Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-10-17
H. JOHN M. CLAYTON.
Letter ON Nativis m.
W.su1NcrON. Auo. &

~. WASHINGTON, Aug. 3, l6o3s ,
D. RODNEY KING, Esq.-My Dear Sir: Pro-
tracted and severe sickdess since the receipt Of
your letter of the third ultimo, has prevented me
from keeping up my correspondence. But for
this, your letter would have received an immedi-
ate answer. Let me begin then by replying to
your principal question. l respond to that by de-
claring frankly, That l never was, am not now,
and never shall be candidate for the Presidency.
l have seen enough of it to form decided Opin-
ion that for me, there is position in this coun
try less desirable. l shall be content with the
seat in the Senate of the United States, which
the kind Partially Of friends in my native State
has assigned to me. Indeed would not exchange
it for any under the Government.
The year 1856 must decide momentOus issue
in this country. Are the American people pre-
pared 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 p
They may, and often do, make such II declaration
within week, or even day, after landing on
our soil. Again, are the American people pre-
pared to share, with aliens, every blessing and
benefit conferred upon them as American citizens,
and even to give them share of the public do
main? By the Nebraska bill, Congress has con-
ferred 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 in the public domain, on the same
terms with native and naturalized citizens
Again, the American people must decide whether,
other circumstances being equal, the native cltl-
zen is or is not fairly enttlck to preference in
the distribution of honors and Offices in the cOun-
try which gave them birth. e(
The state Of my health will not permit me TO
discuss these questions in letter. Our natural
iZation laws unquestionably defective, or our
aims houses would not now be filled with pau
pers. Of the $4,000 paupers in the United
States, $4,000 are foreigners and $4,000 natives,
The annals of crime have swelled as the jails of
Europe have poured their contents into the cOun-
try, and the felon convict, reeking from a muir
der in Europe, or who has had the 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 a Botany Bay,
into which Europe annually discharges her Grim
inals of every description.
have no prejudices against the honest foreign
ers who come here to seek an asylum from the
tyranny of rulers abroad. llmy sympathies are
! with them, and when they become naturalized
will defend them, as American citizens, in all
their rights, as fully those born on the soil.
would inculcate and practice religious federation
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 power Of any
kind to prosecute us for our religious opinions
No man who acknowledges allegiance to any for
eign potentate Or power, or who holds himself
under obligations to obey the cdic:s Of any such
potentate or power, shall be by my vote placed
in any post or Office under the American Govern
ment. 1 would defend the rights of men Of all
religions, to the full extent to which those rights
are guaranteed by the American Constitution
But while would advise every American citizen
to defend the religious rights of all others,
at the hazard of his life would at the same time
advise him to peril his life not less freely in de-
| fence of his own.
do not undertake to enter into the sub ject how
far foreigners, who naturalized in this country,
should be permitted to hold Office. You will find
that you can lay down no general rule upon the
subject to which there will not necessarily be ex-
ceptions. 1t is sufficient for my purpose, stand
ing, as do, without the power to confer Offices
upon others, to say that, in my 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 naturalzed Or not.
And now. seeking no Office from you or your
friends, or anybody else, have the honor to sub
scribe myself,
Very sincerely and resp ctfully, your friend,
JOHN NJ. CLAYTON.
d. Rodney KING, Esq, Philadelphia.