Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-05-03

grants to the United States to be l.ls94I2. At
this rate, IN twenty years the emigration would
amount to 4,169, GAS. We at once see the great
danger of such policy. To accumulate 4 765 64S
foreigners in our midst without permitting them to
become citizens of the United States they feeling
degraded and that the Government had DISCERNING
ated against them without Just cause! He looked
upon it as being the very worst policy that the
Government could pursue. If foreigners were
permitted to emgrate to this country as they had
been through all its former history, he thought the
sooner they could be Amercanzed and absorbed
by the American population the better for them
and the country. He was not in favor of keeping
foreigners 10 this country for long period of time,
without their becoming citizens of the United
States. If the law is to be changed or modified
! at all which was passed during General WASHING
TONS administration, as already referred to, that
i've years had better be fixed upon as the outside
limit OF time foreigner should be permitted to
remain In the country, without being naturalized
de was OF the opinion if foreigner after emigrat
ing to the United States, could not make it appear
within hye years, to the satisfaction of the Courts
| OF the country that he was "man of good moral
character attached to the principles of the Coust-
tuition and well disposed to the good order and
happiness OF the same that it was conclusive that
! he ought not TO become citizen, and should not
| be permitted longer to remain in the country II
he was man OF bad moral character, and unfrieud-
ly to the principles of the Constitution, Eve years
OF itself was too long to continue him in our midst
and of course twenty one years would be worse
He looked upon the policy of continuing foreigners
in the country for twenty-one years without being
Amerlcanzed, as being frsught with the most dan
gerous and evil consequences to the country, and
| time will so prove II, whenever such policy may
be adopted by the Government
Gov. JOHNSON continued by saying that he had
always favored a liberal policy towards foreigners
who wished to emigrate to this country on account
OF their preference for our free institutions and he
would here refer to a speech which be had made
some four years ago, when candidate for a seat in
the Congress Of the United States:
He said when looking the water TO the starving
oppressed and downtrodden condition q the inhabitants
OF the Emerald ISLE il not in his HGture when the
poor freshman left ais country and sough this as the
home of the oppressed and the asylum Of the exile to
meet him on the shore and forbid his entrance He said
when he looked TO Germany where the population
is dense subsistence DEAR scarce wages for Ia
Dor low that after understanding the nature character
Of his own government compared with ours should he de-
termne to taks bis wife and children and some
ship bound for ports, and after many weeks Of peril
anxiety and contest with the Of the ocean he
ceeds in reaching Shore who is it. that claims toan
American, that would meet him there aud bid hidltfay
away, upbraidog him as being foreigner? He Mr. j.
imagled he the hsnest German pause aud draw from
his pocket small volume, written by Weems givnsi1
account of the incidents of the revolution He though
him turn 10 that page describing the battle Cafda
in which the brave old German De kslb fought receiving
eleven wounds and testing his patriotism BY Offering up
his life to freedoms He thought be him point
the grave which contains his bones and an honest but
emphatic manner ask if he might not be permitted
JOY country beneath whose soil the brave and patriotic
De Kalb now sleeps ia peace lie said sometimes his
mind nvountary crossed the water and took up abode
Franceversatie aud revolutionary FSance-whose his
tory since II - had been one eof psEotion and blood
He there found sensitive and animated Frenchnn Nhose
very soul is liberty, his every impulse ehvalry-he found
him becoming sick Of his own changing and chang
ing France looking up to the r eolored dag Of his own
country, medating upon the institutions OF his native
land-then stretching bis vision across the water fixing
upon our glorious and ripes-then contempat
ing and analyzDg beautiful though complex form Of
goyernment-fnaiy resolving TO cast his destiny in our
midst He then gathers the partner Of his bosom and the
mother of his children all embarkng for the haven Of be
future earthly hopes The tempest and the Of hs
bolsterous deep length overcome and they find them
selves safely moored in American harbor. Mr. j. ther
asked if there was single man in that large assembly
who had spark Of patriotism abiding in his bosom OF
grain Of philanthropy, that would meet him at the
shore and bid HIM return tn his native land You'd ma
competitor in the midst Of all his fury and zeal upon The
subject Of his opposition to foreigners him upon tn,
beach with the sword in hand and the torch in the
other because he is foreigner, and drown him in hs
wave? He thought be could the poor Frenchnan
" look his competitor ia the face aud hear him excla
STAY thy hand suspend the blow! then opening the
history Of the revolution pointing TO the page describing
the battle of Brandywne, witch his eountryman La
6yette wounded in the kneethen to the surrender
CORVALLIS at Yorktown, hich resulted in the treaty
peace and the Independence OF the Countrywide French
man. asking the of freedom and Lafaye
wound and blood, if be would not be permitted enter
the country and live buesh the protecting branches Of
Tree OF Liberty which pla ited by tb- hand ct
} Washington and watered with LAtAy cites blood.
) Gov JoHxs5X said that it matters not to him
| where man was borp on this or the other side Of
the ocean, or bv what his country was de-
, nominated. so he was man Of good moral char.
acter and sound republican in principle, he was
{ willing to receive him and admit him to the en-
joynent of that freedom which God designed for
| all
he continued by saying that he would conclude
this portion Of his remarks in the language oil
Washington " The bosom of America is open
to receive, not only the cpulent and respectable
stranger but the oppressed and prosecuted of all
nations and Of all religions whom we shall well
come to participation IN all rights and prisi-
leges."
Gov. JOHNSON said that the next proposition az
sumed by this new Szi<snby change or modif.
cation, OF the natura zafon laws, was to purify
} or protect the ballot box.
They assume, if he Gov j. understood them
correctly, that the Federal government can proven,
the States admitting persons to the ballot box, il
they have not first beSn naiurslzes under law oil
|. the United States. He iooksSs&pon this as one Of
} the most dangerous assurApt of power on the
part of the Federal govern *ef3 BID which would
if carried out and reduce Eactice,
? every vestge Of sovereignty mat now
with the States But for the purpose Of
himself distinctly understood, he weuld rel a. -
the principal organ published in Washingte
} what has been laid down as one of the fundamep
, tai principles CT the order:
Fifth We shall maintain the doctrine that Of The
States of this Union has the right admit the erjoy
ment of free suffrage any person Of foreign birth whe
not beeu first made citizen Of the United States sccord
ing the uniform rule Of Naturalization, prescribed By
Congress under the pfovisions Of the Constitution
: The exercise o7this power on the part of the
Federal govern ient, he understood to be claimed
by the order aRerywhere. He contended that
Congress could exercise such power in refer,
ence TO the voters within the limits Of any State
{ That the qualification of electors was subject
peculiar TO the States, and over which Congress
had, and could exercise, no control whatever. Con-
gress could not even prescribe the qualification OF
voters for members of Congress, for il was com
PEELED to adopt the qualification fixed by the
States. The constitution itself was express upon
this point; the second section Of the first article is
in the following words 81.
"The House of Representatives shall be composed Of
members chosen second year BY the people of the
several States and the cors Cor voters in each State
shall have the qualifications requisite for electors or
vOers Of the most branch OF The State Legsls
ture"
From this section we perceive that Congress
selects the voter qualified by the State to vote for
the most numerous branch Of the State Legislature,
to vote for Members of Congress. 1t is then the
State that fixes and determines the character and
qualification OF the voters for Members of Congress,
and not the Federal government. II there have
been abuses of the baot-box by corruption or by
the force of mobs in any State of this MON, the