On motion of Mr. W. C. Claiborne, the House went into a Committee of the Whole on the bill directing the payment of a detachment of militia, for services performed in the year 1794, under the command of Major James Orr. The bill was reported without amendment, and ordered to be engrossed for a third reading to-morrow.
Wednesday, May 2.
Naturalization Law.
On motion of Mr. Sewall, the House went into a Committee of the Whole on the report made yesterday by the Committee for the Protection of Commerce and the Defence of the Country, on the subject of naturalization; and the report having been read, and the first resolution for prolonging the term of residence before aliens shall be admitted as citizens, being under consideration,
Mr. Sewall said, the term of residence now required from foreigners before they can become citizens, is five years. The committee think this period too short; it is much shorter than the period adopted by the French Government. The committee were of opinion that a residence of at least ten years should be required; but this might be left a blank in the bill, and afterwards filled.
Mr. Harper believed that it was high time we should recover from the mistake which this country fell into when it first began to form its constitutions, of admitting foreigners to citizenship. This mistake, he believed, had been productive of very great evils to this country, and, unless corrected, he was apprehensive those evils would greatly increase. He believed the time was now come when it would be proper to declare, that nothing but birth should entitle a man to citizenship in this country. He thought this was the proper season for making the declaration. He believed the United States had experience enough to cure them of the folly of believing that the strength and happiness of the country would be promoted by admitting to the rights of citizenship all the congregations of people who resort to these shores from every part of the world. Under these impressions, which, as he supposed they would have the same force upon others as upon himself, he should not detain the committee by dilating upon, he proposed to amend the resolution by adding to it the following words, viz: "that provision ought to be made by law for preventing any person becoming entitled to the rights of a citizen of the United States, except by birth."
The Chairman declared this amendment would be a substitute to the resolution before the committee, and therefore not in order.
Mr. Otis said, he would propose an amendment, which he believed would be in order, which was as follows, namely, "and that no alien born, who is not at present a citizen of the United States, shall hereafter be capable of holding any office of honor, trust, or profit, under the United States."
Mr. Harper moved to amend this amendment, by adding the following words: "or of voting at the election of any member of the Legislature of the United States, or of any State."
Mr. H. said, he was for giving foreigners every facility for acquiring property, of holding this property, of raising their families, and of transferring their property to their families. He was willing they should form citizens for us; but as to the rights of citizenship, he was not willing they should be enjoyed, except by persons born in this country. He did not think this even was desirable by the persons themselves. Why, he asked, did foreigners seek a residence in this country? He supposed it was either to better their condition, or to live under a Government better and more free than that they had left. But was it necessary these persons should at once become entitled to take a part in the concerns of our Government? He believed it by no means necessary, either to their happiness or prosperity, and he was sure it would not tend to the happiness of this country. If the native citizens are not indeed adequate to the performance of the duties of Government, it might be expedient to invite legislators or voters from other countries to do that business for which they themselves are not qualified. But if the people of the country, who owe their birth to it, are adequate to all the duties of Government, he could not see for what reason strangers should be admitted; strangers who, however acceptable they may be in other respects, could not have the same views and attachments with native citizens. Under this view of the subject, he was convinced it was an essential policy, which lay at the bottom of civil society, that none but persons born in the country should be permitted to take a part in the Government. There might have been, Mr. H. acknowledged, individual exceptions, and there may be again, to this general rule; but it was necessary to make regulations general, and he believed the danger arising from admitting foreigners generally to citizenship would be greater than the inconveniences arising from debarring from citizenship the most deserving foreigners. He believed it would have been well for this country if the principle contained in this amendment had been adopted sooner; he hoped it would now be adopted.