Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-09-02

TIoN? As many good people who profess to De Pc
cuIiarly concerned about the welfare ofthe country
are raising a great clamor against foreigners-as
they manifest much alarm lest they shall seize upon
the reins of government and dictate to our citizens
their religious faith, it may not be amss very brief
Nv to institute an inquiry into the grounds of this
APPREHENSION Is there any danger to our institu-
tions civil and religious from the foreigners now IN
this country, and such others as may come to our
shores --.. - r. -
Bv the census of 1850 the population of the United
States was ever twenty three Millions of which eigh-
teen millions native whites, over two millions
were foreign born thirty nine thousand were OF un!
known nativites and three millions two hundred
thousand were slaves. From 1916 to 1850, / ,569,
$50 foreigners came to our shores From 1920 to
1880, the average number was only 20, 900 year.
From 1880 to 1916, about 20, 600 year. The Irish
famine and the continental revolutions in lS47 IN
creased the emigration to 240, 900 in lS47, and to
800 900 in 1850. The total number of emigrants to
the United States since $780, and living in 1885, to-
gether with descendants, amounted, (when the CEN
sus was takenD to 4, 304, 4I6. ,...
Now, if all these foreigners were ignorant and de-
PRAYED if they loved the Institutions under which
they were reared and desired to establish them in
place of ours-if, with the character and views we
have supposed, they were all huddled together at
one place apart from the influence of more intelli-
gent minds, and admitted to the dignity of citizen
ship there would be some ground for apprehension,
notwithstanding the small proportion they bear to
the native American citizen.
But first, they not all ignorant and depraved.
Secondly, they do not desire to plant the institu-
lions of their native countries SOIL They fled
from those institutions because they abhorred them
Thirdly, they are not placed in immense communI-
ties by themselves. They are difused all over our
vast country, and almost lost in our rapidly grow
ing population. True, at some points, they may be
numerous enough to hold the balance of power in
elections, but if they numbered only few hundreds
thousands, they might still hold that power. No
matter how they may increase their proportion to
the native American population must still be small.
Latter-day patriots and new-light statesmen, who
cloak themselves in mystery and assume name ne
yer before known to political organizations, have
arisen, who are endeavoring to alarm the fears of
the eighteen twenty millions of natives of this
country by declaring that they will be over-run,
over-ridden conquered and subjugated by the three
four millions of foreigners in the country. They
represent these foreigners as fierce enemies of the
country who want to destroy the political fabric
reared by fathers and uproot all the systems
of religious faith that differ from their own. They
forget, presume that our people ignorant of
the fact that these foreigners came amongst US be-
cause they admired our institutions-that many Of
them helped to achieve our independence, and that
in all wars they have proved themselves brave
soldiers and true American patriots. They also for
get that these foreigners are, more than own
people, of one kindred and religion Some are
Catholics, Episcopalians, some Presbyterians,
some Baptists, some Methodsts, and some Jews.
Those who making the foreigners
doing very foolish and very wicked thing. Many,
we doubt not, are sincere in all that they say and
do. They believe, regiously, all that is told them
by their leaders But those leaders, with the ex-
cepton oft few fanatics and illjudgng persons,
the movement in order to reap from it
political advantage and promotion. Let the people
be easy. They should not permit their repose to be
disturbed by apprehension of danger from the for
eign population. The foreigners don't want King
here-nor do they want Pope. They love our in
situations and our people, and if let alone their at
tachment will increase. Prosecute them and drive
then to desperation, and then indeed, may we have
cause to apprehend trouble, Not that even then,
they could uproot our institutions, civil religious
but being men, they could and would resist perse-
cution. When smitten, they would sntc in return.
Then we would have street fights mobs and violence
ywhcre.--W ashington Sentinel