The native American., 1838-08-25
BALTIMORE, Aug. 2l, 1888.
TO the Editors Of the Natiue .4merican:

o We LdL0TS " tHe NMace .17nencdn:
GENTLEMEN 1t appears from piece in your
last paper, under the signature of "A Mechanic
at the Treasury" that while engaged in reading
the Native American newspaper, after work
ing hours, he rudely accosted by an Irishman
and ordered away. The language of that foreign
and his abuse of native principles, are truly Of
fensive to every American in this CITY, bu, it is
only in keeping with the general temper and con-
duct of the whole of that class of people The
temperate manner in which the :. Mechanic at the
Treasury deported himself after that abuse. is,
however, matter of wonder to most of us; and we
rust hereafter, that when ignorant embecile of
anv foreign country shall attempt to enact such ano-
ther piece Of arrogance and impudence, he vii
promptly meet with the punishment he merits
Ii it is the policy of the Administration to suffer
these people to be eating up the substance of the
citizens out Of our contributions to the treasury
when they themselves put nothing there; if party
consideration and the hope of gaining the whole
body of foreigners to the Government by the pa
tronage of as many as the public works will en-
ploy, induces its present course, then have we of
all parties reason to lament the weakness and the
corruption of such doings. If it is carelessness,
want Of attention to the public will on the part of
public officers, that causes this state of things
then do we complain of their supneness, and urge
to an honest action.
The proper course to remedy the present evil.
is to make known to the several Secretaries who
constitute commission for building the Treasury
the general odlousness of preferring foreigners
Every body must see the ungrateful attitude oil
placing Irish and other foreigners superInten-
dents over American workmen, while the latter
are superior; and all pure men must acknowledge
that it is unnatural, ungenerous, and unpa,rotc,
to turn away natives, who are applicants, and give
employment to the outandlsh. would therefore
recommend that the Americans upon all the build
ings should 60 in body, and respectfully state
their grievinces to these Secretaries, and then to
the President of the United States and repeat them
Let their address be written so that there NAV be
no misnterpretaton by aliens or false-heared and
traorous natives of its purport. State the degra-
dation you are subjected to in receiving orders
from men whom in war you would look upon as
enemies, and from whom, in questions concern
ing the rights of natives, you now apprehend Sc
cret danger That you have no political bias to
crafty in your appeal, as you composed of
both parties. That your own counrymen are re-
pulsed in their efforts to obtain public work, while
strangers are taken by the hand. That the con-
duct of every foreigner in office, is one of exclu-
sve determination with his own brethren; and
uat Whie lne Government gives them employ
ment, they extend it among themselves That
there are Americans in Office who surround them
selves with these people under the popular belief
that 1t is grateful TO the Administration; and that
thus the influence of an American government is
made, to bear against its own citizens. Set forth
the disgust and odiousness with which these for
eigncrs are looked upon generally throughout the
whole country; and as concerns the impositon
upon yourselves, ask for immediate redress. If
all these temperate and reasonable and natural
proceedings do not have the desired effect, let eve
ry Native, not merely IN your city but throughout
the land, refuse to be associated in this medley
mixture, this babel of tongues in the public build
ings and then see if the Government has the har.
dihood and the baseness to employ the foreigners
If they do, then let every man of all your craft:
from the four quarters of the Union march to the
Golgotha and behold the men who with all the en-.
couragement of the Government will be brave
enough to touch tool. 1t is a common cause.
and such it should be made In times of nartv
you Of the trades had your Unions, and vour AaGs
with devices Of labor and notices of love: those
were days Of mellow hues when the promises ot
usefulness were spread abundanly through tho
land. Time has rolled on. and the dark clonds
from foreign regions have come upon us. Now.
then, is the day for the ful6lment of your pledges
and / trust that the great Trades Union of The
country will manifest TO their countrymen thai
they had fruits to produce as well as promises to
give,