Washington sentinel., 1854-07-25

said, sir, that know nothing of the principles pro-
lessed by the association 10 which references has
been made; but can very readily perceive why
certain senators, who desire TO obtain political ele
WALTON hereafter, should speak cautiously Of the
know-nothing association an association, which,
il is alleged. will exercise tremendous influence
over the next presidential election II such be The
fact ! can readily comprehend why II Is that The
senator from Delaware should have been so ten
der footed upon this subject.
The senator from New York Mr.. SEWARD did
not hesitate 10 denounce them. There is bid Tor
the opponents of the /" know-Aothings,p while on
the other hand, you have direct bid for that over
whelming influence of theirs which the senator
from Delaware says, has carried all the cities
where they have raised their standard Allow
me TO say, Mr.. President, that the cities do not
constitute the republic of the United States. know
they have their secret associations In your cities
and large towns but the great mass OF your me-
chanics, your farmers, your laboring men, have no
interest, no connexion whatever with any ofthose
political associations which seek 10 attain their
object by secret means Let them once under
stand that men have banded together in your cities
10 control, by secret influences, the destlnes OF
the republic, and the whirlwind of their indigna-
iion will soon sweep them from existence. If
public man is 10 be prostrated, lei il be by the
voice OF the people, openly, manfully, iearlessly
expressed, and not by the hand of the secret AS
sassin who strikes in the dark. The party with
which am identified never sought political power
in any other way than by frank and open avowal
ofther principles. When they strike their politi-
cal enemies they strike with the light of the noon
days sun resting upon them, and not in the dark
ness of the midnight conclave They enter into
combinations, they form no alliances which will
not bear the test Of public scrutiny.
Why is it that we have had this crusade?
know of no one upon this floor who has asserted
the opinion, which was combatted by the senator
from Delaware, yesterday, that we were indebted
foreigners for the achievement OF our liberties
e. .Iasa ,-hl l,oh of nd I<,no
The Senator from Delaware yesterday saw proper
TO assert that there were men in the country who
contended that, unless we had had foreign infu-
ence and Interference in the war of the revolution,
our liberties would never have been achieved.
Sir, hold no such opinion but do believe that
but for foreign influence, but for the aid which we
derived from other countries in the ever memora
BILE days of that revolution, we should not have
been enabled 10 accomplish the object SO soon, or
with so little loss of blood and treasure In other
words, believe that that war would have been
prolonged for years, and that il would have cost
our ancestors much more blood and much more
treasure, ifit had not been that foreign influence
came TO our aid at the particular crisis at which IL
did. Sir, need not tell you that it was not only
the number of troops that were furnished by
France, but il was the moralnfuence which arose
from the single fact that she was upon our side
more than anything else that contributed towards
bringing il to speedy close. Do you ask me 10
forget that Do you ask me to engage in cru
sade with you in denouncing foreigners, when
remember that these men were our friends in the
hour Of our deepest and darkest trial? Do you
expect me 10 strike from my memory the names
Of the brave and gallant men who aided our fathers
in throwing off the yoke of colonial bondage and
placing America amongst the free and independ-
ent nations ofthe earth2
Sir, go TO the other end of this Capitol, TO the
Hall OF the House of Representatives. There
you will find upon one side of that Chamber the
full length portrait OF him who was first in war,
first in peace, and first in the hearts of his coun-
trymen;" and upon the opposite side of the Cham
ber you will find full length portrait the brave
and chivalric Frenchman who sacrificed all the
endearing charms of fashionable court, crossed
the tempcstuous ocean, and threw The mighty
energies of his character into our cause.-The
cause of freedom and of man.
When see that the memories of Lafayette and
Washington are thus perpetuated in the hall of
the popular branch of this government, when l
see that they are thus associated in the American
mind, you cannot expect me to forget the impor-
tant aid 10 which foreigners rendered. Those
ilustrous stood side by side in times of peril
and OF danger. They have gone TO another world
TO walk, trust,
T" With God, high In salvation
And the climes Of biiss'
Nor have we forgotten the names OF Monts omery,
the Baron de kab, kosciusko, and Pulaski. Yes,
sir, the brave and gallant Pole, who as chiv-
slrous as a baron of romance. He il was who felt
ana OecldreQ tnat 10 DC awe Win a nedd Wnlle
with the frosts of age would be stain upon his
family name, and he feared in the wild and roman
tic valor OF his soul, that a winding sheet un-
stained with blood would be disgraceful to him.
He died he wished, in the fury Of the fight, and
rests in his grave in warriors shroud.
No, Mr.. President they cannot be forgotten.
Nor can / forget the fact that in every war in
which country has been engaged mot only
naturalized but even unnaturalized foreigners
have been found standing by us. Where, ask,
is the evidence of their dsloyaty If you can
show me that these men dangerous that they
disturbing The peace and tranquility of the
country; that they are endangering our insttu-
tons, then might join in the crusade against
them but find no evidence Of their disloyalty. /
undertake 10 affirm here to-day that there not
a single regiment or corps organized during the
Mexican war that did not contain large number
Of unnaturalized foreigners. Sir you had there
the warm, ardent, and impetuous hishman, and
the firm steadiast, and unyielding German. In
the regiment 10 which was attached during that
war, there was one company composed exclu-
sivey Of Germans, and the greater portion Of
them were unnaturazed; and there was another
company composed exclusively Of lrishmen. They
stood shoulder TO shoulder with your native born
Americans in sustaining the honor Of your Gag !;
and thousands Of their countrymen sacrificed their
lives in the prosecution of that war. you could
have seen these men upon the bloody field of bat
tie, when stricken down by the balls Of the enemy,
cheering their comrades on 10 avenge their wounds
and sustain the renown Of your banner, you would
not this day, have engaged in prescribing foreign
ers.. He who has been with them on the field, and
witnessed their bravery, cannot be expected 10
join in a crusade against them.
Sir, you have a bright example before you in
my gallant and chivaric friend, the senator from
Illinois, Mr.. SHIELDs,l who is himself an Irish.
man, and who bears upon his body the scar Of a
horrible wound received in the battles OF his
adopted country. And now you ask me TO pro-
scribe his countrymen = those who have been
struggling TO shake of the yoke of British bond.
age at home; who have left the Emerald Isle, and
come here for the enjoyment of religious and po-
1itical liberty You ask me TO prescribe them
because there may be some bad men among them !
The records OF our criminal courts, the registers
Of our penientaries, will unfortunately show that
there are many bad men born upon our own soil.
You willing that your own countrymen, who
may have basey deserted your flag upon the field
Of battle, or who may have just escaped from
your penitentary, where he had suffered for his
Infamous crimes, 10 avail himself OF the benefits
Of this bill, but you would deny these privileges
10 the foreigner who peried his life in sustaining
the honor of the country, and whose only crime
was that he was born in another hemisphere |!
Such sentiment, sure, finds no response in
the hearts OF our generous countrymen.
But, Mr.. President, let me ask, where is the
Ia Il - -.