The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-09-17
Woodward Opposed to Foreign
ers Becoming Citizens.

inee for Governor OF this State, was
member of the Convention to propose
amendments to and revise the Constitution
of the Commonwealth. During the sittings
of the Convention he offered q resolution
as an amendment tothe Constitution, that
thereafter all persons of foreign birth be
disqualified to vote or hold Office in the
Commonwealth. In support of his amend
ment he made lengthy and characteristic
speech. Below we give the resolution
and extracts from Woodward's speech, to
which we desire to call the especial atten
ton of those of our citizens who are of
foreign birth. We quote from the pro-
ceedings of the Convention as published,
page AS:
GA motion was made by Mr.. Magee, of
Perry county, that the Convention proceed
TO the second reading and consideration of
resolution No. 4S, in the words following,
viz:
"ResolUed, That committee be appoin-
ted to inquire into the expediency of so
amending the Constitution of Pennsylvania
as to prohibit or to prevent the future
emigration into this State of free persons
of color and fugitive slaves from other
States or territories.
"Mr. Woodward moved to amend by
adding there the words "and that said
committee be also instructed to inquire
into the propriety of so amending the
Constitution as to prevent any foreigners
who may arrive in this State after the 4th
Of July, 1S41, from acquiring the right to
vote or hold Office il this Commonwealth
In his speech in favor Of his amendment,
he makes use Of the following longuage:
"'Sir, appreciate as much as any man
living, the many political rights and priv
ileges which [, in common with the people
OF the United States, are now enjoying;
and it is my honest impression that ice do
but squander those priUileges IN confering
them upon eUe,y indiUidual acho chooses to
come and claim them. l know that great
portion of those who come among US from
foreign countries consist frequently of the
,corst part Of the population of those
countries; that they are unacquainted with
the value of these privileges, and that
therefore they do not know how to value
them. [ think that in thus couferring
indiscriminately upon all we are doing in
jury to our liberties and our institutions,
and / believe that If the time has not yet
come it will speedily come when it will be
indispensably necessary either for this
body or some other body, of this State or
of the United States, to inquire whether
it is not right to put some plan into execu-
ton by which foreigners should be preUent-
ed from controlling our elections, and
brow beating our American citizens at the
polls. And what claim have foreigners
from any country-aye, sir, from any
country-which is strong enough to justi-
fly us in prostituting our political privileges
by comforting them carelessly and indis-
criminately on any individual who may
reside here for two or three years-become
a naturalized citizen-and then command
our offices? There are very many of these
emgrants who know nothing of political
privilege in their own country before they
emigrate to this.
The word is unknown to them, or if
they hear of it at all they hear of it as
something in which they have no partici-
patton. Is not this the fact? Sir, we all
know that it is! We know that very
many of these emigrants never enjoyed
| any political privileges tbemselves-that
they have no knowledge of them, and
| least of all have they any knowledge of our
people, our government or our in stitutions.
The requirement of this knowledge is not
the work of day. They have no sympa-
thy with us, and they have no qualifications
to render them fit recipients of these high
political privileges
The above extracts are sufi cient we
| think, although the entire speech might
| be quoted, as it a5ounds with abuse of
| foreigners and fallacious reasoning to
| prove that no foreigner should be per-
mitted to enjoy the rights of citizenship
| or hold Office in this Commonwealth
Such are the deliberately expressed senti-
ments of George W. Woodward, the
Democratic nominee for Governor of this
Commonwealth-the leader of a party
that has always professed so much love
for the foreigners. Tue party, in nomi-
mating Woodward, indorsed his sentiments
and say with him that to confer the right
to vote upon foreigners is squandering our
privileges. The party has changed from
its opposition to Americanism and not only
become the exponents oe the doctrines of
that party, but 60 much farther in their
radicalism, denouncing foreigners of all
classes and from every country, in terms
more bitter and language more abusive
than ever was INDUCED in by the most
enthusiastic Know Nothing. The Ameri-
can party only proposed that foreigners
should be in this country certain term
of years before being naturalized and
enjoying the privileges of citizenship