Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-03-27
Principles Of the American Party-GOvernOr WISER Let
ter Reviewed-ho 2.

ter Reviewed-no 2.
| GESrIKxrN
lelosed my first number by stating what conceived tS
be the vital principle of the American psrtthe priuei
pie which, like the main spring of watch impats acyit,
! to its whole machinery.
Let Us consider what are the measures and polio,
which these Americans propose adopt to give pract
cal efficiency TO this great principle There Is doubt
less, among the members Of that party among the
members OF all other parties, much difference OF opinion
IN regard to matters of detail and mutual fobesrsncs
and concession must and will be practsed in giving shape
60 their No can therefore tell with Ger
| tainty what form they may ultimately assume.
For the present will refer to the action OF the Nation
al Council as the most authentic exposition of the opin-
ions OF the party Its creed expressed by that BODY
| embraced in the following propositions
I'd me Perpsas,Gn OF The Federal Unon asihs palladium Of
50 Ageieans mast rule A,.crea no,ireeOrn
Aces employment In prersnee all Others
& ss born sa 81 10 % cs Of 1s
ah No person political station (whe,her
OF native brth recognises any or
S any 70 n any rssn phss p0'sna,s ., or
within Its 'Phsre) to all other rules political
en- me uneuansd recognition and maintenance Of
.sfna good ~i between the states
s sp SS sy cSSsSs. Nth
with the srsirs Of any other State.
Isd Citizen. o. The United states. Permanently residing in Ter
aud social sas in their own mode suhse, ssiy
the provisions OF the Federal Constitution sh the privilege
into the uuon whenever they have The requisite population
Tor one ksPessnas In Congress: Lerdef dI,sdy tina,
Sq aSs SersT and sS Srss s1 any
enactment for said Territory or state
os to . S nj, S' ms RasPs s no STATE or Territory
suffrage si1 or Of holdns political once
o. wars Of all no, here9oy'ors provided Tor
person. crime nom landing upon our
shores but no Interference with the vested right, Of
Interference With religious fAh worship
llth Free and thorough Investigation any alleged
pendiures.
Ign The a1'so.pss and s4'Sres@se. Of Al. Law: constitution
null and void by Competent judicial authority
Guilty, under three heads.
Those that relate reforms in the naturalization law.
which require legislation
H. Those that relate the appointment and election
OF officers which purely ministerial
I'LL Those that refer to the general policy of the party
in the management OF the Government,-shich appeal
both to the Legislative and Executive departments
intend to discuss these subjects in the order which
they stated.
1t is proposed modify the naturalization laws in four
particulars
l. To make them prescribe uniform rules of naiuraZa
ton throughout all the States and territories
.. To exclude convicts and paupens from the
try
5. To extend the period of residence OF the applicant
for naturalization that he may have time understand
language and become acquainted with our laws aud
institutions, before lac is entrusted with the right partic
3. To guard against fraudulent abuses of the right of
naturalization.
am aware that there is very prevailing idea that
Congress has constitutional power provide law
thst the rules Of naturalization shall be the same in ali
the States and | have heard this difficulty sugges-
ted a being fatal to the objects of the American party
But the objection il wholly without foundation The con
stution OF the United States provides in terms ''that
Congress shall have power establish uniform rule oi
naturalization Article J. Section VII. claus I.
This provision has repeatedly been the subject OF judicial
and al,
ION vas at one time expressed by the Circuit Court the
United States for the District of Pennsylvania that the
power vas concurrent in the State and Federal govern
menis that opinion has long since been overruled and
snow held by Judge lredel in L. 5 Vrllnto Dial
las, $40; Judge Washington in Gordon vs.. Prince,
Wash, C. C. K. SIS; by Judge Marshall, in Chirac vs.
Chirac Wheston, 269; by Judge Story Houston vs.
M"Orc Wheaton, 40; by Chancellor Kent ! Comm.
1913, and by Judge fancy, in Norris Boston aud
Suhh " Turner Howard, that the erelsrs power is IN
Ooigres- The remarks OF Z. j. fancy clear
only IN regard to the power but also a to the policy OF
exercising IT, that readily adopt his argument as far
more satisfactory than any that could offer. He says
1T cannot be necessary say anything upon the ati-
Gle OF the Constitution which gives Congress power
70 establish uniform rule OF naturalization The motive
aud object OF tins provision plain be msunder
stood Under the Constitution of the United States cti-
Lens Of each Stale entitled the privileges and i'm
munities OF citizens in the several States and no State
would be willing that another should determine for IT,
what foreigner should become Of citizens and be
entitled 10 hold lands and ts elections For with
out this provision any State could have given the
right OF citizenship in every other State and as every CHI
zen OF state i also citizen OF the United States sin.
gle State without this provision given to ANY
number OF foreigners pleased the right all the pr Vi.
eges OF citizenship Ia commerce, trade end yigation
although they did not even reside among
The nature OF Institutions under the Fedora! govern
ment made il matter Of absolute necessity that this DOW
should be cou6ded the government OF the Union
where all the States represented and where all had
voice. necessity obvious, that statesman could
have overlooked it, The article has nothing TO DO with
the admission rejection OF aliens with Immigration
but With the rights Of citizenship Its sole object was TO
prevent one State from forcing upon all the others and
upon the General government, persons citizens whom
they were unwilling to admit as SUCH
Another subject oil kindred character il indeed fall
ling under the same head will also doubtless engage tile
attention oil the party, with view to il the COnsi-
on does not supply the redressng evil which
Is Of the most fragrant characterl aud 10 the want of
uniformity in the State Constitutions in regard the right
OF sui age BY foreigners. By the Constitution OF Virginia
none bu citizens OF the United States vote and a. no
one can legally become citizen Of the United States u
les he has been resident Of the Country for IRE vears
II follows that be voter in Virginia who has
not been resident OF the United States tor NE
But by the Consultation Of Illinois il i provided (Att
"a that IN ali elections, all white male inhabitants
above the age OF ~ years having resi- lei ia the sx
mouths next preceding the election shall enjoy the right
Of ln e,eCtcr'
Now the vote Of every man cast in Illinois Tor mem
bers OF the Legislature which elects T. : Senators for mem.
bers OF Congress and for Presidential electors ha. direc;
bearing on the interests Of Virginia il j. well worthy OF en-.
curry whether Virginia Is, under the Constitution to
governed by tile votes OF Aliens. 10 l. aud n grave
ques;On-There i certainly difference in form between
the question Of eeire troaehss and the question Of nat
urdiizaiioH. But il this system Vi allowing aliens TO
vote before they are naiurazed abuse II an eva
sion OF the Constitution sensible writer on the sub.
iec ha- well remarked III individual States can admit TO
the elective franchise, those .ho citizens. thereby
neurazng the votes Of citizens not only the federal pow
er over naturalization becomes nudity but minority Of
actual citizens by the aid Of aliens may control the gov
ernnent Of the States aud through the States OF the
Union
Who will deny that this is crying abuse and that all
The Constitutional powers Of the Government ought to be
brought into rcquisition % correct it
Ii is proposed 30 exclude by State and federal author
ity cOnvcts aud paupers from landing on our shores to
corrupt the morals Of citizens, plumber our pro-
perty, 10 h our penitenahes aud alns-houso and to
burden people with taxation for their support This
Is policy, aud II will commend itself 10 the
favorable regard Of ali rejecting IL Is evil which
attracted the attention u he founders Of the republic NJ
ar early day. aud has from time uso been pressed
upon the attention Of the Government but thus far no adj
c4uate measures Of prevention have been adopted
Oa the 10th Of September l75s, the Continental Con-
grc then about 20 close is labor adopted the following
resolution Resolved, that il be, and it hereby recon-
f.sN fi Il