The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-18


any sound subject and il will produce fruit graft
fling TO the heart Of every American. u our ma
tonal character is perfect, shall want nothihg
to add TO its ustre. Ii IL be defective, we shall re-
qnire every aid that patriotism can devise Is our
national character perfect Are our iree inst.tu-
tons placed beyond danger of corrupuon' has
Europe ceased TO lust after our government, or
eln a., our subisga.ioni Do the poienta,es OF the
Old " ord plot and conspire to influence our desl'
ny as nation, Are we certain that our chiiuion
Mii inherit the blessings Of freedom bequealhed 70
them by their fatherss Is our constitution placed
al owe the danger of su3versicn by the nhux oil tnat
horde of aliens, who combine TO break down It's
barriers, that they may command in the citadel, or
overrun the landi And do you propose to stlfe IN
qnry questions like these, and then, IN jusnica-
ton of your anti-American course, tell US that we
belong to party of zone idea;" Yes sir; we have
great leading idea on all great questions nvolv-
ing free institutions, well as national policy,
which, when traced 10 its roots, or followed out IN
al its ramfcatons is found TO embrace the perfec-
ton of every science end principle, every art and
scheme Of life, that stamps man as ar immortal and
Responsible being. Other parties, sir, may boast
their len thousand ideas of mbecillly and corrup-
ton. We boast Of but one; and that one, thank
God, is honest wise, benevolent, comprehensive;
and last, not least, American. But, even on the
supposition that we aimed at but one idea--the ex-
tension of the naturalization law to twenty-one
years-stll that would not subject ue to the impu-
talion of one idea; for such law involves more
ideas than some of our opponents appear able to
comprehend. Not that am disposed, Mr.. Speak
er, TO take the mputation as at all discreditable.
1 When Newton felt the apple fall on his head, it
struck him literally with some idea;' and that led to
the whole fabric Of philosophy that bears the illus.
trious name of the dscoyerer and has made us all
familiar with the physical laws of nature.
Does not naturalization law extend to the idea
of the ballot-box' Does not that idea generate the
idea of the good citizen, of the sound republican,
of the glorious patriot Never-oh, never say
aught against the idea, when it conducts US TO
so sublime result, which clusters around US In one
overpowering and respondent halo, all the brilliant
renown of Athens and Lacedemon--of Venice in
her palmy days. and Carthage in her pride of power
Never let the feeble voice Of man be raised against
zone idea," when he remembers the great concep
ton that the fat of Jehovah, ushered universe into
existence, and startled creation by the glittering
image fits own Beauty!
Do you expect to ridicule man out of love of
country, by telling him he belongs to party of
some idea" No man loves his country less for that.
You may tell him forever that he belongs to the
idea party, but he will still prefer his own country
to foreign kings and foreign Kingdoms The "one
idea" that suggested ridicule or calumny to the for
eign party to put down native Americanism, sir, is
an abortion. 1t is not half an idea.
If one idea can dsenthral this great country from
the vassalage in which the foreign vote binds it to
Europe, it will do more than all the myriads of
ideas engendered by our opponents. The
to produce grand results Imbecility never pro-
duced idea so vast as that act upon.
The eternity Of freedom, is not the conception of
a party Of day, or one that will be likely to
abandon its object, either from the fippancy of
sarcasm, or the murderous muzzle of foreign
rifles AS well might you call the whole
North American continent one idea, and laugh at 1t,
as apply that term TO native Americans with
sneer of derison. We aspire to be identical with
the country We aim to convert the whole popula-
ton to our Washington creed, because it was the
creed of Washington, and because it forms the let
ter and spirit of the constitution.
/ To find how this one idea is cherished by the
American people, you must go among our mothers
and their daughters our fathers and their sons--not
among the babblng politicians and noisy dema-
gogues 1t is peculiar to the family circle; it is the
darling and cherished principle Of the domestic fire.
side. The mothers and daughters of America have
been fashioned too much in the mould of the he
rones of '76 to become af1righted at an imaginary
evil, or warn their country of peril not real and
: monacing. Alas with them native Americanism
| is not one idea--one sensation--one measure.
Those who have wept over the dead bodies of their
sons, ruthcssy slaughtered by the rifles Of foreign
desperadoes, feel that world of thought-a world
! of emoon--a world Of agony--of hope, and expec-
tation, all embraced in the of that free.
dom, to maintain which their children to pre-
mature and bloody grave. Is there matter for frgd
sarcasm in the martyrdom of ten American citizens,
| inundated on the altar of our constitutional free
dom? trust not. trust that party spirit, however
fierce in its rage to seize the spoils or beat down
| all adversary has not yet become relentless and
| unrelentng.
| The gentleman from Alabama has likened our
cause to that Of abolition. Is this charge just, Is
it truei Abolition seeks to overthrow institution
which exists under the constitutions and which abo-
| lton is willing to overleap. Native Amerlcanism
seeks to defend every institution that exists under
| that glorious constitution, which venerate the
ark of our political covenant. Surely the gentle
man from Alabama has not been made acquainted
with the origin of the native American movement in
! that State which have the honor to represent in
part A foreign demagogue addresses political
missive to certain body of so-called American citi
zens, banded together distinct political or
ganization and tells them, ''WHERE YOU HAVE
THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE, GIVE YOUR VOTES
TO NONE BUT THOSE WHO WILL ASSIST you
! IN CARRYING OUT THE NTENTIoNs"-of what !?
The American constitution? Oh! no! OF what !?
American freedom' OH no But poll your
votes TO carry out the intentions of foreign
despot, who aims at the overthrow of American in
stitutionsi Was 1t crime, sir, for native Amer
cans TO repel this aggression, and proclaim to the
world that no foreign potentate or agent, or dema-
gogue, should invade the constitutional rights Of any
portion of our American population And now, sir,
when we propose TO erect bulWarks in defence of
! American rights, American institutions and the
American constitution, spurious appeal is made in
behalf Of the banded foreign legion and we ask
ed to substitute the liberal spirit of the declaration of
American independence for the veneraed charter of
our republican rights. This suggestion has long
since been made by the demagogue Of Europe TO
whom have alluded, and blush to find it re-echo-
ed on our republican shores BY which document
are we bound as citizens of these United State !
The declaration of American independence is an ex-
position of the rights of man, which applies to the
whole human family. The constitution is settled
system of government for the American people only
The cry raised here Of natural rights, under or
yanzed government is little better than the raynos
Of insanity. Natural rights the offspring Of
revolution, that struggle through anarchy to settle
systems of law.
Nations have natural right to independence, but
individuals under an organized government claim
no rights not embraced in their legal institutions
Life liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, are rec
ognised defined, and limited by the law. All such
/ fallacies produce mischief, Mr.. Speaker; and none
more than that which supposes naturalization to be
right, boon, or a favor granted to the aliens. No