John Bright Quotes
A refuge for the oppressed from every land and clime.
John Bright, 1811-1889, British Member of Parliament (Liberal), Description of America, Quoted in New York Times, April 16, 1963
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
The first sentence of this quotation was a favorite of Paine’s. As such he thought nothing of using it again in 1791. See {615405}.
Congress was debating the Naturalization Act of 1790. Page and many others (see {616324}) argued that there should be no qualification requirements on immigrants as every person coming to America added to the strength of the nation. Congress reached a compromise between those who favored unlimited naturalization and citizenship and those who wanted heavy restrictions. It required a 2 year residence, a certification of good character and an oath, modest by modern standards.
This is the origin of the description of America as the “asylum for mankind.” The word in this context indicates a place of safety and refuge.
Most immigration reformers want to open immigration more widely. Ward wanted immigration restricted to certain ethnicities and limited.
At the time immigrants had to live in America 14 years before they were eligible for citizenship. The President urged a reduction in that waiting period which is what was done. This was one of the earliest statements of America as a haven to the oppressed of the world. Note that despite occasional squabbles over land use and theft, the general assessment of the President and the public was that the Indians although not as civilized had welcomed the whites with “hospitality.” The next years would produce the conflict for land and begin the massive usurpation of Indian land that would characterize American policy and practice until the latter half of the 20th century, buy which time there was little Indian land left.
John Bright was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, one of the greatest orators of his generation and a promoter of free trade policies.
