Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-11-29
HENRY a. WISE ON KNOW-NOTH.
INGISM.
CON LUD ED.

n y Il U u Z
So far as "Know. N Nothingism" opposes
our naturalization laws, it is not only a
gainst our statute policy, but against Ame-
ricanism itself. In this it is essentially
anti American. One Of tho best fruits OF
the American Revolution was to establish,
for the first time in the world, the human
right of Expat,iation. Prior TO our sep
crate existence as a nation OF the earth;
the despotsms Of the old world had made
law unto themselves, whereby they
could hold forever in chains those 0f man
kind who we're SO unfortunate as TO be
born their subjects. In respect TO birth
right and the right of eXpatriation, and
the duty of Allegiance and Protection,
and the law Of Treason, crowned heads
held to the ancient dogma "Once cili
zen always a Citizen" If man was so
miserable as to be born the slave of a ty-
rant, he must remain his slave forever
lie could never renourcc his Inflated
birthright-cou!d never expatriate him
self to seek for better country-and
could never forSwcar the allegiance which
bound him TO his chains. He might en-.
igrate, might take tho wings of the morn
ing and fly to the .uttermo>t parts of the
Ch1Gu1 lulAllI ClOSS SCdS HhN Cpu'luCnlS,
and put oceans, and rivers, and lakes ,raud
mountains between him ami the throne in
the shadow Of which he VAS born, and he
would still but drag a lengthcning chain
Still the despotism might pursue him and
bind him as subject slave. If America
beckoned to him t. fly to her for freedom,
and to give her the cunning and the
strength Of his right arm to help ameiio
rate her huge proportions, and to work
EOut her gncaC destiny, the Tyrant had to
be asked for passports and permissi L to
cxpRtriale. But they camc--lo! they
came Our laws encouraged them to
come. Before '76, Eirsinil ana al the
Colonies encouraged immj grafton. TWAS
necessity as well as policy OF the whole
country. Early in the Revolution tho
Kings forces hung Some of TIC best blood
Of the Colonies under Tie maxim, 'uncc Il
citizen always citizen.' They were trait
ors if found fighting for US. because they
were once subjects. Washing ctor was
obliged TO hold hostages, to prevent the
application OF this bnrborous doctrine oi
= tyranny. At last our struggle ended, and
our independence was rccOgnizcd. George
Ill was compelled to rSnOunce our allie
glance to him, though we 2gere born his
subjects. Bat still, vixen we came 10 our
sepcrate existence, we were called on to
. recognize the same odiou5 maxim, still
adhcr0d to by the dcspots of Europe
''oncc citizen always !! cjlizen."- SAB
jects were still told that they should not
expatriate themselves. and America was
warned that she should not naturalizc
them without the consent OF their Monarch
masters. Spurning this dogma. and the
TyrantS who boaslel the power to enforce
it, the fourth power which tie Convention
of 1857, that formed our blessed Consli-
tuition, enumerated, is :--"Thc Congress
shall have power to establish an uniform
rule of naturalization.
The meaning Of this was, to say by pub
lie law 10 all Europe, and her combined
courts-''your dogma, 'once Il citizen al
ways citizen shall cease forever as to
the United States OF America. We need
population to smooth our rough places,
and to make our crooked places straight;
but above and beyond that policy, we are,
with the help Of God, resolved, that this
new and giant land shall be one vast asy-
lum for the oppressed OF every other land,
now and forever !" That is my reading
Of our law Of liberty. Those born in bon
A"oC All AH A"IHS I''S'A Z 60 III hOPC VI
better cou9try. They might and should,
If they would, expatriato themselves, fly
from slavery and chai,.s, and c0nlc!-ho
every one OF them, come ~ our country
and be free with US They mi14t for.
swear their allegiance to dcspOts, anu
should be allowed here TO take an oath 10
Liberty and her flag. and her freedom,
and they should not be pursued and pun
tshel as traitors. When they came and
swore that our country should be their
country, we would swear TO protect them
as ii in the country born, as If nntivcs-i
c. as naturalized ciIizenS, and they should
DC our citizens and be entitled to our pro.
lection. And this was in conformity to
the only true idea of Naturalization -
which, according to its legal as we'll as its
p genealogical sense, means "when one who
Is an alien is made natural subject by
act of law and consent of the SOVEREIGN
power of the StaLe.' The consent of our
sovereign power is written in the Consti.
tuition OF the United States, and Congress
at an early day after its adoption, passed
acts of naturalization. The LEADING sta
tute is that OF April 14th, 1909. t pro
vlded, that any alien being free whit
person, may be admitted to become cit
izen of the United States, or any of them
on.the following conditions, and not ethe,
wise /: