The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-05-10

ed As AN named and proracted contest between natives
and aliens Catholics and Protestants The divisions
which spring territorial interests appeal 10 few Of the
deeper passions the bat the divisions Of and
religion touch chord IN the human heart which vbrates
TO The inensest magnty OF hell Accordingly the pen Of
the historian registers many brutal antagonismsinauy
lasting terrible wars but the most brutal Of all those
antagonists the most lasting and terrible Of all those
wars are the antagonists of aud the of religion
II win be replied what have hitherto urged thai
argument proceeds upon assumption that aliens
be totally excluded from political life whereas nobody
proposes such thing but only longer preparatory resi-
dence
We reoin that the persons and parties who ag
tang the general question: because they propose the
cuson OF adopted citizens from Office do, effect propose
total political disqualification Of forei rs All their
iuvectves all their speeches. all their secret assembiage
have this end and other They agree ostraeisc POI
litcally every who is not born soil they
spire nominate to any preernent not to for
any candidate who is born abroad and these agreements
and conspraces present Acknowledgement far
they effective of every adopted eitizen and future
anathema of every alien Whether the aim be accomplish
ed by public opinon by secret coneiave by law the
consequences the aud the general objections
alleged to the division Of society into apply
with equal force
We reon agaiuin respect to the distinction made be-
naturalization lawshat ii is distinction which really
amounts nothng for firstly, if the probation. be
tended 10 long period-say twenty-one years,
recommend--t would be equivalent 10 total exclusion ;
and secondly If shorter perodsay ten yearsbe adopt
cd, the change would be unimportan because valid
objection against the present Of five years would
thereby be obviated. Let us see for moment.
Firstly the of twenty-one years We say that
inamueh the majority Of foreigners who arrive
~ nd thnya
rive If we impose quarantine Of twentyone years more
they will be admitted citizens until they shall have
reached age when the ardy boon win be Of little value
them aud when their faculties aud their interests in
human affairs will have begun decline Whether they
win TO solicit their right at that period is doubtful
and if they do they regard it scarcely than
mockery How many of them will live to be forty
five fifty years Of age if leave them in the interval
to oiter the gogshops and amid of vice. they
likely to do If not absorbed into the Of c-
zens? How many, having passed twenty years Of POI
litical ban, and OF gnominy-for it would
that--would be thereby better prepared for adoption
The younger ranks OF the emgrants might possibly bene
fit by the hope Of day becoming citizens and look for
ward to it with degree Of interest," but to all the
would be dta morgaaa and the protracted virtual
ly an Introduction
Secondly as to any shorter novitatesay ten or twelve
yearsit would be effective the way quail
flying the pupil than the existing term As the law
stands alien, giving three years notice of intention
have been five years consecutiyely resden, Of the
United States and year resident of the State and
county in which he appesmust be of good moral char
acter-must be attached constitution and laws
must abure all foreign powers particularly that he
subject toand must faithful allegiance the gov
eminent his adopted countrybcfore he be admitted
member of the State. What could exact of him.
the end of years twenty II unfit for accept
ance tooaccoding to these requrementsat the end of
five years would be be likely to be fit at the end of
ten? In short is there single disqualification which
Jealous nativiss apt to aege against foreigners
such as their ignorance their cannshness their attach
mcnt 10 foreign governments and their subsection the
Roman Catholic Church--which would be probably ale
waited by of more protracted embargo? None:
on the contrary, have ntmated in another place all
their qualities would be aggravated by the exelu
sve association among themselves for many long
err in which they would be keptwhile they would lose
as we shall show fully hereafter the best of
fitting themselves for good citizenship in losing the educa
tional influences of actual politicallif
II is true in respect the present. laws Of nauralza
ton that our efforts have shown baneul laxity in
forcing their conditions and that leading parties
rupt everywhere nowhere corrupt than in their
modes Of naturazng foreigners but there to
expect that either parties win grow
under more stringent laws They will have the same
lives and be Just as eager license fraudulent voters then
as they ere now the few days before great presden
ta election viii exhibit the disgracefu scenes of
naty aud falsehood. No simple change in the time of
the law Mt any rate, work any Improvement Nor
will such change render il any more difficult for the dis
honest alien to procure the franchise He just easily
swear to long residence short one while will hap
pen that the rarer we make the privilege the in
crease the difficulties Of to it, the longer postpone
the minority the greater will be his inducements to evade
the law In proportion prize becomes valuable
the temptations to d surreptous seizure Of il increase
but where end easily achieved the trouble of waiting
till ii be obtained in the regular way is preferred to the
hazards of candesiine criminal attempt to carry 1t
Off
Besides il is puerile piece of injustice towards the alien
to infct him with disability because Of Inches.
We have failed to administer laws they should be
and experiencing injury in consequence we turn
round to abuse the foreigner like foolish and petuan
bow who kicks the stone over which be stumbled. The
more magnanmous as well sensible would be to
amend our faults Let make the five years OF pro-
baton what the may easily make Them b. rigdly
exacting the crierions Of the law-an interval Of real
preparation for ctzenshp-and the present term will be
found long enough But whether long enough not the
tents simple question Of internal police not of lasting
principles to be determined by the facts of experience and
by no means instng the virulent aud wholesale denun
Citations Of foreigners il is the fashion with fulm
nate
In fact the entire logic OF the natysts is yaied by its
indscrimnatine character. Because large number Of
the Irish and considerable number of the Germans have
hecr Inv ba nf afu