Speech #620138186

This proposal to exclude foreigners has no novelty. This Republic had but completed the first decade of its existence when. in the administration of John Adams. the same sentiments which I have heard expressed on this floor today and yesterday were uttered against the foraign born. To discourage immigration. as far back as 1798. under the influence of the Federalist Party. the period of naturalization was extended from 5 to 14 years. and during the same session of Congress and under the same influences the odious alien and sedition laws were passed. which conferred upon the then President of the United States the power to exclude at his will any foreigner found upon American territory. It is to the honor of our institutions and to the glory of the Republic that the shame and infamy of that legislation was wiped out when the Democrats of this country elected Thomas Jefferson to the Presidency. From time to time in every succeeding generation there have been those who were opposed to the admission of the foreign born into the brotherhood of the Republic. The same arguments were used then that are used now. Within the memory of men in this Chamber it was said of the races which are now glorified and alluded to as the "old immigration" that they could not be assimilated with the American body politic. That those accusations in those days were unfounded has been demonstrated by the experience of the American people. That the aspersions now cast upon the races from southern and eastern Europe are equally unfounded will be established in time. We are not crowded on this continent. The population of all Europe might be placed in the single State of Texas. and there would be less congestion than now prevails on the Continent of Europe. If there ever comes a time when the American people may deem it necessary to impose restrictions upon desirable immigration. the time will not come in our generation. and if a restriction should be required. if it should be deemed wise as a national policy to discourage immigration. let us proceed upon a safe and sound theory. let us make the qualification that of character and not educational attainments. Our country is enriched every time an honest. ablebodied man enters the United States. Our institutions are threatened. our safety imperiled. when we become careless respecting those who. possessing an intellectual qualification. are devoid of that which is far more essential. a character qualification.