Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-05-20
OUR FOREIGN POPULATION,

uSt MA Uust tfdtC Uctu OOFH III b EhFrOW.
minded locality, who must know the place
Of another's birth before he can determine the
depth of his mind, or whether he is swaved in
his actions by noble and generous sentiments.
No climate and no soil has the peculiar blessing
OF ~impregnating great qualities in the human
breast, no more than it has to give peculiar
grace and beauty to the outward person.
Wherever over the wide earth we 90, there
will be found in our kind much to admire rs
well as much to condemn. Human nature is
human nature every where. Yet, notwi,h.
standing these truths, The prejudice of one
race against another has ever existed and al.
ways will exist-as that prejudice also, or lea
lousy, which prevails among the natives of 4
country against all foreigners who emigrate to
1t. This feeling is more or less prevalent, ac-
eoFoing to the ratio of intelligence which pre-
walls among a people. But in our happy land,
"here there are more foreigners, and a mixture
OF more races, than in any other upon the face
OF the globe, there is, also, we venture to say,
less Of tina. prejudice and jealousy which are
10 De seen and felt in other nations, in either
quarter Of the world; although, from the ma
lure OF our institutions, there is really more
cause for such feelings to exist with us than
with those Of any other Government.
1t has been the policy of our Government,
since Its organization, silently to encourage
European Immigration; and although this i'm.
migration has been far, very far, greater, than
those patriots could have anticipated who
framed the original statutes-so much 80 as to
cause a change of policy in the administration
of Government-no one in our National Ieo;s.
lature has ever yet been bold enough to ami.
madvert upon the influence, or the evil, 10 be
apprehended in a political way by this extraor.
binary increase in the foreign population-and
journals, presuming to be Independent, have
been equally as dumb upon this subject. All,
from all lands, all nations, are allowed by our
laws to come into our country, and early and
easily attain all the rights and privileges which
the native born enjoys, sars the single ercep-
ton Of becoming President; and this seeming
invitation held forth 10y our laws, Is taken ad.
vantage OF TO such an extent that two at least
OF the European nations seem abou, to be de-
cimated, in consequence of the emigration set
ting GU: from their shores for ours: and vet
none are TO be found among the brilliant and
the talented in this free land who are bold
enough to speak upon the effects politically
upon our Institutions of such an unprecedented
foreign influx! For seventy-eigh, years this
influx has continued, growing greater every
year, until the annual immigration has reached
q number sufficient to form a powerful State!
1t Isl singular circumstance, however-but
enc mathematical Of the epoch when the sstses
rnd stripes first proclaimed the true birth right
and equality of man-that for he long length
OF time which immigration has continued TO
pour in and to increase upon US, no national or
sectional prejudices of a social character (and
until lately of a political one) have ever
existed with the American people against our
foreign population. They have been met like
k'nsn1en OF the same nation in all Of the social
and business affairs. of life ; and for nearlyth
long length of time of seventy eight years,
their presence at the polls has excited no bit.
terness o f~feeIing in the American breast. This
feeling is of new origin; and We leave it to
good and the just among those to whom
allude, TO say if there has not been good
cause for such feeling, when they reflect upon
The damning perjury at the ballot. box, the VIC.
lence and the bloodshed, which have disgraced
our Northern and Southern emporiums, Apart
rom this description of action, Americans and
foreigners might live happily together forever.
In every village and city where immigrants
moose 10 make their homes, they are at once
by the hand. and with smiles and gener.
'us encouragements, are welcomed by the ma. Il
i've population. As a general thing, those i'm, ;
Migrants are Industrious honest and estimable +,
athens. Their various sign-boards proclaim
heir various occupations, and wherever one Is {
cen it may be considered the emblem Of sue. j
ess. That success does not bring chickering's =
or i'll feelings, which exists in other countries f
.wards the successful foreigner, in his COM s
clifton in business with the native born. I
Enjoying, then, all the immuniiies Of the ma. y
We born, and perceiving (Which is an undoubt. h
q fnct) a very glaring preferences given to the Il
of their various trades, one would 4
oppose that the immigrant would be perfec.Iy :,
'ntented and happy. And, indeed, such as n
here speak of, the various a~r,izans, are hap. ST
Their shop is their palace. They are CT
'arcely ever to be seen at the polls, and never
about the streets. 1t is not such ~
ese whose coming here the country will :;
regret. But there is a class which, in our :"
,'lln'on' could easily be dispensed wilh-we :.
'ght say with truth that there were two class. ].
1.-THE first shows discord and disorder stamp. !,
upon his forehead; he comes from among :
e very dregs of the Eurone,n nor,yo -, ~