The native American., 1840-05-30

Of strength, has been urged against oar Associa.
countrymen Of those foreigners who assisted lis
in the Revolution. Has 1t ever been ascertained
how many assisted Us in that struggle, that we
may have some definite and Just conception of the
weight OF obligation we lie under to theml~ Surely
the Poles have been rewarded for the services Of
their few brave countrymen--one or two only
who fought side by side with Washington-by
immense donations of land-given them by Con-
gress donations claimed of American gratitude
by hundreds for the services Of one solitary Polish
hero of the war Of the Revoluon Are not the
Polish emigrants satisfied, when they obtain grants
Of the richest lands Of the West, while the de-
scendants of the american patriots are obliged to
pay their money for such domains for there is
not generous gratitude established as national
policy to remunerate them for the Efe-blood Of
to be more than satisfied
How stand the French! Have they not received
gifts and grants Of land in Florida and elsewhere?
And did not Congress vote away princely pro-
vince to Lafayette? And what did Lafayette do
of greater value than hundreds Of humble but un-
titled natives ?-and where is the wealth of their
descendants? Congress, while it has made prin-
ces of foreign emgrans, has kept the native citi-
gems almost beggars amid the fields of their fathers
victories. Lafayette, with his valuable Florida
lands, paid off his debts in France and the whole
of that national gift, has dwinded down into the
sinking fund of foreign family.
At this we do not complain bat we do COM
plain, that after all these argesses to foreigners,
our nation should be accused of want Of graft
tude. Is that gratitude to grow with the growth
of the European population, and be as flexible as
the fab!ed tent of silk in the Arabian story, that
today may be crumbled in lady's hand, and to-
morrow may be spread over the assembled armies
Of the Caph? Is that generosity to grow from
heroic band Of ten or dozen foreign gentlemen
who fought for liberty and fame with our ances-
tors, and to be increased in degree and character,
so to embrace the thousands and thousands of that
human rubbish which is cast forth from the ials
and poor-houses of the Old World? The debt of
American gratitude has been doubly paid, with
interest, at the rate of geome.rical progression.
Those foreigners who fought with the native he
roes of the Revolution, either died upon the field
of battle or lived here after the war, in peace and
honor. Their children were born upon the soil,
Of native mothers, and became Indigenous to the
cline and the novel institution of national free
dom. They lived, as did the natives, undisurbed
in their generation, while their descendants have
mingled with the children Of our patriot fathers;
and we number among our Associations many of
their sons.
Those who fought against in the armies Of
Burgoyne. and CORVALLIS, after their surrender
either deserted or retired to their accustomed SEN
try boxes or battle fields in Europe. Those who
deserted may claim our gratitude by slight ten
ure, while the children of those who returned,
can have no possible claim to our gratitude and
yet there among us, many who are boisterous
in their behalf, and who date their noble lineage
from the roo ps Of Rawdon or the savage Hessi-
ans. The Irish, in particular, claim our grateful
serviliy. We honor their Montgomery, for he
was hero but Montgomery was no brawling,
perjured foreigner, who could be bribed 10 vote
Montgomery, the Irish gentleman and hero, to
the low squads that overrun our land with their
grog-shops? Do these Irish that come over to
us by the thousand, claim to be the descendants
Of Montgomery ?-for. if they do, then can we
hail that youthful warrior as the father of his
countrymen. Let them nrove themselves the
Hnem descendants of Montgom ,:y and we will
then say to tn. m, With outstrelched arms, " We'll
come, sons of the Martyr!'' But if it turns out
that they are the sons of those troops that mur-
dered the helpless children and outraged the fe.
males OF Hampton. in Virginia, the Irish troops
under Rawdon, then we will lift our strong arm
and drive them in disgust, not only from our Off
ces, but from our polluted soil. If their fathers
fought with our fathers, they never would have
returned home to Ireland; but if they fought
against them, they were obliged by many reasons
TO return. If they returned, then these emigrants
49, L. IL