American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-07-14
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Of The DelegattS Of The .Ndtire american ,NatiOn
a! Conrention, assembled at PHILADELPHIA, Jly
4th, lS45, TO the citizens Of The Uniied States
FELLOW -CrTI2ENs:-When in the history of
nations, great and increasing evils arise, and
invade the rights or threaten to destroy the
lust and natural privileges of people, it be-
comes equally the duty and the interest of that
people to present to the world such representa-
ton of their grievances as shall tend to Justify
their efforts to remove those evils, and establish
permanent means to prevent their recurrence.
Il has been the fate of all nations, and especial
ly of Republics, to suffer in various ways from
the encroachments and assumptions of a foreign
people, and 1t is All uncrring truth Of history,
that most of them have lost their liberty aud
power by such means The peculiar institu-
tons of the United States have exposed them
more than any other to the evils and wrongs Of
foreign encroachments; and experience has al
ready shown that they, like most other people
of historical notice, are now realizing like con-
sequences from like causes Influenced by
these considerations, a large portion of the ma
tive citizens of these United States have felt it
to be their most solemn and imperative duty,
to associate and pledge themselves one to ano-
Their, for the purpose of awakening their coun-
trymen to a sense Of the evils already expert
enced from foreign intrusion and usurpation,
and the imminent danger TO which all they
love and venerate as native Americans, is mo-
nentarily exposed from foreign influence; and
also to use all honorable means to diminish
those evils and oppose barriers 10 their future
progress. They have therefore called together
in Convention in the City of Philadelphia, the
representatives of those Native Americans,
who, clearly seeing and feeling the evils and
dangers complained of, have the moral courage
to oppose and redress them; and now, in con-
formity with usage and duty, these representa-
tives announce to their associates and their
fellow citizens, the great objects contemplated
by the Native American party, their reasons
for action, and the principles by which they
propose hereafter to be governed.
DECLARATION.
We, the Delegates elect to the first National
Convention of the Native American body of
the United States of America, assembled at
Philadelphia on the Fourth day of July, 1916,
for the purpose of devising plan of concerted
political action in defence of American nstitu-
lions against the entertainments of foreign in
fuence, open or concealed, hereby, solemnly,
and before Almighty God, make known to our
fellow-ctizens, our country, and the world, the
following incontrovertable facts, and the course
of conduct consequent thereon, to which, in
duty to the cause of human rights and the
claims of our beloved country, we mutually
pledre our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred
honor
The danger of foreign influence, threatening
the gradual destruction of our national insttu-
lions, failed not to arrest the attention of the
Father of his Country in the very dawn of
American Liberty. Not only its direct agency
in rendering the American system liable to the
poisonous influence Of European polcy-a po-
hey at war with the fundamental principles of
the American Constitution-but also its still
more fatal operation in aggravating the viru-
lence of partizan warfare-has awakened deep
alarm in the mind Of every intelligent patriot,
from the days of Washington to the present
time.
The influx of foreign population, permitted
after little more than nominal residence, to
participate in the legislation of the country and
the sacred right ofsutfrage, produced compare
lively little evil during the earlier years of the
Republic; for that influx was then limited by
the considerable expenses ola transatlantic voy-
are, by the existence of many wholesome res
traints upon the acquisition of political prero-
gatves, by the constant exhaustion of the
European population in long and bloody con-
tinental wars, and by the slender inducements
offered for emigration to young and sparsely
peopled country, contendng for existence with
q boundless wilderness, inhabited by savage
men. Evils which are only prospective, rarely
attract the notice OF the masses, and, until Pc
cular changes were effected in the political
condition of Europe, the increased facilities for
transportation, and the madness of partzan le-
eslation in removing all effective guards a.
gain,t the open prostitution ofthe right of citi-
zenship had converted the slender current Of
naturalization into a torrent threatening to
oyerwhelm the influence Of the natives of the
land; the far-seeing vision of the statesman, on
w, being fixed upon the. distant, but steadily
approaching cloud.
But, since the barriers against the improper
extension of the right of suffrage were bodily
broken down, for partizan purpose by the
Congress of 1925, the rapidly increasing num-
beers, and unbushing iilsolence of the foreign
population of the worst classes, have caused the
general agitation of the question: "Hoao shalt
The institutions Of the country be preserved from The
blight oftoreign influence, insanely legalzed thro'
the onficts Of domestic partieS!" Associations
under different names have been formed by our
fellow citizens, in many States of this contede-
ration, from Louisiana toMaine, all designed to
check this imminent danger before it becomes
irremediabe, and, at length, National Con-
vention of the great American people born up
on the soil of Washington, has assembled to
digest, suggest, and announce plan OF opera
tons, by which the grievances of an abused
hospitality, and the consequent degradation OF
political morals may be redressed, and the tot
terng columns of the temple of Republican Li-
berty, secured upon the sure foundation Of an
enlightened nationality.
In "a llinr for support upon every American