The American patriot. (Clinton, La.) 1854-1???, 1855-11-03
NATURALIZATION.

7
country and to be naturalized therein accor-
ding to his own whim or caprice. Therefore,
if for the future, we refuse altogether to natu-
ralize aliens or choose to submit them to a
longer probation, it might be an error Of policy
on our part but ii could not be an act Of in
justice. Injustice implies the existence of n
right or claim which is rejected, Or denied.
But if naturalization be a mere matter Of poll
cy, we can act in that respect AS we please and
without giving any good cause of complaint.
We are the sole judges of that courseof policy
which suits us as people. We can etherre-
fuse to naturalze altogether, or we can restrict,
abridge or curtail the privileges to be conferred
by naturalization. Whom foreigner is natu-
rallied, ii is with the implied condition tlathc
shall entirely, completely forget his former
home, 1t is on the cypress condition that he
shall emphatica!ly rcnounce the land of his
birth and all the ties and obligations which
bound him thereto and that he shall mbibe
through every pore that same feeling of patri
otism, that same love of country, Which ext
in the breast Of the native citizen with whom
he seeks to affiliate, and of whom he becomes
the peer. This is the theory OF naturalization.
But how is it in practice? Did you ever know
many naturalized aliens who had ever become
thorough Americans who felt as you did and
took as much interest in our national affairs as
that native who is not recreaut TO his country
and to himself? VIII not Gas general ru'e)
the heart of naturalized citizen remain d.
vided between his native land and his adopted
country? Should any one doubt it, let him
make an experiment. Take for instance ma
turalized citizen who has been here half CEN
fury, who married here, whose children and
grand children were born here, study the Sc
crct workings Of his breast should a conflict
spring up between the interests and honor of
the United States and of the country where
he first drew breath, and you will soon see,
although he may remain true to his assumed
allegiance, to which side his heart viii lean.
Stop that gray-headed naturalized Frenchman,
or Englishlnan, who totters with age in the
street, and who perhaps may have fought the
battles Of our country--tell him that we are
going to war with his former countrymen--
tell him that their proud banners shall bend
low befors ours in the humiliation of defeat
and see whether the flash of his eye, or the
eontcmptuous curl of his lip does not convince
you that every French or English feeling has
not been washed out Of him by the baptism of
naturalization. Ask him to meet in battle the
legions of his native country, from which he
has expressly withdrawn his allegiance, and
see whether the muskct which he would have
raised with patriotic al,ior against any other
of your foes, does not drop from his hands,
which will refuse to become parricdal wish
it to be understood that in that case instead of
blaming him, would rather admire the tena-
ciousness of his patriotism. But my object is
to demonstrate that, if by the decree of the
laws of nature, which cannot be changed, a
naturaized citizen cannot fulfil to the letter all
the implied and expressed conditions on which
all the privileges of citizenship are conferred
upon him, he has no cause to complain, if one
of those privileges is withheld from him
which is-tEat of being elevated to Office and
of being put on footing of equality with n
native, in relation to the administration of our
public affairs.
To convince yourselves that an alien Che it
said to his praise rather than to his diSparage-
menD cannot entertain for the country of his
adoption the same love he has for the country
of his birth, you have only to descend into
your own hearts. Which of you could dcna-
tonalize himself entirely? BY what process
could one of you, by swearing to become an
Irishman, German, Or a Spaniard, compel
himself to feel, to think, and to act exactly
like one of them? Nothing short of physi-
cal and moral transformation would enable YOU
to drive out of your hearts yonr innate pre,li-
lection for the place where YOU first opened
your eyes to the light of day, and where youl
entrance into this world was greeted by a
mothers smile. If this be true for YOU, it is
true for others. The laws of nature are the
same for all mankind. I 30 farthcr-I say that
no man knows the intense love he nourshcs
, for his own country, before he visits foreign
lands. A man, whilst at home, may find fault
with it; but should he by compulsion or even
voluntarily, turn away and depart from what
) excited his displeasurc, reprobaton CT disgust
why lo distance leads cnchatment to The
scene; busy memory wakes up and stirs the
very depths OF his soul endcaring recollcctions
g crowd upon him; the cherished image of his
native country looms before him; it becomes
$ to him a perpetual mirage, and tempt hin
: back with outstretched arms, like the lovin.
t and forgiving mother who is always ready t.