Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1857-01-13
Congress and the Naturalization Laws.
From the Lexington (Ky) Observer.


Our readers have already been advised of the
fact that an effort was made in the House Of Re-
representatives. short time ago, to amend the
letting Naturalization Laws of the United States.
The Hon. Humphrey Marshall Of this State, brought
the matter before the House, moved to make bill,
which had been framed upon this subject the spe.
cial order for a certain day-This motion was laid
upon the table by vote Of 90 to SO and thus have
the wishes of vast majority of the native born
population of the country been defeated by those
who are called their Representatives, but who in
reality have misrepresented their earnest wishes.
For many years. wise and patriotic men have
struggled to bring this all important matter before
the Congress of the country, but their voice was
stifed Efforts to amend the Naturalization Laws
have been made at many successive sessions OF
Congress but all of them have been uDavailing.
There was a foreign power both in Europe aud
America, that caused the time-serving politicians
of the Democracy to forget the interests OF their
own country They knew full well that the causes
which originally threw open the doors OF the Con-
stilution had passed away. They knew that the
thirteen weak colonies had grown so powerful that
thew could stand against the united Empires of the
world without extraneous aid. They knew that
the character of our foreign immigration had ma
terially changed since the days OF the Revolution
They knew that the alien 10 the early history Of
the Republic, was required to furnish evidence Of
bona tide intention &c become a citizen, and was
required to show that he was moral and upright in
his conduct orderly as a citizen and attacEel 10
our institutions before he could be naturazed
They knew all these things full WE'LL but it did not
Lessen their devotion to the foreign in the
country 1t was self evident fact that the pros
cess of naturalization had become farce and was
a most fruitful source of perjury and fraud and cor
ruption at our elections. 1t was equally self evi.
dent that the days for the immigration OF such men
as Gallatin and Hamilton would not return again
but what did the leaders Of the Democracy care for
| considerations like these Years ago, when such a
thing as an American party was unknown, they
acted precisely as they did upon the occasion to
which We have referred in the beginning of this
article.
We are willing to accept this old issue, and up
| on it to stake the very existence of the American
party. The naturalization laws must be amended
| il we expect to perpetuate 1--WE have better cause
TO use the word regdin,) American supremacy on
| Amercal soil. This can not be done unless the
| foreign party in the country is overthrow. Eve
nv good citizen, no matter whether he is native or
foreign born, should seek to effect this result. 1t
is manifest that nearly all of the foreigners who
now come here and are naturalized do not feel any
attachment to our government. In FIVE years they
cannot divest themselves Of the idea that they are
no longer Irshmen and Dutchnen, but Americans,
and We must extend the time and thus enable them
TO do So Every intelligent foreigner justly regards
his allegiance to his former country wholly ex"
tinct when he is invested with the badge OF Amer
lean citizenship. Nearly all Of this class act with
the American party, but how is it with the other
They execrate and hate the American party as il
its members sought to deprive them Of their vest
ed rights to rob them of their citizenship, already
acquired. Why is this? The answer is easy enough
| They do not regard the American people as theiI
counuymen at all. Their countrymen are still in
the countries OF Europe, and it is for the sake Of
these that they rave againat the extension OF the
existing naturalization laws. They have their own
papers in their pockets. They cannot be touched
and il they honest in their declarations of in'
tention to become bona fde citizens when they re-
ceved them, what is Ireland or Holland to them
rhe Locofoco demagogue, with q tongue as sweet
as If he had chewed the leaves of that enchanted
tree which is said TO bloom peIennially over the
grave OF the Persian poet, will tell that the for
eigners ia our midst have left their starving and
oppressed friends behind them and desire that they
may follow them to this land of promise Be it so
The American party does not wish TO exclude them
from the blessings which immigration to this cOun'
try viii confer All that they desire, is to extend
their term of naturalization. II they starving
at home and come here for bread why do they
make such a clamor about voting. We have land
aud they may take j. aud till it. II they labor and
let our elections alone for a proper season, thel
s;omachs win be just as full all the time. We will
take care Of the country while they are fstteninl
their lean carcasses and resting after their exciting
flight from the grim old Kings aud Emperors o
Europe. This will take some time, and after an
other slime and half time, they will have learn
cd enough TO take part in the management Of thin
government The American party is OF the opiu
ion that the proper Interpretation Of these mystic
rious periods, is 10 be found in the expression
ts,5enfy one years" The vast majority OF our ma
tive born popuAtion-Whigs, Democrats and Know
Nothings-unte in this belief and in il, we ar,
backed up by thousands OF our best foreign borr
citizens In fact, the change Of our naturalization
laws is a foregone conclusion with the American
people, and ali the Locofoco Congressman and Sen
ators and demagogues Of the land cannot prevent ia