The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-07-31
From the Tribune.
REPEAL IN UTICA-GOV. SEW
ARDS SPEECH
EXTRACT

L4Ohs -
tendance at the courts now sitting in Utica,
the friends of Repeal conceived It an opor-
tune time to respectfully invite him TO address
a public meeting at this critical j%uncrure of
Irish affairs.
Ladies and Gentlemen You have assem-
bled under a notice addressed TO you as Re-
pealers, but think may safely address you
by The title of Fellow-C Citizens.
They tell rs that an lrishman or Irisbmen
fired upon American citizens awfully assem-
bled and peaceably engaged in the discussion
Of subjects affecting the public welfare. No
matter how offensive might have been the
conduct of that ~asseinblage or how unjust, or
how irritating its discussion, if any lnshman
did thus assail American citizens, | disavow
him. condemn bim-I deliver him over to
the law aud TO public execration, for he has
committed an objectionable offence against
the law and liberty. Burthe accusation is
denied. They are strong to d ccuse the
weak-the victors who up5raid the conqrred
the incendiaries who revIle the sufferers /;
therefore, | wait for the proofs, and suspend
my judgement upon the accusation.
But grant that lrishman or lrishmen did
commit this great offence-how can it pal
late the guilt Of the retaliation! Women
and children and ministers of religion were
hunted from their burning dwellings and
churches. Did the Library, the Hospital or
the Alter excite 10 violence! Were they
Priests women and children who fred upon
the Native Americans
But they tell us as an excuse for the
Native American Party, in whose name these
crimes were committed, that the Roman
Catholics Of Philadelphia and New-York en-
deavored, though by constitutional means
TO exclude the Bible from the Public Schools.
] know not how such a plea can bear upon
the issue. But affirm that on this subject
| have ample knowledge and information,
and declare and testify before my country
and the world, that the charge is unjust to
the Roman Catholics, and is false and cal
luminous.
But why agitate these painful subjects ?
Because they involve Immediately the rights
and security Of an important portion of the
American family, and ultimately rights i'm
poriant to the whole American people and to
mankind.
The Declaration Of American Indepen-
dence asserts that all men are free and equal,
and have inalienable rights Of life, liberty and
The pursuit Of happiness. Liberty and the
pursuit Of happiness involve the right Of free
immigration. These rig hts are sacred I'M
der the Constitution and Laws, by the pow
er of suffrage, and not otherwise. No mat
ter then where a man may nave been born,
or how educated. how elevated or how de-
graded, unless BY crime, wherever his lot is
cast there he is a subject, and because a
subject a member Of the Civil State and as
right to express his choice ofrhose who make,
and those who execute the Laws. This u
UNIVERSAL right of suffrage is acknowledged by
our Constitution and Laws in regard to those
born in foreign lands. with no other condi-
tons than those of residence, morality and
loyalty, recited in the oath preliminary to
Naturalization.
Ii all this be not true, the Declaration of
Independence is an invitation to deceive and
to betray mankind. This right of suffrage,
invaluable to every citizen, is most necessary
TO the INDECENT, lowly exile. 1t is the weapon
put into his hands by society for his defence
and protection against their own injustice and
oppression. Tell me net that he was born
Indulgence, and is debssed by ignorance, and
by oppression. and by superstition. Grant
it all.-So much the more then do | demand
for him the la yful employmet of the means of
self-defence and protection which The Consti-
tuition has placed in his hands. Tell me not
that he does not know how TO exercise his
suffrage wisely. Does he know how to lift
his hands if you mcnace? How to strike
back if you assail him There is an instinct
which teaches this and that instinct uner-
ringly teaches the Elector so to cast his ballot
as TO preserve his own domestic, social and
political position. For his own happiness.
and for the security and peace of society. |
would Indeed wish him educated and and in
structed. and therefore | would render knwl-
edge as universal as suffrage. But | would
not stipulate for the knowledge as a condition
OF suffrage. Even Despotism might consent
to the principles of Democracy with such a
reservation | have never known thai State
where the power was given that knowledge
did not soon follow. | have never known the
country where, if the power was withheld,
the know ledge was ever obtained. These
are the principles, the only principles. by
which Liberty can be extended over the
Earth. You NAV hold the slave in bondage,
domestic and social, If YOU can, but let me
put the ballot in his hand. and you shall see
him speedily rise to freedom, TO knowledge
and to happiness.
Believe not. fellow citizens, that this is a
question which interests or concerns only the
voluntary citizen. The work of ~disfrapchise-
meut once effeciually begun. would not
cease with the debasement of one class or
condition of men ; other classes would follow,
and Ogligarchy be succeeded by Despotism,
Nor is this all. Let the wise men who favor
this Acknowledgement tell us how they expect
to secure the subordination of the disfran-
rN