Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-10-10
NUMBER 2S9.

for the governed Of to-day may become the govei.
nors OF tomorrow. Those whose first lessons In
legislation We're learned In the, simple municipal
legislatures of obscure villages or towns, are or
ten seen in the most august assembly in the worla,
and listened to by an enlgh cned auditory of the,
falow-citizcns, while the streams of eloqnence and
wisdom are flowing from their lips. And why il it
SO? IL Is because the people Of the United States
understand the nature and appreciate the objects
of their government. Because they examine witt,
care and scrutinize with jealousy, the pretensions
OF each other, and form just judgments of the
qualifications Of the candidates for tho offices pro-
yided under the constitution. Because, having no
country but this all their affections are centred
here; having no home but this, all their aspiln-
tons are breathed most dcyoutly for the perpetua-
ton OF this, their last and only hope gal
Can Mis be so NTH the fore;g,.srs Worn ont
W he expressions he has endured or by tie totis
he has undergone in has natipe country, or w.
pelfea oy h.s acanderng pyopensities he d5a,slons
his patise home TO seek ono here, NTH al ha
foreign habits, prJaaiices, and predilcctions,
"f,fm6'ring !" at his back. Can itbe 5eiieped fhot
Ne can disdarden hinseif so coa,pletely of these.
and hare SO learned 10 falfi tie d,.ties Of a cii,
Semof the United States, an the sery short term
81 eegears, az 10 Be q,lSiifedio crereise all tie po-
hticai privileges cfone. Can foreigner be suppof-
cd capable of arriving ut that perfection ofpotca
knowledge by short intuition which native of
the soil must be long years Of habit, study, and
instruction in acquiring? Surely il cannot be.
And, II 1t were even possible is it just 20 your own
native citizens, to those "who have borne the heat
Of the day, and the burden thereof to extend all
your dear-bought rights to those who have done
nothing TO merit them
But your faem0ridlists com ,pldin not gnerely of
he manifest injustice of dip;ding Nth foreign, ad
pent,1ers and eriles the dearest pripiieqes of tie
nafipe citizens of The United States and thereby
divesting them of portion Of their natural rights:
they fear that the rapid and extraordinary increase
OF the foreign population, and the facility with
which that population acquire the rights Of cti-
zenshp will, ere long, expose the institutions OF
the country to serious danger. Already many Of
our most important elections have been swayed
and decided by the votes Of foreigners; large ma
Jorites OF whom oere notorioatsiy ignorant of tle
qualifications of the candidates for whom they
voted, and Of the merits of the questions decid d
by their suffrages. The facility with which we
have but too often, seen foreigners banded To-
gether by artfm demagogles who Ratter their
prgudices, minister to their vices, and co,trt Mey
aid, for the attainment Of some temporary advar-
tage in the poll ontests which now, and ni,,, t
IN all future q tate the people of this free
country, leads apprehension that tie sane
population, increasing as il mast, tadr orr
present system, 70 a prodigions amount, may
epentadttg be imbodied by some ambitious and
interruptions lea Ter, and used ds the instruments
Of ne ooerthrop Of this non happy and onpisd
republic. The experience Of all past times should
not be disregardcd. The liberties Of Rome were
not seriously endangered until the policy of hr
ambitious chieffdins introduced large bodies 4
armed Foreigners au'onget them, and clothed than
min many Of the pripiieges, if not Ms d;g,itv
of Roman cifizcns. And the people OF Englard
arc now mainly indebted for the large share OF m
erty they enjoy, and the restrained and limit d
power OF their monarch, TO the ever-watchfu jcal.
ousy Of their bold and sturdy ancestors, and their
resolute and unflinching resistance TO tire admit
sion of foreigners TO the immunites Of English
subjects. A
This paper would be sweled to an inconyenie,
size were your memoriasts to cite from the histt-
rits OF other nations the numerous proofs with
which they abound, of the advantages resulting
from the strict observance of this great princp'e
Of self protection and the injuries suffered from
disregard Of the obvious course dictated by the
lessons OF true wisdom and experience. Washint-
ton pre- eminent in all moral and political virtuc-
the leader OF our armies in war, and the director
aud guide Of our councils in peace, whose heat
oyerlowed with universal benevolencc, and whcee
hospitable doors were ever open 10 receive al d
shelter the stranger from foreign climcs as widely
as for his own friends and counrymen, has left on
record solemn warning Of the fate that awaits Il o
beloved Institutions which, in the hands Of Prov
dence, he was the chief instrument in establishing
If the admission of foreigners to office, and tho
by careful legislation and the slecpless vigilance of
the people. Jefferson, the patriot, phiosophcr,
and sage the friend and chosen counsellor OF WASH
ingtoD, Tired long enough 10 repdiate tie error of
his early and enflnidsfic senii1,ents on mis- s,J
jec and to add the testimonr of his later cxpeti-
cnce and observation to the warning voice OF his
iustrious predecessor. II IL too well known 10 be
repeated berc, that the opinions Of all or nearly
all, Of the wise and distinguished men whose couii-
sells ruled the destinies of this republic in the car
lest days OF its present government, conceded,
soon or late, with those Of the eminent men here
named, on the sulject Of this memorial
II would not become your memorialists 10 que,-
ton tho purity or the wisdom of those who cnac.-
ed the awsIof naturalization, as they now exist.
or the one, We have ample testimony in the q
spect and honor they reaped In their labors for Il
advancement Of the interests Of their country
and however the other may have been viewed sc
the period Of the enactments Of those lava, IL IA
humbly believed that Gt time has arrived whtn
they should be carefully revised and amended or
altogether repealed.
As intimately connected with the subject OF Il q
naturalization laws, your memoralists respectfully
call the attention OF your honorable body TO ono of
deep concern to the welfare Of their fellow czenF.
and TO the honor and dignity Of the government
ITSELF
The nations Of Europe, by the cessation Of war
amongst themselves, and by other causes, result.
ing from the natnre OF lReir governments and III
stitutions, but which ID would not be proper hero
TO discuss, have, Of late years been burdened with
vast increase of pauperism end crime. To d.
m'nish this burden, various plans have in turn oc-
cupied the anxious reflections Of the ablest and
wisest statesmen Of Europe None have appeared
to them so practicable and eIectual as the Trans
portation of vast multitudes from their overgown
population 10 foreign countries; and no foreign
country presents 80 easy sn access to them as the
United States. Therefore, wi hout imputing to them
amorc unworthy motive or sipister andbase designs
heyhare chosen tomakc this free and happy ioadfhe
receptacle Of those mhose crimes hare rendered Htm
dangerous, or uho have become through rant and
desttution, crPrnsive and burdensome 10 the States
in ohich Utcg pere born, 10 ,rhieh thy opce their