CHAPTER IV. FOREIGN INFLUENCE IN MILITARY AFFAIRS. — FOREIGN LEGIONS AMONG US.

It appears that the foreign residents in the United States are quietly and steadily preparing a military force, composed entirely of themselves, to be ready for action when foreigners are sufficiently numerous in the country to bring certain political questions to the final arbitrament of the sword.

How this thing is managed in New York city, where foreigners are more numerous than any where else in the country, is apparent from the following communication addressed by ” A Citizen” to the editor of the New York Tribune, and inserted in that paper under the head, “Abuses in the First Division of Militia — City of New York.”

“There are frequent applications made, and some have been granted, for the organization of New Companies and Regiments, and even Brigades, in the First Division, apparently for no other object than to create an additional number of officers, or to bring together, into separate organization, the natives of. a particular country, when it is well known that most of the existing corps do not possess the requisite number of men required by law, which declares that ‘no uniformed company shall consist of less than fifty non-commissioned officers and privates, nor more than one hundred.’ This would admit in each regiment one thousand men, exclusive of commissioned officers, the non-commissioned staff and musicians. It is notorious, at least to the respective corps, that no regiment in the City has ever paraded over five hundred men, and the largest rarely over four hundred, while at least two- thirds of the regiments do not parade over two hundred men. There is not a company in the City that has one hundred effective men on the roll, and it is deemed a remarkably prosperous one that has fifty, while the most of them parade from twenty to thirty each. Why, then, organize new regiments and companies, when the existing ones are deficient in numbers, and especially why organize bodies of Irish, Germans, French, Swiss, &c, separately. If the natives of those countries, being adopted citizens, desire to enroll themselves in good faith as American citizen-soldiers, they could find plenty of vacancies in the already organized companies of the several Regiments of the Division. If they are aliens, they have no right to be members, and all such now attached should at once be required to leave the companies in which they are enrolled. It may not be generally known, but such is the fact, that the officers in most of the foreign organizations issue their military orders in a foreign language, as well as are compelled to explain the military exercise in a foreign tongue. The by-laws of most of these companies, now recognized by law, are printed in a foreign language, and an American officer, who has to adjudicate upon their provisions, if he is not familiar with the language, has to require a translated copy. Should this be permitted? Should it be necessary to the members themselves? If they are American citizens, and desire to be good ones, fit to be enrolled, ‘ for the security of a free State,’ they should at least acquire a knowledge of the language of the country of their adoption. If they were enrolled in companies not exclusively composed of their own countrymen, they would more readily acquire this knowledge, so important for a faithful discharge of their duty. It isknown that intelligent officers who have been in command of corps composed chiefly of adopted citizens have expressed great doubt of the propriety of placing these corps in prominent positions, in case of a riot or popular tumult. Native American citizens, while they would be inclined to submit to the arms of their own countrymen, would not willingly yield to a force composed almost exclusively of foreigners, even though adopted citizens, especially if they should hear orders given to such a force in a language to them unknown. This is another reason why .these separate foreign organizations should not be permitted, especially when on the banners of some is borne the device of their nationality, and who clothe themselves in the uniform of another country, in preference to an American uniform. But this evil is even deeper than is stated. In these organizations, there are many, aye hundreds, who are not citizens even by adoption, that is, they have not been in the country long enough to become citizens. Should this violation of law exist? What reliance have we upon the boasted bulwark of American freedom — its citizen soldiery — when it is organized of those who are not citizens? These aliens are not responsible for these organizations. They originate in some demagogue who wishes the party for some other than the ostensible object. The General, or superior officers, are anxious to have a longer tail to their show, regardless of the quality, if they have quantity. As an evidence of this, it is scarcely more than two years since, when a body of Irishmen, (whether citizens or not is uncertain, but it is believed the most of them are aliens,) desired to be organized into a regiment, and attached to one of the brigades of the First Division, and applied to several of the commanding officers of brigades for their approbation. Most of them declined. One of them, however, was about to yield, when the several Colonels of this officer’s brigade, under their proper signatures, remonstrated against its admission, urging some of the reasons herein suggested. The remonstrance had. its effect, and the consent was withheld. The commanding officer of this brigade retired, and one of the remonstrating Colonels became his successor; and soon thereafter himself became an applicant for the admission of this very body of Irishmen he was so strenuous in opposing when the tail would not be of any particular advantage to the regiment he then commanded. And, strange to say, the Major-General- himself, who at a Division Board, composed of officers representing several brigades and regiments of the City, sanctioned by his own vote certain principles laid down by the unanimous vote of the Board against the admission of any new corps in the division until the existing ones should be filled according to law, joined in the application; and this regiment is now attached to the Second Brigade in this City. It is right, therefore, to attribute the evil complained of to the anxiety of some of the General officers to make a great show without regard to law or propriety. In regard to the admission of these corps into the service of the State, it is evident but little pains is taken to ascertain whether the persons making the applications under the laws are eligible to be members. By the laws of the Federal as well as State Government, the persons subject to military duty are all able-bodied white male citizens, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years.”

The Commander-in-chief may organize a company “whenever fifty persons, subject to military duty, shall associate together for the purpose.” What evidence does the Commander-in-chief require that the fifty persona thus applying are subject to military duty, i. e., are citizens? After the companies are organized, what restraint is there on Captains and Colonels to prevent the admission of aliens in their corps? It becomes a matter of serious inquiry, when it is believed that more than two-thirds of the members of the First Division are of foreign birth, and a large proportion of that number are not even citizens. It is known, too, that many of our native citizens are deterred from joining uniform companies while the privileges are thus abused. This subject needs the careful consideration of the Legislature, and an inquiry into all the facts, that a remedy may be supplied. This could be accomplished by the appointment of a Commission, of say three citizens, with power to conduct such an investigation as would lead, to a full and faithful report.”

The facts here disclosed by the ” Citizen,” with a view to the correction of abuses, suggest very grave reflections to all who love their country. Comment seems quite unnecessary.

Perhaps it may be as well, however, to notice, in this connection, the fearful rate at which foreign immigration into this country is increasing.

“When five years were fixed for the probationary period before naturalization, immigration was counted by units, now it comes on us by hundreds of thousands — from seven thousand a year it has increased to nearly five hundred thousand. Estimating our foreign population now at about four millions, it is increasing in the ratio of twelve and a half percent., while the entire population of the United States between 1840 and 1850 only increased about six hundred thousand a year. From 1800 to 1810 only seventy thousand foreigners arrived here, and from 1840 to 1850 there came two million one hundred and sixteen thousand seven hundred and sixty-seven; while in 1810 our entire population was seven million two hundred and thirty nine thousand eight hundred and fourteen, and in 1850 it was twenty three million one hundred and ninety one thousand eight hundred and seventy six — the increased immigration being as thirty to one, and the increased population being a little more than three to one. Is it not a proper regard for our national safety, rather than a proscriptive policy, which should induce a change in our naturalization laws?

“Are not the elective franchise and the ballot box in danger of losing their purity and fore? Is it proper that foreigners should hang an American Senator in effigy, even though it be Stephen A Douglas? Can we look unconcernedly and see the efforts of the German Progressive Republican Party among us to abolish the Sabbath, and spread infidel doctrines in our midst? Look at the different character of the immigrants now arriving from those who formerly came here; once they might possess the elements of good citizens, now they are the outpourings of poor houses, penitentiaries, jails, and penal colonies. They cannot, even with twenty-one years’ probation, know as much of our institutions as our young natives when they come of age, and assume the legal duties of citizens. They cannot eradicate their cradle born sentiments of serfdom, or understand our beautiful governmental system, which works with the harmonious regularity of astronomical calculation.

” Viewing all these dangers, who can wonder that many Americans advocate the total repeal of the Naturalization Laws, unless some plan can he devised to prevent frauds. Still we would, if it were impossible to do any better, be very willing to try the plan proposed by Senator Adams, [viz; to extend the residence of aliens in our country before they can be Naturalized, to twenty one years,] ‘with the express understanding that if future immigrants attempt to evade it, or any perjury is practised, then total exclusion shall be adopted as the only means of safety. But we have no idea that any bill touching this question will find favor with the present Congress, or that the next will be able to frame its action so as to avoid the veto of President Pierce; but the whole field of controversy should be opened up and argued — the stubble removed, and the harvest garnered for 1857, when an American Congress and an American President will enact and approve such laws as will protect our Nationality and restore to us the purity of sentiment and action which distinguished our country before it was visited by the ingushing streams of foreign crime and ignorance. The American Nation, we are convinced, desire the total and conditional repeal of the Naturalization Laws, and nothing short of this will content them.

“If our readers are desirous to know what political principles are held by our foreign residents, we give the following public announcement as a specimen.

The Richmond Whig, of Virginia, says that a party has been organized, in that State, under the title of the ” German Democratic Association,” which proclaims the following as among its Radical principles:

“1. Universal suffrage.
2. The election of all officers by the people.
3. The abolition of the Presidency.
4. The abolition of Senates, so that the Legislatures shall consist of only one branch.
5. The right of the people to call their Representatives (cashier them) at their pleasure.
6. The right of the people to change the Constitution when they like.
7. All law suits to be conducted without expense.
8. A department of the Government to be set up for the purpose of protecting immigration.
9. A reduced term for acquiring citizenship.

REFORM IN THE FOREIGN RELATIONS OP THE GOVERNMENT.

“1. Abolition of all neutrality.
2. Intervention in favor of every people struggling for liberty.

REFORM IN WHAT RELATES TO RELIGION.

” 1. A more perfect development of the principle of personal freedom and liberty of conscience; consequently
a. Abolition of laws for the observance of the Sabbath;
b. Abolition of prayers in Congress;
c. Abolition of oath upon the Bible;
d. Repeal of all laws enacting a religious test before taking an office.

2. Taxation of church property.

3. A “prohibition of incorporations of all church property in the name of ecclesiastics.”

This is indeed madness or worse.

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