Early American Congressman Joseph Bradley Varnum Criticizes Opposition To Foreign-Born Members Of Thomas Jefferson’s Administration: “By The Constitution Of The United States, And By The Laws Which Have Been Passed Agreeable To It, Provided, That Every Person Who Is A Naturalized Citizen, Shall Be Intitled To All The Privileges And Amenities Of A Free Born Citizen, Except Only That Of Being Elected President Of The U.S.”

JOSEPH BRADLEY VARNUM (1750/1751-1821). Varnum was a long-time Massachusetts politician affiliated with the Democratic-Republican Party. He served as a Congressman from 1895-1811, including as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1807 to 1811, and a Senator from 1811 to 1817, including as President Pro Tempore from 1813 to 1814. AL. 2 pg. 8” x 10”. January 22, 1803. An autographed letter, though unsigned, from Joseph Bradley Varnum to an unidentified individual. The document is in response to a letter previously written by the individual: “Pray Sir what is your precise meaning when you say, you ‘wish to have our own Countrymen put in office in preference to any other under heaven’ and in pursuing the Idea You say that you ‘presume we have Men of our own Country that are Qualified to fill any office, if not’ you say, ‘let us give up our Independence to foreigners.’” After summarizing why the receiver cannot mean actual foreign citizens, Varum writes: “There is but one other point of light in which I can possibly view your meaning, and that never would have entered my head had it not been Suggested by others. I must then take it for granted, that you have adopted the idea of distinction between a natural born Citizen, and one who has been born in another Country, and hath since become a Citizen. This distinction has been lately taken by the federal party…to figure to themselves a more plausible pretext for calumy Mr. Gallatin, the present Secretary of the Treasury, and imbitter the minds of the people against him. Nothing of this kind was said by them when Mr. Hamilton was in the same office now…and in fact it ought, for he as well as Mr. Gallatin was, by the Constitution, entitled to all the privileges of a natural born Citizen. By the Constitution of the United States, and by the Laws which have been passed agreeable to it, provided, that every person who is a naturalized Citizen, shall be intitled to all the privileges and amenities of a free born Citizen, except only that of being elected President of the U.S…”. This letter is excellent insight into anti-immigrant sentiment in the early days of the republic. Most often, the Alien & Sedition Acts are seen as evidence of opposition to foreign and foreign-born influence in the United States, but the treatment of Albert Gallatin, the Swiss-born longest-serving Secretary of the Treasury and founder of New York University, among other accomplishments, is a striking example. Gallatin was often portrayed as a corrupting, un-American, manipulative influence on Presidents Jefferson and Madison. A typed transcription is included, though it incorrectly gives the year of the letter as 1863, among other relatively minor errors. The letter is in fine condition.