Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-09-19
Mr. Benien's LIE ter to the People of Georgia.
Hon. Inhn Mcpherson Berrien. for many yenrs


Mr. Benien's lie ter to the People of Georgia.
Hon. John Mcpherson Berrien. for many years
distinguished in the service Of the country, a.
one Of the purest and ablest OF public men.
has. at the solicitation of many Of lis t,tllew cat
liens of Georgia, given his views Of the Amer
lean party, its principles and purposes. Having
passed a great pariion of his life in their
service. he SAYS he dues not feel al liberty ~
withhold his opinion on any question oil public in
terest concerning which they may desire an ex-
preston Of it. II such expression now shall sub
iect him TO the vtuperation so lavishly INDUCED
blythe opponents Of Americanisn. he relies up.
ON The intelligence and honorable fteling ct his
coantrymen 10 spare him the humiliation of re-
plying to such assaults. Mr.. Berrien briefly
sketches the history and condition oi parties
and explains the origin and objects Of the Amer
lean organization. and the means by which they
seek 10 attain their o'jeots. The first great OBJ
iect of the party he says. aud that To which all
other. arr merely anciIlary is 10 secure 10
the people of the coantry--ihose to whom it bo
lnngs--ihe RICH, to govern the country. Upon
this proposition, he say:
This would seen to be simple, undcniabc,
civilized community. and maintained even among
the tribes of the forest-and so it would b" re
oeived here, and now, among us il II could be
viewed simply, and on its own merits apart from
those extraneous considerations with which il has
been connected, and complicated. and by which il
j. Influenced. II is ineoneeiyabe that any consider
able number of American citizens. whether ma
tives. or those who have been heretofore natural.
lied. could he willing Ia surrender the govern
nf tbair IN Ia
description of foreigners, who are annually, aud
in such immense numbers, migrating To our
shore. The naked proposition simply presented
al the domestic fresdes of our citizens, would
hardly find an advocate. But it's not consider
ed simply, and on lis own merits The aspira-
tionsof individuals. and the interests Of the par
~. combine to forbid il. A great party. welding
the power Of the government. has attained, aud
mainiains its power hv the aid of vote. which is
substantially foreign. although the voters may
have passed through the FIRMS of IA hurried natu-
radiation. IT is natural Tint they should be un-
willing to-concur Ia any measure which hight di.
vest them Of this power. ar have II tendency to
diminish their present Or prospective means of Sc.
curing and increasing ii. They are. therefore,
under the promptings nt interest, the advocates
of the foreigner, jealous TO maintain and willing
to extend hi, privilege If pairic ruting in the gov
ernnent Of the country.
To accomplish the object expressed in their
primal elementary maxim, that Americans shall
gorern america the American Party proposes
|. Substantial notifications Of tho acts rcgula.
ting naturalization.
under the existing laws, five years residence in
the country. and compliance with the forms
prescribed hy them entities u foreigner 10 citizen.
ship, aud to the privileges which you enjoy, with
twn or three exceptions, 10 which il is but neees-
sarv to refer. The American party desire to en-
large this term Ito provide for more accurate
scrutiny of the claims of persons applying for nat
turalizaton-an and against the imnii grafton of pau
pers, and felons into the United Siate-
In my Judgment these measures would be emf
neniy conducive TO the public welfare. This is
with me new opinlon-and it is not now for
the first time expressed. Several years ago the
subject engaged the attention of Congress. As
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. | made n |
report to the Senate, contemplating full and fl
nal report at the then next session, on the re-
turn of certain commissions, Ia ascertain the VA
rious frauds which were alleged TO exist in the
grant and subsequent use of naturalization pa
pers. Before that time, changes in the Senate
resulted in placing Democratic Senator at the
head of the COMMITTEES, and the matter was abon.
'oned..
do not think IL necessary TO enter into an
Elaborate argument to prove that the ndiscrimi-
nate admission of foreigners, after residence of
five years to the privileges of citizenship is an
evil. I'VE are makingZwe have thus far sue
cossfully made--a experiment of self govern
inent. Our free institutions. which have hither-
To been found efficient for national advancement.
andf,r individual security. have been indebted
iot Their support. to the loyalty of our people
rather Than to their own compulsive powers
Tho founders of the Republic were men qualified
for their office edin reverence for the laws
in resistance TO oppresson--in devotion to the
principles of civil liberty-and the spirit which
animated them was infused into the in stitutions
which. they established. 1t was only such men
who could have founded such GorcfRment--
Men animated By a similar spirit. can alone pre-.
serve ii. Let the abortlye attempts in reyolu-
tionary France, to establish and maintain free
ins,itations, attest the truth of this assertion.
Now PROFOUND this enqury--Arc the for
eigners. who are being, aud especially at the ap.
proacb Of oar election, rapidly incorporated
among Us, likely to be animated by this sautary
spirt-Gtted TO be the guardians of our free in
stltniioas l'would be very sorry 10 deny that
among theea emigrants there some worthy
men, who when iamarized to our institutions by
long residence among US, may become good citi-
gems, and capableof participating in privi-
leges. but no candid man will deny that large
proportion are Of q very different character, con
sisting for the most part of Red Republicans, or
anarchists, criminals, and paupers-o will ven
ture when disrnopnted from the stump. calmly
to assert. that h.e years residence here, will
qualify an ignorant foreigner thoroughly to un-
derstand our institutions. and Loyalty TO conform
TO them. Then let ii be remembered that each
one If these, who is admitted to the exercise of
the elective franchise, without being thus quail
fed, and who is consequently liable TO be led
tray by the articles OF the demagogue, or coerced
by the threatened ansthama of the priest, annuls
the vote of one citizen--may in fact expungc
your vote or mine. Then consider the number
and character of the people who are annually
cast on our shores. ] do not mean to trouble