The native American., 1838-11-17
FOREIGNER AGAINST A NATIVE AND The
LAW.

FOREIGNER AGAINST A NATIVE AND The
LAW.
We have lust seen report of the trial OF Geo.
McCu,hen, an Irishman, in Baltimore city Court,
CHARGED with preventing Sutton Boyce, natiue
born .a,nerican-a legal voter too-irom voting
for Governor Of the State at the late election held
for that purpose. This is case, if we were not
so familiar with the daily occurrence OF scandal
Ions ou,rages committed by lawless foreigners, III
cverv hole and corner of the country that would
raise our blood to ebullition.
Boyce, it appears, not only prevented
from voting, but violently seized by gang
of these habitual mob-crea,ors, dragged from the
nolls. and cruelty beaten. This scene took place
IN the morning; but there is yet another act in
this drama. Boyce, after he was beaten off, alb
sented himself till evening, when it would seem,
unwilling to forego his right of suffrage, he re-
turned again in the evening to the polls, no doubt
sunposing these rot-makers had dispersed, or
that he might elude their notice long enough to
cast lis vote; but what was the fact. This Irish
band still usurpcd the polls and held the custody
of the bauo,-box, discovered Boyce, and renewed
their attack upon him, and he, to avoid a second
beating with which he was threatened, suffered
himself to be again dragged off from the polls,
abandoning, by necessity, his right of suffrage.
'rhus was a native-born legal voter rcpulsed from
tho nol,s. and his vote lost to his country, by an
audacious foreigner. We inclined 10 think
that the American who would passivey submit to
such an imposition, by whatever number prac-
,scd. is unworthy the birth by which he was
baptized with the name of his country. Under
the circumstances, he should have maintained his
rr;v;,eoe if he drenched the pavement with his
,ss,;,an,'s blood, or with his privilege lost his
own life.
A different occasion only was wanted to con-
vert this crime into shop-il,ing, house breaking,
bank-robbing. pocket-picking-ye any variety
Of fburglarv, felony, or murder; and no man, wih
,noneu. would feel himself safe on the highways,
still less in the by-ways, with these villains.
So much for the offence of, the Baltimore
Sun STYLES him, McCuthin, or as the Baltimore
Patriot most con1plaisanHy-no doubt with an
eve single to his subscription lst-calls him, Mr..
Geo,ee McCruchy: with but a faint rebuke, and
almost without comment by either, or even a
hint, on the part of the latter paper that the cuprit
was foreigner.
If those whose apathetic silence in regard to
this great evil of foreign influence, already over
grown and rapidly increasing, were alone to SUI
fer the consequences that certain to follow the
cupable neglect to pourtray the evil in Its true
coors, we should feelbut little concern about the
fnale: but the evil is of nature which, when
it shall overwhelm us as it inevitably will, will
involve the innocent with the guilty in common
catastrophe. So much for the nterestedness,
blindness, or timidity of editors. We will now
saw few words as TO the trial, and the decision.
The Legislature of Maryland, with the view OF
suppressng the common practice of which the
above is specimen, lately passed law entitled
the "Registry Act" the seventeenth section OF
which is in the following words:
IT, "If any person shall be guilty of any attempt to
obstruct any legal voter voters within the city OF Ba
tmore the peaceful exercise OF his or their rlg, OF
suffrage or shall create any noise disturbance at the
place holding the registry or election or IN the negn,
borhood thereof with an intent to interfere with the sad
registry or election it shall be the imperative duty of the
said registers or Judges of election 10 order such person
into custody, and to summon posse, necessary TO
arrest him, and upon trial and conviction OF such oence
.nch person shall be sentenced to confinement in the
common ia for three months and BE- fined not less than
one hundred dollars more than hve hundred dollars
for every such offence in the discretion oil The court be
fore whom said person shall be tried"
It will be remembered that great opposition
was raised by the foreigners and their unprlnci'
pled abettors; the former having no ties to this
country, no knowledge of its institutions and nc
care for its general welfare; the latter base enough
to sacrifice the whole for popularity among
people who, of all others, are the greatest OBJ
struction to peace and good order.
These may enjoy for the moment their i'll
gotten popularity, which, if the country be no
totally lost TO justice, virtue, patriotism and