Letter from the Native American Mutual Protection Association
Original
Transcription of Primary Source
New York, 1836
SIR,
In behalf of the NATIVE AMERICAN MUTUAL PROTECTION ASSOCIATION, of the City of New York, permit me to enquire of you, What number of Foreigners there are in your county? What is their general character? What number of them are paupers? How many of them are naturalized, and what number of them hold office? What are the views of Native Americans in your section of the country, in relation to the present Naturalization Laws of the United States? Do they desire any, and if any, what alteration in those laws? Are they opposed to the election or appointment of foreigners to office? If so, can an association for that purpose be formed by Native Citizens in your vicinity, to act in concert with similar Associations throughout the United States? Would not your citizens generally unite in a petition to Congress to amend the present Naturalization laws so far as, hereafter, to require of foreigners a residence of twenty-one years in this country, before they be permitted to vote at any election?
Associations opposed to the election or appointment of foreigners to office have been formed in this city, in the city of Broklyn, Paterson, N. J. and in New Orleans, all of which are rapidly increasing. In order that you may judge of the necessity of taking some steps to prevent, if possible, the future increase of foreigners and foreign influence in this country, I beg leave to lay before you the following statements.
In the year 1831, there were 48,589 arrivals of foreigners in this city; in 1833 41,075; and in 1835 upwards of 49,000 a great portion of whom are of the most unenlightened and degraded class, many of them in extreme poverty, and oblidged to depend upon charity to procure a precarious livelihood.
In the Alms House of this city there are about 2000 foreign paupers. Of 462 Vagrants confined in the Penitentiary of this city at a recent period, 298 were foreigners, and of the 800 convicts in the State Prison at Sing Sing, 603 were foreigners.
The number of electors in the city of New-York is about 43,000; of these at least 13,000 are naturalized foreigners, and probably three-fourths of the minor offices in this city are filled by that class of citizens, besides many of the first offices. In the town of Paterson, New Jersey, there are 39 Town Officers, 33 of whom are naturalized foreigners.
As full and as early an answer as convenient to the foregoing is most respectfully solicited.
I have the honor to remain,
Sir, our most ob't servant,
H. HUNT
Cor. Secretary of the N.A.M.P. Association of the City of N.Y.
P.S. You are at liberty to publish this if you think proper.