Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-06-05
LETTER FROM GOVERNOR JONAS.
M.npns. May .

hind liter 81 The l4fh INST reached me io-dsy, aad
] hasten 70 aire early reply. your letter yot
ininun me that am represented 10 Old Wilson as
Icing violently opposed 10 know noshinssm, !
have 90 disposition unnecessarily 10 appear before
tine pub c and certainly no wish TO obtrnde my opn-
i ms on any one. But am unwilling TO be mis-
or misunderstood by any one ln MAJ
tiers of public concern have no conceaiment5-
have no opinions that have right or WISH ~
withhold from the people of Tennessee In OFF,.
therefore to set myself right before tne
and as the best means of responding 10 'lio
Gus calls made on me to know WHAT iny I I,oal,
are on the subject ofths new party, go
of this public manner Of replying TO your e''e'.
have witnessed the rise and progress Oh this
81 he oceatest interest | have done 50 |
without prejudice and with the hope that 1t would
ACCOMPLISH some salutary reform IN the country. |
When it made its strange anu mysterious aosehV
in the North, was filled with astonishment at Its
wonderful achievements, and hoped that it was
basedson such broad and national principles as to
attract to it sound, national, conservative men OF
all parties and thus to scatter to the winds all sec
tonalism, faction and fansticism wherever to be
found. Thus Judging and thus hoping, gave it a
generous confidence, coupled with my warrnest
sympathies. II this be It's mission, all good men
and patriots should hail it with joy as another evi-
depce Of the Divine interposition in behalf OF our
tree institutions Whether this be its destiny or
not, cannot tell My hopes, l confess, are MN
gled with fears and all do is to refer them 10
the arbitrament of time, If it shall succeed, as
promised in the outset to crush beneath us nlgny
tread the hydra-headed monster Aooluon, l., IN
common with all lovers of the Constitution and the
Union, shall rejoice and bid it God speea. now
ever much may question the WISDOM anu poiicy
of some of the details of the organization yc',
it possesses the power, and VII exercise sns' po"e,
to give quetus to the most deadly zoe 10 gu,
Union and liberties notwithstanding Its defects ana
| objections. it ought and will be embamed IN the
! affections of grateful couotry. whether IL VIII
| accomplish this result, / repeat IS question "a
fear and hone. 1t must be confessed, even oy It's
warmest advocates that some oil It's more receu'
DEVELOPMENTS at the North do not Justuy tne en-
tertaning of such hope with any gres. 49, e
of confidence l. for one, shall await the IsS"i' VI
its national action on this subject with painful So
| licitude.
| Having spoken generally of what l supposed
were the aims and purposes Of the patty, come
now to speak more specifically OF Its principles as
thew are given to US through the most accredited
channels This l shall do as brefiy ana frankly
"a I NAV If ! understand their principles, they
are few in number. They have not spoken as yet
on the various questions of public policy that have
eo long divided the two great portions OF the coun-
| fry. how they stand on the subject OF a tariff or
free trade internal improvements, rivers and har-
bore the disposition of the public lands, the scqul
sition ofterritory our foreign policy and the multi
tude of smaller questions that have long and must
ever continue to be before the country, IN soue
form or other. Their principles are few, and may
he divided into political and social or personal; the
political embracing such matters of public concern
are susceptibe of legislation the others person
alsor such as relate to the Administrative functions
| or government of the order.
With their political principles am prepared to
declare my sympathy and substantial concurrence
with some of those denominated Qor want OF bet
ter name) social or personal am equally Tree te
declare my dissent
The first and perhaps the most important prln'
chile proclaimed is that Americans shall Iule Amer
jcsL By this understand that the Government !:
to be administered by native born citizens, and tina
ali offices are to be filled by such The justice
such rule as this is, TO my MUD, most OBVIOUS
particularly when applied to political or legislative
: offices Of trust.
T This TO me. is no new doctrine, and requires NJ
, change of haoit for me to conform to 1t, as 20.
/. know full well; for you will remember we had al
opportuny of having our faith tested on this sub
ject for about ten or fifteen consecutive years II
Old Wilson, in the person Of a foreigner, who wa
/ r:ore than once elected to represent that county
in the Legislature; always, however, without my
aid or sanction | do lot remember that ever CAV
my support to foreigner for any ofhce 90 no
think that this ought 10 be a matter OF complain
with our naturazsd friends it is enough that the.
are taken into the family. They ought not to seel
i or desire to govern or control it Next 1t
maintained that the naturalization laws are defect
=. i've. and ought to be amended. This Is doubles
: true, and shall join most cheerully In MAXIM
such alterations aud amendments as may be deem
q ed necessary to secure the objects contemplate
| by the organization. .
e The object of the trainers of the Constitution Il
: yestnq this power over the subject OF naturailza
ton in Congress was doubtless two-fold: First Z
make il uniform in all the States next TO throw
: around the rights of citizenship when thus con
ferred such guards and restrictions as the puoll
/ interest might require. In accordance with Uni
: intention and the spirit of the Constitution pro
q batopaIy state OF fourteen years was require
before the applicant could be admitted to the right
s of citizenship. At another time five years wa
y deemed sufficient The object of imposing TIL
r restriction is give to the recipient such reason
!, able time of probation will enable hin 10 DC
=" come famiIiarized with our laws and institutions
thereby securing to the country faithful lntehl
II gent and iudicious exercise OF the rights an
privileges of citizenship. If FIVE years is found
t be too short term for the accomplishment of thi
e purpose, and that longer period of probation o
training is found to be absolutely necessary, let tn
: term be extended-t will have my concurrence
That our naturalization laws are defective, doub
not and that legislation is necessary to secure tbel
: faithful execution and guard them against fraud
: and eyasons is doubtless true and shall be foun
d ready to 90 as far as he that goes farthest
n secure these ends.
It Another evil complained of, and that require
correction, is the great influx of foreign population
e that mandates our shores annually. That this IS
e great and growing evil and ought to be abated a
as far as it can be done consistently with the sc
MUS of our institutions, is a proposition that n
= well informed mind will controvert What tn
5 remedy should be, or how far it should extend,
b a question worthy of the profoundest considera
h ton. Ours has been proudly denominated tn
! land of the free, and the home of the oppressed
a trust in Heaven that nothing ever will be done t
: rob it of this proud appellstion. l woGld ope
wide the arms of this great and free country to tn
= honest, poor and oppressed of every land.
d would hold out to them no special inducements t
J. come; yet when driven by persecution, poVert.
and oppression, they come here seeking an asylum
n would bid them welcome, and receive them to
Il generous hospitality, remembering that OF suc
d were our fathers. The evil complained Of consist
u not 50 much in numbers as the character of thos
IS that come, and it must be admitted that on thi
e score there is just ground of complaint Willis
our Inequalities are freely offered, it cannot be de
e MED that some, perhaps all the governments @
e Europe, have been willing to abuse that hospltaLt
IT by converting our country into great Penal-Co
ony or q magnificent pauper-house; against tn
a we ought to protest and cause the protest to b
l. needed.
n In using the term poor, l do not mean to exclud
l. any simply because they poor: If they are hor
! Ii. g. how -%ctrya