The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1855-01-19

tuition to which we are referred, when ten
years emigration gave u. only fifty thonsInd
pejscnsl Aud what said the framers Of the
constitution even thtni Did they declare
that foreigners had right TO participate in
the tfla rs o. o ernmen.l Not at oil ! They
made The Constitution prosc;ptivc. They
tie clGr.d, By unanimous woe Ui the CON
vehtiun, that after brief period, 10 man but
a nllivc-born cltiz'n should be eligible t. thr
Off uf President They declared that miro
years CT zership should be requitcd ~ mhke
man eligible tu the S"ni:e,and seven years
10 the House of Representatives,. They toJk
from the States the power to confer cj'izen-
ship,which tnc State. then exercised rnare
Is nothing to show that they entertained tie
idea advanced here, that foreigners had II
right 10 participate in the hight st preruga.
!Ncs OF governments 1t was madc u q es-
iun OF cxi cdicncy. 1t was priyiIrg. con-
fctred.
Tie same cautun runs through all our
statute legislation on this subject. The
statute ut i79t requ red two years residence
as qualification Tor citH n-hip. Tne stat
ate Vi l7Jj required five years residence. -
The statute OF 1902 required additional proof
of residence, and Remuneration OF all ll!pgi-
ance TO other Governments The statute Of
1916 required proof of residence by two ciii.
Zeus Oi tle United States, showing con tant
advance il the demands made by Govern
mcnt upon those on whom it. conferred the
privilege Vi citizenship. They made it Il con-
dtion precedent that aliens who sou Iht cili-
ZensHip should tivcst themselves oc all at
tIchurnt to foreign potcn,atts or Govern.
mrnts, oi uny character whatever Il re.
collect r,aht, Mr.. Madison, ho was furem st
amoGg ih" advocates Of liberal legislation Tor
citizsns o. foreign birh, in .upporin a prop.
osiliOn oi liam,iton, that eligibility II Office
-houli g., cad merely upun citizenship ani
tnhab,lnncy, said distinctly "ihIt wh c il was
, possible danger that m'n with foreign pre-
dIecuDna might obtain az pIintmcnts, 1T was
by NJ mean, probable that it would happen
to any dangerous dcgrcc. For the same rta-
son that thy would b. attached to their own
couuiry, OF" }topie wouH JrcJcr HatircS n
ms r0uhhy 10 Msm." This, certainly, sounds
! like "A confirmation OF tho doctrine of the
( Know. Nothln4s; and It f4lIs from the lips .
Il stcadust friend ol adopted citizens, who
knew the services ui foreigners in the RevO.
luton, at time when tht vast, unsurveycd
: portions ot the country demanded IA pioneer
population, aud the annual rmIrltiUn from
abroad did not exceed five Thousand persons.
lie had reference only to the aPPDintmrnt OF
foreigners TO uili 20 by the people, and dld not
refer To them ~ even possible recipients d
Executive patronage. There is aGlsliuctor
III these spurccsoi appointment that deserves
to b. noted. Mr. q .rry, o! Mlsslchusctts-
wards Vice President during the admin.
i,trattpn ol NJ. Mldls0n- said that hr wish.
cd,"in future, eligibility might be confined
10 NATIVES. He was not Singular he srid
."In his views. great inany o! the mossiE-
lu'Llal men reasoned in like manner."-
Similar view, were expressed by leading men
OF the Federal and Republican parties They
placed the nr" Constitution upon the grouut
tdat, when cmyrauls ceased to be lorrignt Rs
they were entitled ~ become American ci!.
iZrus
How is it with the foreign population o
oar day! The gentleman from Mis- ssippi
alluded 10 the ilattery of foreign voters by
General Scott, IN the campaign OF lS52 -
I Bat how was 1t with the Democratic party
IN that canvass! where we're the different
parties oI all the States! aud how will it b,
with all the parties ia the contest of iSj6!--
May not they too go down on their knees ,c
those who may hold the balance ol power II
that contest!
Aud u word as to thi, b,lancc Of pow, r.
Has t occurred to gentlemen how slight a
pose is required TO determine the result o
any Iutirc election! Has 1t occurred to Us
how slight power, skIIIuly directed, isht
have changed the result OF any past election!
And wh" shal deny 10 that party that hold
TINS power, the patronage it demands! How
Is II that 80 many gentle men Of foreign birth
. hold diplomatic stations aI foreign courts! l.
ii because General Pierce is prc,idcnt!--
/ VI ould not General Scott have pursued the
b,uo policy or, i. differing at all differing in
degree only, aud not principle. Ofcoursr,
no man could do otherwise. May not the
next man who oCchpIrs tho presidential
ohuIr do the same thing! | dp not ccnsurr
one party aud CAcu-r another, because the
necessities oI action are equally imperative
| on nil.
! Now it Is said that tho lo-"gn vote, and
! lllt AlnbiIt lNhN'NCc III lIllS country COM
! paratiycly weak, and the figures cited, prove
/ 1t to be- tue. But weak in numbers as they
are, they are not so weak but ;hcir oppo-
ncnts may diUide, und American citizens and
J Protcstants, dividing upon minor qucsliuns Of
policy, can easily give balance of power to
a party ri dlnIlrut've numbers that cschrw
division.
Thrrr is difference between elections of
pubic officers by Iha people and Executive
appointments, that bears upon this question:
The appointment ol foreigners, by the Exec
utvc, must be obtained through solicitation
OF those who hayo most influence in con.
trolling the body oi Haluralllrd voters; anl
rurcctalu' application binds the rccigi nu,, II
there be- integrity in human nature, partly
To the Government, but largely to the parties
through whom it is obtained
Ga the other han there is !. ind Of purga.
ton IN popllar elections, that binds II caudi-
date to III, public, aud compel, him to louk To
The people alone. lie can share the favor
,..t - tl,..r MI 81