The record-union., 1893-07-10
DIVIDED AMERICANISM.

OF the Constitution requiring the Presi-
dent of the United States to be a native
born citizen. The objection raised is that
the provision makes the naturalized Sec
ond-class citizen, only, and casts an unjust
stigma upon them, and that the clause
really "disfgures' that grand instru-
ment.
To the genuinely sincere citizen no such
conclusion comes with force. Duane
MOwry, LII. b., has replied with vigor to
the complaint. He well says, in the last
number of the journal named, that the
provision is a salutary one and does no
violence to the reasonable rights or sensi-
biIities of the naturalized citizen, but
looks only to the maintenance of Ameri-
can spirit.
1t is decidedly refreshing and bracing
to find an essayist now and then bold
enough to declare, as DR.. Mowry does,
that it is out of place and by no means
modest or agreeable for the foreigner who
has become an American citizen to insist
that much is due to him from his adopted
country and but little is due from him as
citizen of that country. OF course, the
clear-seeing, high-minded adopted citizen
never entertains even the suggestion of
such thought. But it is true that very
large number Of ex-aliens do speak and
insist upon it as true, as if the American
Nation really owes them vote Of thanks
for becoming of it. All too frequently
adopted citizens speak and act as If spe-
cial Difference should be paid them, their
feelings and prejudices be more gently
touched and their adaptive character COM
mand for them favors and exemptions
unknown to the native born.
Meaning no offense, and the true
citizen will take none, we speak of what
is within common knowledge; facts
which cause sensible and clear thinking
adopted citizens to blush, and many of
them to express themselves warmly.
The truth is. no good citizen stigma
ties or discriminates against the foreign
born citizen" because he is foreign born.
But it is true that native-born citizens
have frequent occasion to express them
selves holly over the expressions and
actions of large number of naturalized
citizens, which can be interpreted only
as meaning that they are citizens with us
for convenience, but that their true devo-
ton is due to a foreign land and that we
must deal with them gently in conse-
quence.
Making all allowance for love for the
soil of ones birth, by no means despising
or Directing to, but admiring manifesto
tions of love for fatherland, we, never
theless, have supreme contempt that al
most ripens into adherence for divided
loyalty, an allegiance that divides in the
middle. Because of this sentiment we
have very often protested against the
political nomenclature that parts it's hair
in the middle. We do not appreciate the
sentiment, the reason or the excuse for
speaking of Irish-Americans, German
Americans, Scotch-Americans and the
like, while for those groups Of American
citizens by adoption who delight to be
spoken of as the French colony, the
German colony and so on we entertain, in
common with millions of our country
men, silent contempt.
1t may be proper enough, though IN
elegant, for group of aliens in America
to designate themselves as a colony-no
one will take any exceptions to such a
fashion; but when those who have fore
sworn allegiance to all foreign princes
and potentates ally themselves under
foreign colony title, they manifest
clannishness that is worse than disgust
ing; it is dangerous.
We are or we are not one people; our
citizenship has full American meaning.
or none. 1t is incapable Of any subdivi-
sion; it is jealous mistress and will
brook no rival. When the hyphenated
Americanism to which we refer enters
into partisan politics it becomes a posi-
tive menace. 1t takes on the appearance
of bid for a subsidy, however honest
may be its motive. We have never yet
heard of an Irish Democratic Club, Ger
~
publican club or the like, that we have
not either felt honest choler rise or been
moved by pity to compassionate the
shortsightedness that so limits the vision
of the adopted citizen as to his true place
in this Government as a sovereign.
The complaint because the President
must be native born arises out of this same
clannishness and ill-concerted demand
for special consideration, though the COM
plainant may be unconscious of the effect
upon others.
DR.. Mowry well says:
1t was the undoubted purpose of the trainers
of the Constitution OF the United States 10
establish, maintain ana transmit a truly ma
tional charact eristic; TO secure at that time.
and, II possible, Tor all time TO come, for this
country, a distinctively American spirit, all
pervading, ever-present. 1t does not occur to
me that the development of such a spirit
could be expected to reach its climax in the
person OF chief magistrate who had been
nurtured under foreign skies and partook of
the spirit OF foreign Institutions He could
serve the State acceptably and well, possibly,
could discharge the responsible duties Of the
highest Office as belts a great and free people.
But think the constitutional prohibition a
wise one. and the late legislation upon the
subject is in keeping with the earlier action of