NATURALIZATION OF FOREIGNERS. (Hansard, 20 February 1843)

§ Sir J. Graham
was not aware, till the hon. Gentleman rose, that he meant to bring forward his motion that evening, and he was unwilling to allow it to pass without saying one or two words on the proposition. He must call the attention of the House to the important constitutional question involved in the motion. It was now proposed to confer on the Crown the power of naturalising foreigners, which had hitherto been in possession of the Legislature. Parliament had entrusted the Crown with the privilege of enabling foreigners to hold property in the country; but Parliament had reserved to itself the power of concurring with the Crown in granting to foreigners the privileges of 1025 sitting in Parliament and at the Council Board. It was now proposed to transfer from the Parliament to the Crown the power of enabling foreigners to sit in Parliament and in the Privy Council. That was a matter of considerable importance. The power reserved to Parliament had been exercised in favour of persons of great distinction allied to the Crown, or in favour of foreigners who had conferred distinguished services on the country. He was not prepared to argue the question with the hon. Member—he was not prepared to say that the change should not be made; but it was of some importance to see such a change proposed by the Gentleman opposite, who would give to the Crown exclusively a power which now was exercised by the Parliament and the Crown.

§ Mr. Hume
agreed in the view taken by the right hon. Gentleman, but thought that in the present circumstances of the country the bill might be useful.

§ Mr. Hutt,
in reply, was understood to say, that what he proposed was not exactly new, for an act was passed in the reign of Queen Anne, by which any foreigner could obtain an act of naturalization, and be enabled to sit at the Council Board and in Parliament, only on condition of taking the oath of allegiance and paying a fee of 1s;. The act lasted only four years, though it was approved of by some of the most distinguished statesmen of that age, and was repealed under very extraordinary circumstances.