Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-06-08
BURLINGTON, IOWA: SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 1874.

JE 8. 1914 a4 us'sa auIE afo oAsi
Whig ssNative Anne fic,atisIfi,, RI.
1uked i'm United States House or
representative by n democrat.
Ina late debate on the tariff, Mr.. Nrsih-
efcd, Federal-whig, instead Of replying
to Mr.. Owens argument, and refutinr his
logic, made very uncourteous personal
attack on tha. gentleman, denouncinr him,
simply because he was born IN foreign
country. In reply to the abuse Of this
".Natirc Americahn Tory Mr.. Owen said.
II have been anxious 10 obtain the floor.
IN reply 70 the Personalities of The gentle
man from Mary land, mr.. sWcathcred, ]
because, i such triiles are ii be replied 10
at all, Il is better il should ID AZ once; thes
are not worth sieel ing over. lever rcur.t
when q discussion degenerates into such
irrevelancies. They can add nothing ~ Al
argument. What matacrs itlwhe,her \,
| Gas the gentlc,rsh, has truly said | am, 4
foreigner born, or whether no Be Gas he i
manufacturer? How shan it iailuence
the question in discussion, whether I have
ssBriush predleo,ions," or he .manuhc-
turing predilections?n Shall We sit in
judgment on each others secret motiyes2
That belongs tc higher tribunal than ours.
That ne should attribute to me foreign feel
ings, Or ! to him msreehary intentions.
would be equally unparliaiiiehtary,, irrey.
alant, and unfair.
The. gentleman spoke Of me as one $50
lately subject OF Great Britain" dciit
know what the gentleman understands hy
"lately." Eighteen years ago (then Just
entering on manhood) l left the British
monarchy, and came to these shores. n
that was a crime, il was one that has often
been committed BY the wisest and the best.
Il was the crime Of .he pilgrim fathers 81
The gentleman's own ancestors--he is not
Of Indian birth, presume sir=- (lauglter)
and If he be not. his own ancestors COM
mitted il. Eighteen years ago, came 10
my home in this republic. Eighteen Years
ago, 1 settled in the West; then almost the
frontier West, and kindly and indulgently
did my adopted State receive me, and web
do love her for it. Eighteen years ago,
renounced allegiance to every sovereign
upon earth: save cne--a free people. That
is my offence! That is the extent Of nv
crime!
But the gentleman from Maryland takes
exception to it, that |, naturalized citizen
only, should have opened s}ich debate as
this. Sir, when look around this hall, |
see two portraits, and but two, adorning its
walls. The one, that of the father Of his
country; an American truly by birth; an
American far more BY the noble principles
he cherished, by the glorious deeds that
have made his name tie first-the bright
est-on the page of human History! The
other-aye! sir, whose is the other? Let
ule gUnrfgnrarr irUnr oraryislnu answer me,
whose portrait is the other? A Europe
ans; an aristocrat's, if to be born among
aristocracy makes man one of themselves;
a subject Of a European king; one bred UP
In the very atmosphere Of u court. What
does his portrait there? Would it not be
well for the gentleman, tie. first day that
resolutions are in order, to Introduce oiie
for the purpose oftaking dcwn-of snatch
ing from its station there--thc portrait Of
that man; Of the good, the wise, the great,
the venerated Lafayette; Of him whom this
nation delighted to honor; oIhim who, when
he sought these shores, was received by
America as never nation, till then, rcceiv-
ed a man? III, because am foreign born,
be unworthy to open such a discussion as
| this, that portraits unworthy to look upon
1t: Yet what sacreligious hand dare pluck
it thence? As safar
Sorry ann I, sir, tcrecoc1iize this bastard
! spirit Of native American ism here. know
that it has had its brief hour in New York;
but did know that it was to find its adj
vocate, its partizan, in member Of this
House. Unworthy, sir-uttefly unworthy
is that narrow and illiberal spirit 10 find a
representative in any Legislative bod
least Of all, Oh the floor Of the Congress Of
America. America is the land--not Of
one class, one tribe, one peoples home,
not for those only to whom favuriing for
tune has granted birth within its borders.
The world claims birthrightin America
The world admits Americas own claim to
be stland Of the free and the home Of the
braves" The free claim this for their coun-
try; the brave claim it for their country;
-forcisn-born though Ibe-I rightfully
claim it fol, my country. II is mine by
free selection, by deliberate preference; the
gentleman's by accident only. And now
| am willing Judgment shall go, and the
decision Be made which Of us has the best
Of it, stsirsT It'll stagis4e ssFT
ssThe Handwriting on the wall"