME. Indeed, would not exchange
it for any under the Government.
The year 1856 must decide a momen-
tous issue in this country. Are the A
mcrican people prepared to share with
aliens the right Of governing this nation, at
the ballot box, as soon as those aliens can
make a declaration of intention? They
may, and often do, make such declara-
ton, within a week, or even day, after
landing on our soil. Again, are the A
mcrican people prepared to share, with
aliens, every blessing and benefit confer
red upon them as American citizens, and
even to give them a share of the public
domain? By the Nebraska bill, Congress
has conferred upon them the right of vot-
ing, and BY the Homested bill, which still
is pending, and to be decided upon next
winter, they are to have an equal share
of the public domain, on the same terms
with native and naturalized citizens. A
gain the American people must decide
whether, other circum stances being equal,
the native is or is not fairly entitled to a
preference in the distribution of honors
and offices in the country which gave him
birth.
The state of my health will not per-
nit NE to discuss these questions in let
ter. Our naturalization laws are uDques-
| tionably defective, or our alms-houses
would not be filled with panpcrs. Of the
1874, 600 paupers in the United States,
s., 600 are foreigners and 66,OOO natives
The annals Of crime have swelled as the
jails of Europe have poured their con-
tents into the country, and the felon con-
vict, reeking from a murder in Europe,
or who has had the fortune to escape pun
ishment for any other crime abroad, cas-
iIy gains naturalization here, by spending
a part or FIVE years within the limits OF
the United States. Our country has be-
come Botany Bay, into which Europe
annually discharges her criminals of eV,
cry description.
l have DO prejudices against the honest
foreigners who come here to seek an asy-
lum from the tyranny Of rulers abroad
All my sympathies are with them, and
when they become naturalized [ will de-
fend them as American citizens, in all
their rights, as fully as those born on the
soil. | would inculcate and practice re-
igious liberation in its broadest sense;
but | would see to it that no man of any
sect, whose creed teaches them to deny
religious liberation to me and my country
men, should ever hold Office here, or be
invested with power of any kind to per-
sccute US for our religious opinions. No
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 Government. L would de-
fond the rights of men of all religions to
the full extent to which those rights are
guaranteed by the American Constitution.
But while l would advise every Ameri-
can 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.
l do not undertake to enter into the
subject how far foreigners, who are nat
uralized in this country, should be per-
mitted to hold Office. You will find that
you can lay down no general rule upon
the subject, to which there will not nec-
essarily be exceptions. 1t is sufficient
for my purpose, standing, as [ do, with
out the power to confer Offices upon others,
to say that, in my judgement, native
American citizen, under equal circum-
stances of qualifications and merit, is bet.
ter entitled to the honorS and Offices Of
the country than foreigner, whether nat
uralized or not. =
And now, seeking no Office from you
or your friends, or anybody else, l have
the honor to subscribe myself,
Very sincerely and respectfully, your
friend,