True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-01-18
Should there be Modification of the
Present Naturalization LawsG

last few years, has attracted the serious at
tention Of many citizens of the United
States; men, too, who are not easily fright
ened, when the stability of our Govern
ment is concerned, but view the threatened
danger with all the coolness the exigency
Of the case requires Yet the immense
food of foreigners that for years has been
pouring upon our shores, has awakened
them to sense of the perils that may as
sail our Republic from this prolific source
Hundreds of thousands are every year
swarming from these Eastern hives, and
populating our States with mass of hui
man beings, the majority of whom are to-
tally unfit, either to control themselves, or
aid in promoting the welfare of their adopt
ed land. Reared IN ignorance, and trod-
den down by the oppression Of their mas
tiers, the worst passions to which mankind
ls heir, are the most fully Developed
Destitute alike of education, and proper
understanding of the rights and duties of
freemen, they are fit tools for the use of
those corrupt and unprincipled politicians
whose god is their own sordid ambition.
Every year, thousands of these foreigners
are admitted as citizens, and are permitted
to have voice in the councils of the ma
tion. Of this number, few have been here
longer than the five years required by law
Totally unacquainted with the principles
upon which our Government is Construct
ed, or the laws that regulate the use of the
elective franchise, self-interest, and not
principle, is the motive from which they
act. Were the political parties of this
country in condition different from what
they have been for years, the call for re.
formation in this respect would not be SC
imperative. But, holding the balance Of
power, as they have heretofore done, be-
tween the two great parties of the day, gave
them the ability to make their own condi
tions, and place their own men in power
BY joining with one of these parties. W,
cannot see any injustice in depriving ever,
foreigner of the right of voting for lon
ger time than that required by the presen
law. True, he pays his proportion of taxe
for the support of Government, if he ha
property; yet, in return for this, he
protected in the enjoyment of whatever h
may acquire No distinction is made be
tween his property and that of a native
The same "strong arm of the law" shield
the person and possessions of both, and tn
same courts administer to them justice
without distinction, and executes their cz
pressed intention in regard to their hoard
ed wealth, when they have passed beyon
the "pale of mortality"
"Taxation without representation" a
argument often used against the justice @
law, requiring a residence of a state
length of time, as necessary qualifca
tion before the right of suffrage is granted
is one that will bear equally hard agains
another of our laws; one, too, which W
presume no man would wish to see altered
We have reference to the law requiring
every voter to be of the age of twenty-on
years The property of a minor is taxe,
the same as that of any other, yet he ha
no more rights than he who has Just Sc
foot upon our shore, And who would say
that because native, who is under tn
required age, possessed of wealth, and VIII
contributes largely to the support of Gov
ernment, should be permitted to vote, 0
be freed from the burden of taxation?
We believe that the present law, by re
quiringa residence of so short a time, open
a door to many frauds at the ballot box
which might be remedied by its extension
If voter is challenged, it does not absc
lutely require the production of his natu
ralization papers, nor yet the proof of thei
having been obtained, otherwise than b
his own oath; thus opening still wider tn
door for the practice of fraud and corrur
tion.
Many look upon the fears that are er
tertained by some upon this subject q
chimerical, and the offspring of disease
imagination. But their sneers do not max
it less startling truth, that our welfare ;
nation, and the preservation of the purit
of the ballot box, loudly demands that Law
Of more stringent character than thos
now in existence, shall be enacted for IL
purpose of admitting aliens to the rights
suffrage. We do not wish to see our ha
py land burdened with the paupers of f
rope, when their last piece has been e
torted, to fll the insatiate Golfers Of artist
cratic mobiles, who roll in wealth and boa
of their sounding titles. Neither do '
desire it to be den Of thieves, to whic
all the world has right to ship their n
merous convicts, in order to be forev
freed from them. But we would extend
welcome hand to all honest and uprig