The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-06-26
For the Free Trader.
ERisHITEN READ THIS

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lHesS1s. EditorS:--
II having become quite common among the or
ators Of the Wing party, when making speech
cs in those parts Of the State where foreigners arc
employed upon our public works, to conceal the
true sentiments of the party in relation to admit
ting foreigners to take part in our elections. Let
us see what these same wing orators say when
they get into part of the country where they
think they will not be troubled with foreign listen
crs, and then contrast their sentiments with those
Of the Democratic speakers when placed in sim
liar situation.
At a political discussion which took place lately
in Oregon City, Thompson Campbell, Esq. the
democratic candidate of the 10 Davies district for
the House of Representatives, in speech made
by him, among other things alluded to the dccis-
ion of a certain wing Judge, who has lately found
out that foreigners are not entitled under the con-
stitution, to vote, and commented in very Just and
severe terms upon this newly discovered and pal
pably absurd construction given by the wings to
the State Constitution.
Lincoln B. Knowton, Esq. Of Peoria, in a
speech made in reply to Mr.. Campbell strenuous
" defended the late wing construction, and argued
that foreigners hare no right under the Constitu-
ton to approach the JaL0t-boresi and so violent
and abusive was he on the subject that he could
not coniinc himsclfto argument, hut descended, to
the lowest abuse and misrepresentation. lie call
ed That class Of Li&imea Icho arc emphyed upon
or railroads and canals, and IN m0hiaS sod fen
ceS, "A Low AND VULGAR HERD, WhO lCere utterly
unfit TO be trusted 10 rotc, and that they could be
induced to vote any way for a GLASS or wHIsEEY.
Unfortunately for our wing orator, there hap
pened to be few of the sons of the Emerald Isle
within the sound of his voice who had been de-
ceved by the Misrepresentation of the wings, and
had about come to the conclusion to vote the whig
ticket. They had been told, they said, that the
wings were in favor of foreigners and were for
equal rights--but that now they were satisfied
They had heard their countrymen abused and de-
speaker loudly checred by his wing hearers, when
dealing out such abuse.
In reply to Mr.. knowton, Knox,
Esq. of Stephenson, and the Democratic candid
ate for the Legislature from the La Sale district
A. II. Dodge, Esq. in an able and eloquent man.
ner defended the right of foreigners, to ENJOY, un-
der our Constitution, the elective franchise. They
spoke i'll the strongest terms of the injustice of re-
curing a portion of the people to bear the bur-
thcns of Government, and at the same time to
deprive them of its benefits & privileges; of maxi
ing them subject 10 the laws and denying to them
any participation in the election Of the trainers of
those laws. They contended that all men are free
and equal; and that it mattercd not Whether hui
man being was born on this side or the other of
the water that separates our land from other parts
of the world.
They showed that the Wings of tho present day
like the Federalists in the time of the elder Adams,
would divide the community into two classes the
rulers and the ruled" and that the slow and vul-
gar herd is applied to the laboring classes by the
wings now, as that of Jacobin Democrat, mob and
rabblc was formerly to the same class by the Fed
cralists.
The Old Country people should know how the
wing orators talk when the get out here away
from the canal They probably have speeches Of
one kind for one section of the country, and of
different character for another part
Respectfully yours, &c.