Naturalized Citizens

On the first page wiïl be found Mr Birney's answer to the inquines of eer lain Naturalized Citizens of Ohio. ] appears to havo been writtcn some tim since, but we did not rece i-v e it till las week. Some ofour readers, of thisclas of citizens, as we learn havebeen lookin for it wi:h interest. Mr. Birney's an swer, thotigh brief, seems to cover th whole ground that can be reasonabl aked for. The present lawsof natural zation nre, perhaps, in the main, as satis factory to the wliole American people, a they well could be. That some inierva shotild occur Letween the landing of em jgrantsön our shores, and their exercis of the poliiical franchise, seems reasona ble,. and in. conformity wilh :he reguln tion which now prevail in diiTerent State in admitting natives to the exercise o suifrage. Hora long this interval shouh be, is an important qucátion, on whicl there may be an honest dilorence o opinión. We are not familiar with the history of these laws, but were told by a distinguished political gentleman at a recent mass meeting in this place, that under Washington's administrationonly tico years residence ras roquired fer naturalization; but when John Adams and his friends carne inlo power, the time was altered to iwelve vears; and on Mr. Jefferson's accesaion to the Presidency, it was reduced to five years, where it has since remained: and that Mr. Jeflsrson was personally disposed to have the period still more diminished. We have heardno alteration suggested, except thnt advocated by the "Native American" party, which is stated to be a residence of twenty one years as a prerequisite to voting, and an exclusión from office for Ufe! It bas boen thought by some tbat a national party míght be erected on this bnsis: but a close examination will satisfy any thinking man that ageneral organization for this jjurpose, if it could be completed, ft'ould utterly fnil of success. There ia one consideraron which we think might tend to allay the apprehensions oí those who honestly fear Jcst our institutions should be destroyed by a "daluge of foreigners." It is this: thatever greafmay be the emigration. every child of a naturalí'zed citizen, born in this country, is nn American born citizen, and all his poslerity. go that the greater the eraigration of foreigners, and the consequent danger to our institutions, ns is alledged, the greater will bo the augmentationof the number of American citizens to withstaud the apprehended foreign.influence. It will be seen that the iriterrogators of Mr. Birscey were also fearful of losing their right of citizenship ihrough jealousy of a considerable portion of thera asCalholics. T-hey doubtless had reason for anticipating some unfavorable movement ngainst their political rights, f rom the character of many articléswith vhichthe religious presses of several denominalions teem. In these, if we have understood them aright, the ground is substantially taken, that the Catholic faith is entirely incompatible with civil Liberty and republican institutions; and that a Catholic, in consequence, is therefore disqualified for the proper discharge of the duties of an American citizen. The next step would be to wish that he might not enjoy the rights'of a citizen; and the next, to embrace the fh-st favorable opportunity for depriving him of citizenship, or of preventing its attainment. Tlie answer of Mr. Birney is in conformity with the principies of the Liberty party, which regards the riglils of man merely because lie is a man without reference to country, condition, creed, or color.