1801 Examination 8 · Founding Made Plain

1THE EXAMINATION.

2Number VIII.

3[New York, January 12, 1802]

4Resuming the subject of our last paper

5 we proceed to trace still farther,

6 the consequences that must result

7 from a too unqualified admission

8 of foreigners,

9 to an equal participation

10 in our civil, and political rights.

11The safety of a republic

12 depends essentially

13 on the energy

14 of a common National sentiment;

15 on a uniformity

16 of principles and habits;

17 on the exemption of the citizens

18 from foreign bias, and prejudice;

19 and on that love of country

20 which will almost invariably be found

21 to be closely connected

22 with birth, education and family.

23The opinion advanced

24 in the Notes on Virginia

25 is undoubtedly correct,

26 that foreigners will generally be apt

27 to bring with them attachments

28 to the persons they have left behind;

29 to the country of their nativity,

30 and to its particular customs

31 and manners.

32They will also entertain opinions

33 on government

34 congenial with those

35 under which they have lived;

36 or if they should be led hither

37 from a preference to ours,

38 how extremely unlikely is it

39 that they will bring with them

40 that temperate love of liberty,

41 so essential to real republicanism?

42There may,

43 as to particular individuals,

44 and at particular times,

45 be occasional exceptions

46 to these remarks,

47 yet such is the general rule.

48The influx of foreigners must, therefore,

49 tend to produce

50 a heterogeneous compound;

51 to change and corrupt

52 the national spirit;

53 to complicate and confound

54 public opinion;

55 to introduce foreign propensities.

56In the composition of society,

57 the harmony of the ingredients

58 is all-important,

59 and whatever tends

60 to a discordant intermixture

61 must have an injurious tendency.

62The United States have already felt

63 the evils of incorporating

64 a large number of foreigners

65 into their national mass;

66 by promoting in different classes

67 different predilections

68 in favor of particular foreign nations,

69 and antipathies against others,

70 it has served very much

71 to divide the community

72 and to distract our councils.

73It has been often likely

74 to compromit the interests

75 of our own country

76 in favor of another.

77The permanent effect of such a policy

78 will be,

79 that in times of great public danger

80 there will be always

81 a numerous body of men,

82 of whom there may be

83 just grounds of distrust;

84 the suspicion alone

85 will weaken the strength

86 of the nation,

87 but their force may be actually employed

88 in assisting an invader.

89In the infancy of the country,

90 with a boundless waste to people,

91 it was politic

92 to give a facility to naturalization;

93 but our situation is now changed.

94It appears from the last census,

95 that we have increased

96 about one-third in ten years;

97 after allowing

98 for what we have gained from abroad,

99 it will be quite apparent

100 that the natural progress

101 of our own population

102 is sufficiently rapid

103 for strength, security, and settlement.

104By what has been said,

105 it is not meant to contend

106 for a total prohibition

107 of the right of citizenship

108 to strangers,

109 nor even for the very long residence

110 which is now a prerequisite

111 to naturalization,

112 and which of itself

113 goes far towards a denial

114 of that privilege.

115The present law

116 was merely a temporary measure

117 adopted under peculiar circumstances,

118 and perhaps demands revision.

119But there is a wide difference

120 between closing the door altogether

121 and throwing it entirely open;

122 between a postponement of fourteen years,

123 and an immediate admission

124 to all the rights of citizenship.

125Some reasonable term

126 ought to be allowed

127 to enable aliens

128 to get rid of foreign

129 and acquire American attachments;

130 to learn the principles

131 and imbibe the spirit

132 of our government;

133 and to admit of a probability at least,

134 of their feeling a real interest

135 in our affairs.

136A residence of at least five years

137 ought to be required.

138If the rights of naturalization

139 may be communicated by parts,

140 and it is not perceived why they may not,

141 those peculiar

142 to the conducting of business

143 and the acquisition of property,

144 might with propriety

145 be at once conferred,

146 upon receiving proof,

147 by certain prescribed solemnities,

148 of their intention

149 to become citizens;

150 postponing all political privileges

151 to the ultimate term.

152To admit foreigners indiscriminately

153 to the rights of citizens,

154 the moment they put foot

155 in our country,

156 as recommended in the Message,

157 would be nothing less,

158 than to admit the Grecian Horse

159 into the Citadel

160 of our Liberty and Sovereignty.

161Lucius Crassus.

162New-York Evening Post, January 12, 1802.