Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-07-26
r.. Breckenridge ON the Rights Of Foreign born

Mr.. Breckinridge on the Rights OF Foreign born
Citizens.
AS interested parties have endeavored TO create
false impression concerning speech delivered oy Mr.
Breckinridge at Cynthiana, KY, five years ago. ana
which has never been truly reported atrbutlng to him
nownobng sentiments with regard to the equality OF
naturalzed and native American citizens, we deem IL
dine to our distinguished standadbearer to reute this
SANDER at once and for this purpose we publish tne
following extract from speech which he made IN the
House of Representatives IN March 1920, as reported
in the CONGRESSIONAL Globe 1t will afford convincing
nroof that he never uttered what interested deamers
attributed to him in his Cynthiana speech, made a
month afterwards and that the porn citlzen mas
no warmer more faithful earnest friend IMAM ne Is
In the House of Representatives on the third OF
March. 1855 Mr.. Wentworth, of Massachusetts, re-
ported from the Committee on Commerce bill TO pre-
vent the importation of foreign criminals paupers una
tics insane idiots and blind persons and sought to pat
it on its passage. Some debate ensued and Mr. Breck
inridge directing to the provisions OF the Dill, SAID
do not propose to discuss the question as TO tne
mower Of the General Government to prevent the differ
ent States in the Union from allowing such persons as
they choose to come within their borders DO not pro
fess to have examined the subject thoroughly but that
is immateria to my argument. Ny impression Is tha
the State of Virginia. the State of Kentucky or any
other State has the right to allow to prevent certain
classes of persons from coming within their own ooro
ers This BILL however if that power exists within the
States, takes it away from them. will lot, however,
discuss that question.
Assuming the power, however, to exist in the Fed
era Government there is cruel exercise of it this
bill 1t provides that every human being deslrous OF
coming within the limits of the United States shall ob
tain from American consul certificate or pass sta
ting that he is not idiot that he is not unatc, that
he is not poor nor blind and that he has not for the
space of five years next preceding the date OF the cert
fcate been afflicted with unacy insanity ldocy or any
arrangement of intellect, and [ might say think If
they bad added nor arrangement OF the bowels :" it
would have made the bill complete Laughter The
certificate so furnished SHALL if possible, also state the
name the birthplace, and the residence Of tt applicant
together with his age, if known.
Now sir in looking at the latter part of this BILL
the first thing which struck my attention was that
might be emigrang to the United States with his
family, his wife and children, of whom might be
afflicted with blindness and under the BILL as it origin
ally came from the committee, that family would have
to be severed. The father could not bring his blind
child within the limits of the United States. But the
bill not it originally was but has been patched up
from time to time and see there is amendment at
tached to the 18th section which provides that the ls
5th and 9Th sections of the act shall not be held to be
applicable to any blind insane idiotc person who Is
member of family emigrating to the United States
if he is person of sufficient property to maintain him.
SELF The BILL therefore, it stands, allows any
blind person who is member of family emigratlng to
the United States to come in but if he happens not to
be one OF family or to comprise the whole family IN
his own person, be he old young, rich or poor and
by accident is afflicted with blindness the bill repes him
from the shores of the United States. Now want no
property qualification in this country condition OF
residence within borders of those allow to come
in. None, sir If you allow blind European to come
here if be is worth 100000 you ought to allow blind
European to here who is not worth cent. Such
restriction is antAmercan, antrepubllcan, and 1t is
contrary to the spirit of whole system to draw such
distinctions The property qualification is most odious
in my judgment, with all respect to the gentlemen who
offered the bill.
Another provision of the bill requires that the term
pauper as used in the BILL shall be held to designate
person who, within year from the time OF making
the application specified in the first section of the act
has received support poor and INDECENT person.
How will that operate? Is it proper to draw this dis
tnctlon Can you not imagine person of the oftlest
Intellect of the n0best character by inevitable mistOr
tune reduced to the necessity of receiving support hom
his friends or from the public and yet be worthy OF
emgratng to the United States as one who counts his
funds by the millions? And yet, such a person. if by
misfortune be has, at any time within year previous
to make such application been obliged to depend upon
friendship charity is excluded from the shores of the
United States.
81 do not propose to enlarge on this subject l re-
gard this bill as one of the fruits of the prospective feel
ing which is just pervadng this country. | know
1t IS popular and know it is sweeping like hurricane
from one end of the country to the other but it in
conflict with the fundamental principles of system of
government, and am willing to oppose my hand to it,
and await the time when there shall be reaction of the
puollc sentiment as know there Will be. want the
gentlemen of this House to know that if they vote for
this hi they draw distinction between the poor and
the rch and allow only the latter class to come
they come except with pass in their hands, like ne
gro going from one plantation to another"
At this point Mr. Campbell, of Ohio interrupted Mr.
Breckenridge and after short cooquy, the latter pro-
ceeded
Il will close with recapituating what was about
to say when was interrupted by the gentleman from
Ohio want this house to remember that this is bill
which requires every human being who emgrates to
these shores certificate that he is not blind insane
nor diotic poor has been so for FIVE years pre-
cedng his application for such certificate making an
exception in favor of those blind who have property su
hcient to support themselves and excluding those what
ever may be their qualifications otherwise, who have
not property. am opposed to it and having explain
ed my views of the BILL perfectly willing tor the
House to vote on it, Congressional Globe VOL 80
53d Congress- I'd session, r. ll8l)
1t is also proper to add that owing to the above for
chile remarks of Mr. Breckenridge, Mr.. Wentworth's
bill was defeated on the final vote
From the Western Sentinel.
The Fighting Candidate.
We see going the rounds of the opposition prints of
the State statement, signed by half dozen Know
Nothngs, to the effect that Mr.. Pool at Henderson
vile, bullied Gov Ellis in personal difficulty between
Sali in oil fot