Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-04-10

very people who have aroused your prejudices and
excited your passions, not content with saying that
they would not vote for you for the oitce OF Gov
crnor as private citizens have actually put i into
the constitution that we shall not be voted for by
any body Let the Hon. S. A. Douglas heanit,
and learn that If his gallant and brave and patri-
o;ic felow-citLen General Shields, were here in
Virginia although he were ready 10 shed, as have
no doubt he is ready to shed, hogshead of blood
if he had It in defence of the conntry--f he were
here citizen Of Virninia, he would be incapable
by law, by the constitution of receiving the Office
Of Governor, or the comparatively Insignificant OF
fee Of Lieut., Governor although every American
in the State were anxious to make an exception III
his favor TO this general rule, in consideration OF
his great gallantry and patriotism TINS mas peen
done not by the accursed Know-Nothtngs, put ny
a majority Of the Convention Of Virginia, VINO nave
cngrafted IL into the Constitution TO STAND ior all
time
But, gentlemen nor was the reform convention
entitled 10 this discovery of the wisdom and pru-
dence az putting some safe guarantees against per-
Knitting the high political offices Of the country TO
be Allied by foreigners, you have similar provis-
ion in the Constitution of the United States, and
the constitution of Virginia of 1884, and you have
piece Of legislative history in the law OF Virginia
even still more striking and remarkable. In the
wear 1885 the Legislature of Virginia passed this
law, and desire you to consider the views which
day. / will read the statute to which | refer.
The speaker read from Henning's Statutes at
Large, as follows; - 49,.
States to encourage population among other means
by an easy mode for the admission OF foreigners 10
the rights Of citizenship; yet, wisdom and safety
suggest the proprety of guarding against the IN
PRODUCTION Of secret enemies, and OF keeping the
offices of government in the hands OF citizens In
timately acquainted with the spirit of the constitu-
ton and the genius Of the people, as well as per-
manently attached to the common interest.
"2nd. Be It therefore enacted by the General
Assembly-That all free persons born WITHIN the
territory of this Commonwealth, all persons not
being natives, who have obtained a right ncitzen-
ship under the Act entitled-An Act declaring VINO
shall be deemed citizens of this Common and
also all children wheresocver born, whose fathers
or mothers are or were citizens at the time OF the
birth such children, shall be deemed citizens ofhs
Commonwealth, until they relnquish that character
in manner hereinafter mentioned and that all per-
sons other than alien enemies who shall migrate into
this State and shall before court of record give
satisfactory proof by oath, Tor being Quakers or
Menonists, by afirmation) that they intend to re-
side therein, and also take the legal oath or affr-
nation for giving assurance of fidelity to the Com
monwealth, (which oaths or afirmations) the clerk
of the court shall enter ON record, and give certi.
cate thereof to the person taking the same aud shall
on or before theirst day of October annually trans
init to the Executive list of the persons who
shall have taken the said oaths or aifirinations,
recting their nation and occupation (f any to be
by them entered in book to be kept for that pur-
nose for which he shall receive the fee of one dol
lar; shall be entitled to all the rights, privileges
aud advantages of citizens, except that they shall
not be capable OF election or appointment to any
Office Legislative, Executive judiciary, until an
actual residence in the State of five years from the
time of taking such oaths afiirnations afore-
said nor, until they shall have evinced perma-
n,nt attachment to the State by having intermar-
RED with citizen of this Commonwealth, or
citizen of any other of the United States, or pur-
chased lands to the value of one hundred pounds
therein"
Mr. Patton proceeds:
That was the idea of the patriots and sages OF
the Revolution, at that early period, when II en-
couaraged the policy OF this infant State especially
to immigration. That law continued in force in
Virginia certainly until 1912, when Congress passed
its naturalization laws. And it seems to have been
supposed by very eloquent lawyers and able men,
that this law was still in force Notwithstanding the
passage of the naturalization laws by Congress; 1t
was re-enacted in '92 which was before the natu-
r.lzation law, and continued in the code OF 1919,
prepared by Watkins Leigh, one of the ablest Ju-
rsts Of the country. II remained in the statute
book until 1850, when the reyjsQIs % thatr tdHn
by the naturalization laws Of Congress, left 1t out
Of the code. But there il is; there il stands as
monument of the opinions of the then llustrious
sages of the Revolution. This law was made about
the very time-whether ii was one of the laws re-
ported by the committee, / don't know-that JEFF
ferson Pendeton, and Wythe, were appointed
committee TO revise the laws of Virginia Here Is
the Know-Nothng principle with vengeanccl
Gentlemen, this cry about the rights Of foreign
ers is all CANNON. Nobody proposes; no man
that i have ever seen; no paper that have ever
read, advocating or sustaining this Know-Nothing
or American party movement, has said or written
anything indicating purpose TO violate any rights
Of foreigners A foreigner has no rights in this
country, except what the laws give. 1t is wholly
a matter Of domestic policy, and for the considera-
ton Of the people of the United States under what
circumstances they will admit foreigners into the
country or whether they win admit them at ALL
whether, when they come here, they will allow
them TO become citizens-upon what terms Of pro-
baton, and upon what forms and conditions Ny
opinion is that, viewing the vast increase in imm-
gration-the change In our condtion-the vast
numbers and rapid increase Of our own population,
that the time has arrived materially 10 change our
naturalization laws-to increase very considerably
the length Of probation, before admission to the
rights of citizenship and such other and more eff
Gent securities that those who TO receive these
rights arc ft depostaries OF them by their moral
character-knowledge Of the principles of our in
situations, and imbued with devotion to our con-
sdtution.
These are matters, however, Of detail to be dis
posed Of by Congress-whch IL would be prema-
ture for me to undertake to consider or de6ne-any
specific views as TO the proper provislons-they
must be left TO the wisdom of Congress, exercised
with full view Of the exigencies Of the country at
the time.
believe that there are some over-zealous advo-
Gates Of this American party, who 60 10 extreme
lengths such as preventing the immigration of
foreigners out and out and repeating the naturali-
zation laws. Now, l am in. favor Of neither do
not understand this Virginia American party TO be
In favor Of either say let the foreigners come
aud II could remember here, would speak over
again that speech which seemed to have been adj
mired so much by some Of my Democratic friends
would say, let them come, and forbid them not
the industrious and pains taking German from his
fader land, the gay Frenchman from the fertile
plains and yineclad hills Of his beautiful France,
the whole souled and gallant Irishman--let them
come But let them come with a means Of living
let them TO better their fortunes by their in
dustry, adding to the industrial products of the
hv haoo H.