The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-08-20
Gbe glatnralisatipn 4ans.
SPEECH OF MR.. ADAMS,
OF MISSISSIPPI,
~ the Bill To Amend the Naturalization Laws
W = al. II G Sannfe lung b. Is5O. =

,nrc
In the U S. Senate, June 70, leoo
NJ Adams. Of Mississippi, rose and said: Mf Ffes-
The usual course of this body IS to acquesce IN
tbe unfayorable reports ofcommttees W.aious
md more especially the report OF eommlttee
5;cyary committee justly does the confidence OF
t 5s as1ate Under ordinary circumstances should
.s ~ ,rsrAd that course. But when it is remember
hat sought in vain at the last session to obtain
vote on this question, that the subject Is one which
Il deemed BY many to be OF very great importance 70
Y oanntrv which has awakened q deep interest
s,,gbont the republic, is now exciting and Is des-
nod hereafter to excite much discussion, trust that
sba be excused for asking the senate to consider the
and vote on its merits The constitution provides
that congress shall have power TO uniform
le Of naturalisation. There is, therefore, ques
fon as to power 1t is purely measure Of expedien
o. men of all parties have differed in opinion upon
~ subject from the foundation of the government to
e present time and will continue to differ SO long
men are free and permitted to think for themselves
md speak their sentiments. 1t not therefore, par
ty question, and never should have been made such
lis measure Of safety and rises entirely above party
And yet it is the only legitimate Legislative question
abont which the people differ in opinion throughout
she country Thequestions on which parties formerly
existed have been settled and passed away. We have
no parties now upon bank tariffs, internal improve
aents, subtreasnry, extrayagant expenditures OF
public money; prominent democrats are now leading
friends of internal improvements, old-line wings vote
upon ad yalorem principles for reduction OF the tar
With an overwhelming democratic majority in both
branches of the last congress, there were many mil
lions expended from the public treasury more than
we're appropriated in any one year OF Mr.. Folks adj
iuinstration when the country was engaged in war
With a foreign power. Well might the distinguished
senator from Louisiana {Mr. Benamin) say, when he
formally Joined the democratic party few days since,
ii this hall that in doing he surrendered prin
eple--that he only changed his name. 1t must be OBJ
ous that this is the only question about which there
aanfnrn
5erence Of opinion upon the slavery question That
however, is q question which congress has no
power to legislate. 1t should not be much
lioned on this floor.
The bill under consideration requires aliens, who
ne TO this country after the passage Of this act to
reside in it twentyone years before they be admit
ted to citizenship. 1t repeals all laws auhorsing
sate courts to naturalist foreigners, and coners the
power on federal courts alone 1t excludes foreign
criminals and panpers, respectfully submit Mr..
President, that there two rules by which govern
ment should conduct its affairs with the world: 1st
70 deal justly with all, nations and individuals,
lives and foreigners 3D. 1t should deal literally with
all far consistent with the public safety, and the
rights, interest and happiness Of its citizens but
yer beyond that If either the public safety rights
or interests of its citizens should be endangered by
the exercise of hberaty to aliens, it should be with
held. The first and highest obligation of government
should be to ts own citizens As parent guards
and protects the rights and interests Of his child
"
cf her citizens Mercy at the expense Of justice be-
comes cruelty SO iberaty to aliens at the expense of
the morals security and rights Of citizens or haz
ard to our institutions, is inexcusabe if not suicidal
bg these rules, the correctness Of which apprehend
will not be controvered by propose to show
the necessity of passing the bill under consideration
Eut sir met at the threshold with the charge Of
violating those rules in this, that it is illibel and
unjust to require obedience to laws or the perform
nee of the duties of citizen for lsng period with
hot
of birth should not deprive foreigner Of any Of the
rights secured to the native born citizen think the
proper ground was taken by Mr. Bayard, of Delaware
IN 1898. He then said:
ALIENS cannot be considered members of the So
eety of the United States Our laws passed the
ground -four policy, and whatever is granted to aliens
matter offavor, and if it is taken away, they
have no right to complain"
Yeti do not propose to take away any rights.
On what grounds can they complaint What rights
Lave foreigners not now in the country? answer
none 1t is not only the right but the duty of every
government whenever the interest of her citizens
q uires it, to adopt such rules may be deemed expe
dent to the extent of that necessity to the total
exclusion Of foreigners and in doing this she only per-
forms her duty without injustice or iliberaty to any
one Gouverneur Morris, in the convention which
framed the constitution of the United States, speaking
of this subject, used the following language:
"Heran over the privileges which immigrants would
enjoy among us, though they should be deprived of
that of being eligible to the great Offices of government
observing that they exceeded the privileges allowed to
foreigners in any part Of the world and that every
society, from great nation down to club, had the
right Of declaring the conditions on which
bers should be admitted there could be complaint
But it is said that the accident Of birth should not
deprive foreigner Of any of the privileges of citizen
oi this country. Sir, | deny such accidents. be-
,eve both birth and destiny under the control Of
overruling Providence hatoverruling Providence
he tall of 1uttn
hers and the wisdom and patriotism of the founders
of government has kindly secured to us more civil
md religious liberty, with attendant blessings, than
enjoyed by any other nation earth If the of
foreigners their ancestors have established less m
vored governments, it is fault of ours. As well
might you say that the man who by his industry and
economy has secured ample estate for his posterty
on his demise should distribute equally with the poor
ofhis neghborhood With the same justice that that
afgument is used, you might say, because the poor
mans son did net happen to be the rich mans, it is
y unjust that he should not be permitted to inherit
the rich mans estate. These the strongest argu
that have heard against this measure they
destitute of plausibity that deem it unneces
sary to make any further reply All governments have
exercised it and must continue to do SO, so long
they recognise and practice the principle ofse preserv
ation difference of opinion existed in the
ton which framed the constitution in reference to the
lime aliens should be residents before they could be
dopted into the American family as is shown by the
eigner himself 'was decidedly opposed to the admis
sion of foreigners without long residence in the coun
Try They bring with them not only attachments to
other countries but ideas of government distinct
rom ours, that in every point Of view they dan
gerous He acknowledged that ifhe himself had been
called into public life within a-short time Of his
ing to America his foreign habits, opinions, and at
tachments would have rendered him improper agent
n public affairs
There is great wisdom and admonition in these few
sentences from that enlightened statesman and revo-
lutionary patriot No one knew better or could ap-
preciate justly the prejudiees Of early education
and love Of his native country He was sustained in
This view by Gouverneur Morris, when he said that
'the who shake off the attachment for their
native country never love any other til very
important matter to confer alien {asde from the
elective franchise) the rights citizenship by the doing
Of which you confer upon him the highest title ever
bestowed upon an alien; you thereby adopt him into
your family and pledge the faith of the nation to pro-
ec him in all the rights pertaining that sacred name,
not only here, but wherever he may CO. even to the e
tent Of war. passport from our goyernmeet is not
only to protect him IN his rights of property in every
land, but to shield him from danger and insult See
the Koszta affair: man who was not a citizen, had
merely declared his intention to become SUCH came very
nigh involving this country in war with Austria
We have already been involved in with Great
Britain according to Mr. Buchanan for the rights of
He in a. g.