Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-07-27
9fisttllang.
The War Of Race and Sect.

The War Of Race and Sect.
The indications of growing hostility be-
tween native citizens and citizens Of foreign
birth, are such as should lead all to serious re-
Election. 1t is not seen between German emf
grants and natives; but is mostly confined, on
the part Of those who cherish it, TO the Irish
population. This is always accompanied with
bitter hostility, also, to the Catholic sect. In
fluences are constantly operating to widen this
hostility between race and sect The results
have already been deplorable. We have daily
TO record accounts Of strife and bloodshed be-
tween those who should live in peace as citi-
zens of a common country Private dwellings
have been assaulted and torn down; one church
has been partially blown up by gunpowder,
and two churches have been wantonly des-
troyed by mobs. All this tends TO shake the
authority Of law. The principle that guards
the cOstliest mansion should protect the rudest
dwelling: the same anarchy that would level
the church of the Catholic might turn its ruth
less hand against the church Of the Protestant
Such lawlessness cannot be too strongly con
! demned.
\ As we meet, on one side or the other, the
violcnt and inhammatory appeals that are rife,
we are forced 10 the view that the misguided
zeal that uses them has lost sight Of the foun-
datlon principles of true Americanism On
the one side such glorious national institutions
as our common schools are attempted to be
brought into disrepute. because, forsooth, they
do not teach the faith Of a sect, on the other
side the determination to prescribe Catholics,
to deprive them of rights secured by our laws
and constitutions, has become bitter and unre-
lenting. The popular cry is " down with the
foreigners. When principles and practice,
at war with what has been, and ever will re.
our peculiar and glorious American nationali-
ty, thus prevail, there is no safer or better
course than to recur to those principles that
distinguished US as people, and have made
US what we are. Along with our noble ma
terial development both colonial and since we
became Independent, there has been develop
ment OF sentiment, or principles and action,
which may be termed American nationality.
This nationality, from the start, tolerated
} no narrow creed as to race and no proscriptive
course as TO religion. OF the fathers Of the
country no one stands out so completely as its
embodiment, SO far as political principle is
concerned, as the illustrious Jefferson Equal
and exact justice to all men, Of whatever state
or persuasion, religious and POLITICAL is one
of the maxims laid downs by the great states
man as principle to establish which the wis
dom of our sages and the blood of our heroes
had been devoted, and as touchstone by which
to try men and parties Every citizen,
Jefferson remarks in another place, has an
equal right to the honor and confidence of his
fellow citizens, resulting not from BIRTH but
from his actions and their sense of them. -
These rules are simple and plain. 1t is not
throwing out favors to certain citizens or a
particular sect; It is not, on the one hand,
counting their votes by appealing to them as
distinct race or distinct religion, that is
here laid down as sound action. The duty is
simply that Of treating all with equal Justice
Such principle as this is coeval with our
history. From the settlement of the country
until this day, the Oppressed humanity that
has sought asylum on these shores, has been
received and welcomed by indulgent laws ;
and now as was the case a hundred years ago,
these laws stamp on them the symbol Of
adoption The foreigner is Immediately pro-
tected by our institutions, and when he be-
comes citizen he possesses equal right to share
their benefits. If he comes here with proper
ty in hand, as thousands upon thousands do, he
finds modes to invest it, and by prudence, and
shrewdness, and labor, adds to the wealth Of
the nation if he comes here with nothing but
his hands with which to labor, and is industrious,
prudent and shrewd, he too may soon acquire
property. When he becomes citizen he has
the same right to acquire the good opinion Of
his fellow citizens as the native born and he
stands on the same footing, as to fitness for
Office and character, as others do. These are
so plain, as to rights, that they hardly need be
expressed
We make these remarks, however, as intro
ductory to comment on phrase now X many
mouths, to wit the Americans should rule
America. Who have ruled America bot
Americans! Who now controls her destiny
but Americansl Let US dwell on this point
little, looking both to causes and results. OF
course those who rule America are thoss who
make the laws, or who administer them. Now
how has it been as to law makers and the exc
cutors Of the law as to BIRTH Have they been
Americans or have they been foreigners
II has been often remarked that ambition to
hold Office is general among Americans.
Thousands Of citizens. however, Of. native and