The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-06-21


no other. They agree to ostfacise politically
every man who is not born on our soil they
conspre not TO nominate TO any preferment,
not TO vote for any candidate who is born
abroad and these agreements and conspira-
cies are present disfranchisem ent, SO far as
they are effective, Of every adopted citizen,
and future analhem of every alien. Wheth.
er the aim be accomplished by public opin-
ion, by secret conclave, or by law, the con-
sequences are the same and The general OBJ
jections we have alleged to the division of
society into castles apply with equal force.
We rcjoiu again--in respect 10 the dis
,inciion made between total exclusion of
foreigners, and change in the naturaliza-
tion laws-that il is distinction which real
ly amounts 10 nothing; for, firstly, if The pro-
baton be extended 10 long pcrod-say
tweaiy.one years, as some recommen1--it
would be equivalent 10 total exclusion and.
secondly, if shorter period. say ten years,
be adopted, the change would be unimpor-
tant, because no valid objection against the
present term of five years would thereby be
obvialed. Let us see for moment
Firstly, as TO the term OF twenty-one years
We say that, inasmuch as the majority of
foreigners who arrive on our shores are TWEEN.
ty-fve years of age and over when they ar
rive, if we impose quarantine Of twenty
one years or more, they will not be admitted
as citizens until they shall have reached an
age when the tardy boon will be of little val
ue 10 them, and when their faculties and
their interests In human affairs will have be-
gun 20 decline. Whether they will care 10
solicit their right al that period is doubtful,
and, if they do, they can regard it as scarcely
more than mcckery. How many OF them
will live to be over iorty-five or fifty years
OF age, If we leave them in the interval 10
loiter in the grog.shops, amid scenes of vice,
as they are more likely 10 do il not absorbed
into the mass of ciizens9 How many, hav-
ing passed twenty-one years of political ban.
and even ignominy-for ii would come 10
lha!-would be thereby better prepared for
adoptions The younger ranks of the emil
grants might possibly benefit by the hope of
one day becoming citizens, and look forward
10 ii with some degree OF interest. but to all
the rest it would be a .tata n,organa, and
the protracted les, virtually an Introduction.
Secondly, as 10 any shorter noviiiaie--say
ten or twelve years-it would not be more
effective, in The way of qualifying the pupil,
than the existing term. AS the law now
stands, an alien giving three years notice Of
intention, must have been five years consec-
utively residen: of the United States, and
one year resident Of the State and county
in which he applies-must be of good moral
characier--must be attached to our consi,u.
tion and laws-musl abjure all foreign pow.
ers, particularly that he was subject ,o--and
mus; swear faithful allegiance 10 the govern
ment of his adopted couniry-before he can
be admitted a member Of the State. What
more could we exact of him, at the end Of
ten years, or twenty! In short, is there
single disqualification which jealous nativ.
lists are apt to allege against foreigners, such
as their ignorance, their clannishness, their
attachment TO foreign governments and their
subjeciion TO the Roman Catholic Church.
which would be probably allevialed by means
of more protracted embargos None: on
the contrary, as we have intimaed in anoth-
er place, all their worse qualities would be
aggravated by the exclusive association
among themselves forso many years longer,
in which they would be kept-while they
would lose, as we shall show more fully,
hereafter, the best means of fitting themselves
for good citizenship, in losing the educational
influences of our actual political life.
Tie true, in respect TO the present laws Of
naturalization, that ou T efforts have shown a
baueiul axity in enforcing their conditions,
and that our leading parties, corrupt every
where, and nowhere more corrupt than in
their modes Of naturalizing foreigners but
there is no reason TO expect that either courts
or parties will grow more sincere under more
stringent laws. They will have the same mo-
tives, and be just as eager 10 license fraudu-
lent voters then as they are now and the few
days before great presidential election will
exhibit the same disgraceful scenes Of venal-
iiy and ialsehood. No simple change in the
time of The law, at any rate, can work any
improvement. Nor will such change rem
der il any more difficult for the dishonest al
len to procure the franchise. He can Just as
easily swear to long residence as shor,
one; while il will happen that the rarer we
make the privilege, the more we increase the
difficulties OF access 10 it, the longer we posi-.
pone the minority, the create will be his in.
ducements 10 evade the law. Ia proportion
as a prize becomes more valuable, the temp.
tatons to surrepiiious seizure of it increase,
but where an end is easily achieved the tronb-
le OF waiting ill il be obtained in the regular
way is preferred to the hazards of clandes-
tine or criminal attempt 10 carry it off.
Besides, il is puerile piece OF injustice
towards the alien to inflict him with disa-
biIity because of our own laeass. We have
failed 10 administer our laws as they should
be, and, experiencing some injury in conse-
quence, we turn round to abuse the foreign
er, like foolish and peluleut boy who kicks
the stone over which he stumbled. The