True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-11-05
Manufacturing American Citizens.


Manufacturing American Citizens.
"Security against foreign danger is ne Of
the primitive objects Of civil society. 1t is an
ayowed and essential subject of the American
UniOn."-JAHEs MADISON.
~ hope we may find some means in future
OF shielding ourselves from foreign influence
political, commercial, or in whatever form it
may be attempted. ! can scarcely withhold
myself from Joining in the wish of Sal as
Deane, that there were an ocean of fire bstweeu
this and the old wOrld.-THoMAs JEFFER.
SON, 4
In political contests like the present,
where we see the dearest right of an
American citizen sold by traitorous dem
agues to the newly imported foreigner,
warnings like the above come up before
us in all their earnestness and truth. Of
what value are the privileges of American
citizenship when they may be possessed
BY every ignorant emigrant who can pro-
duce the necessary fec for naturalization
papers Actually, the right Of suffrage
the privilege of taking part in the
government Of the United States, of con.
trolling the destiny of mighty nation
costs foreigner only fifty cents, the u.s.
ual fee for granting papers of natnraliza-
tion. Naturalze is the cry Of dema-
gogues to the foreign hOrdes which throng
our large cities, fresh from the debased
institutions Of monarchcal Europe Nat
uralize says the Roman Catholic priest
to his flock, that you may help 10 govern
the land which gives you bread and shell
ter! Naturalize cries the intriguing
politician, who is willing to buy votes
like articles of merchandise, although he
may, prostitute the most sacred right of q
native citizen in so doing!
We maintain that the gift Of American
citizenship is the highest political boon
on earth, 1t is no ordinary privilege, to
be bestowedupon the ignorant and vicious
1t connects its possessor with all the
operations ofOur laws, gives him the right
to our institutions. 1t bestows also a
moral power, and clothes him anew in
the garb of a powerful nationality, No
one can claim that the emigrant from
foreign lands is competent person to re.
ceive the rights of American citizenship.
Nine cases out of ten lie is totally ignor-
ant of our government, its obligations and
privileges. Again, he has the prejudi-
ees and customs Of his own land deeply
imbedded in his nature. Being accus-
toned to restraint, his newly found iber-
ty is often abused. He is the prey of
politicians, who use his vote to suit their
own ends. Banding together with his
countrymen, he strives to erect IN his
new home the usages Of his native land,
To him the oath of naturalization is
trivial ceremony. concerning which he
knows or cares nothing. You may in
vest the foreigner with the form of
American citizenship, but he cannot have
the spirit. He can have no real affec-
ton for the soil on which he has just Ian
ded, while the cheap style in which he
procures the privileges of a native citizen,
makes him look upon those privileges
with no idea Of their real importance.
Since the price Of American citizenship
is 80 cheap, votes are matter OF trade
and speculation. Political parties enter
into the trade with great energy. They
persuade them by thousands to become
naturalIzed, who are themselves uncon-
scious of any such right, or Of the use to
be made of it. They raise money and
pay the expense Of the process for such
as are unwilling to invest fifty scents in
American liberty Crowds of ignorant,
wondering foreigners are hurried from
the emigranl ships to the Courts, and
there made to 60 through the form OF
naturalization by taking, to them, an un-
meaning oath and from the Court room
they are driven to the polls to vote
Then they are on level with the native
citizen, whose father perhaps Tough. at
Bunker Hill or Yorktown There is
the foreigner who has no idea of the trusts
which have been granted him, made a
participant in the rights for which War
rcn gave up his life, and Washington suf-
lsred at Valley Forge ...
We must have a reform in our nat
uralisation laws. The period should be
expended to twenty one years, and extra
precautions thrown around the process TO
prevent fraud. We might then hope to
have pure elections, and to see this mean
anti.American spirit which beg foreign
votes banished from the land. We give
The following article from the New York
Herald, and ask every one of our readers
10 persue it carefully.
NEW VOTERS IN THE FIELD.
The way Citizens are made-nearty
Fifteen Thousana' Foreigners natur-
atzed in this City, 'i
During the past six weeks. the Super
ior and Common Pleas Courts have been
engaged in the duty Of increasing the
number of citizens of the great rernblIc,
and in lessening, in the same proper lion'
the subject of foreign priuces, potentatts
and movers. The work commences