American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-05-31


OF a proper and decent behaviour. No
man who would be credit to the com
munity would think such term difficult
or indelicate; if bad men should be
dissatisfied on this account and should
decline to immigrate, the regulation
will have a beneficial effect, for we had
better keep such out of the country
than admit them into it,"
Theodore Sedgwick, of Mass, in the
same debate, said:
lie was against the indiscriminate
admission of foreigners to the highest
rights of human nature, upon terms so
incompetent to secure the society from
being overrun by the offcasts of Eu-
rope; besides, the policy of settling
the vacant territory by immigration is
of q doubtful nature. The
citizens of America preferred this
country, because it is to be preferred;
the like principle he wished might be
held by every man who came from Eu-
rope to reside here; but there were at
least some grounds to fear the contra
ry; their sensations, impregnated with
prejudices of education acquired under
monarchical and aristocratical govern
ments, may deprive them of that wish
for pure republicanism, which is neces-
sary in order to taste its benefcence
with that magnitude which we feel on
the occasion. Some kind Of probation
as it has been termed is absolutely re-
quisite to enable them to feel and be
sensible of the blessing. Without that
probation we should be sorry to see
them exercise right which we hayo SO
gloriously struggled to attain"
Michael ]. Stone, of Maryland, said:
CT would let the term of residence
be long enough to accomplish two OBJ
jects, before | would consent to admit
a foreigner to have anything to do with
the politics of this country: first, that
he should have an opportunity ofknow-
ing the circumstances of our govern
ment, and in consequence thereof, shall
have admitted the truth of the prinei-
pies we hold; second, that he should
have acquired q taste for this govern
ment, and in order that both things
may take place, in such way as to
make him worthy af admission into our
society, think term Of four or seven
years ought to be required. A for
eignor who comes here is not desirous
of interfering Immediately with our
politics, nor is it proper that he should.
His immigration is governed by diff
ferent principle; he is desirous of OBJ
tanning and holding property. / should
have no objection to his doing this from
the first moment he sets his foot on
shore in America but it appears to me
that we ought to be cautious how we
admit foreigners to the other privileges
of citizenship, and that for reason
not yet mentioned; perhaps itmay al
lude to the next generation more than
to this; the present inhabitants were
most of them here when engaged in q
long and hazardous war. They have
been active in rearing up the present
government and feel, perhaps, a lauda-
bic vanity in having effected what its
most sanguine friends hardly dared to
contemplate. There is no danger of
these people losing what they so great
ly esteem; but the admission of for
eigners to all places of government may
tincture the system with the dregs of
their former habits, and corrupt what
we believe the most pure of human in
stitutions."
Here we have the principle Of the
American party, on this subject, clear
| ly expounded by patriots of the earlier
and better days Of the Republic. The
act Of 1870 was very short and simple
in its provisions. The substance of it
is embraced in the clause which cnacts,
"That. any alien being free white
person who shall have resided within
the limits and under the jurisdiction of
the United States for the term of two
years, may be admitted to become o
citizen thereof, on application to any
common law court of record in any one
of the States wherein he shall have re-
sided for the term of one year at least,
and making proof to the satisfaction of
such court that no is a person of good
character, and taking the oath or af-
firmation prescribed by law to support
the Constitution of tho United States,
which oath or affirmation such court
shall administer"
This act was passed at time when
the population Of the United States
was but little more than three millions,
scattered mainly along the sea coasts,
whore we had boundless wastes of un-
settled territory comparatively unex-
plored, and when along our whole West
ern frontier, we were exposed to the
incursions Of savage enemies, who re-
quired strong forco to keep them in
n faVT