Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1839-07-18
THE TELEGRAPH.
B AT H M E:
THURSDAY MORNING. JULY 10.
FOREIGN INFLUENCE.

party, which is, ''the greatest possible hap
piness, of the greatest possible number"
we hope that our meaning as expressed IN
our last, in an article under the foregoing
head, will not be misunderstood nor wilful-
ly misrepresented. By speaking of stop
ping immigration, we mean, of course, such
as compose the scum of society, the refuse
Of warehouses and iails, and the still more
unwecome class of disappointed dema-
gogues of England and Ireland the gam
blers, drunkards and sharpers. The in
dustrious mechanic, the steady and intell-
gent farmer, and the diligent laborer, the
true victim of despotsm, and the hardy
mariner, will always find a welcome in the
Gland of the brave, and the home Of the
free But IN return, we believe that we
have right TO exact that they do not make
themselves blind instruments in the hands
Of any party, or selfish Individuals; aud in
stead of keeping up foreign prejudices,
foreign manners and foreign inhnence;-
they should be made to understand that
the best way to be made American Citizens,
is, to respect and understand our Consti-
tuition; ard in word, begin with being
Americans, before they art as C.tiaeus Of
the United States. Our naturalization
laws, and other enactments, in relation to
foreigners are quite as liberal, as is consis-
tent with our welfare; but yet we are a
ware, not so loose, as in other States or
Colonies on this Continent, or even the
greater part of Europe. This we know
and admit, while we strenuously contend
for the letter and spirit of our Laws, on
this subject. 1t is not so much the Laws,
of which we complain, as the non-enlorce-
ment Of those laws. The fact is, com.
pIete system Of agrariansm, and non-ex-
lStence OF any law upon the subject, would
be preferable TO such as now exist, as they
are made to operate, which, instead Of be-
ing protection against imposition, is only
made means for the promotion of wlful
perjury These brief remarks, by way
of explanation, bring us to another impor-
tant branch of our bject-loreign office
holders.
In many sections of our country there
are foreigners by birth, who hold Offices
under the general government, receiving
their subsistence from American industry
aud enterprise yet at the same time using
every method to Willy and abuse them
We advered in our last number to their
dangerous influenceupon The stability of our
free institutions, and form of government
how much more, then, is that danger
augmented, when combined with official
influence and power. If this be so, then
as Americans and true republicans, we are
bound to check the increase Of all foreign
influence, and if possible to destroy the po-
litical existence Of that party, in whose
eyes it meets with unbounded approval CO.
operation and patronage. In attempting
this, let US not be understood as endeayor-
ing to place any restraint upon those polit-
ical opinions which is the proud character
islic of our people aud government. On the
contrary, it would be warning against our
selves. We wish to check the former, and
destroy the latter, by the mild means Of ar
gumen:, because they are hostile to the ma
ture of our institutions; and because the
tendency of lheiI efforts is to debase any
party, and bring inevitable contempt, ifnot
destruction, upon their foreign unscrupu-
lous allies.
We rejoice that spirit is manifested by
the great Wing party, and many other
friends to true Republicanism, throughout
our Country, to resist the encroachments
of foreign influence, and foreign intrigue
and 10 defend our dearest rights and liber-
ties. In this respect, our own efforts shall
not be wanting, though in our career,
Heaven has blessed US with that DISPOSE
ton which is content to enjoy the fruits of
the present, without being disturbed with
gloomy iorebodings for the future; but
there are events which cast their shadows
before, and TO which the happest DISPOSE
ton cannot remain blindfoded. Among
those we are 10th to admit the inevitable