The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-06-30
For hs UNION dhe JOURNAL
A Plea in behalf Of Foreigners.

MR.. EDITOR: we presume bnab you, %
well as all other intelligent men in this yiciui-
ty, are well aware Of the fact, that orsani.a.
tons are being formed throughout the copn-
try whose objects are, tho exclusion Of Catho-
lies from all Offices.
We had hoped that, in this land Of religi.
Gus liberty, organizations like these would
not be countenanced by the friends Of good
government, at least, not by Christians, who
have seen in the history Of The past the Of.
fects of mingling politics with religion, but
such we are sorry to say is the fact. When
our foreiathers came to this land, that they
might enjoy the privilege of worshiping God
in their own way, they priced religious liber.
ty as one of the greatest privileges which
they could enjoy they introduced these
sentiments into their laws, and taught them
to their children. ......
The trainers Of our constitution deemed II
not only wise, but just, that no religious test
should ever be required, as aqualidcationfor
any Office. The imposing Of restrictions up
on any sect or class, on account OF their re.
ligious belief, has proved 10 be in all coun-
tries, and under nearly all circumstances, the
cause of disscntions and ieuhs which have in
the end proved disastrous to the prosperity
and well.being Of The state. |, has been the
cause which hes, in many instances, shaken
to their foundation the most substantial gov.
ernments.
1t is course Numerically opposed 10
liberty, and to the spread of those principles
which are calculated to create harmony AM
Iellow.feeling among the dideren, portions oil
the human race.
We claim no, these sentiments as the out
groaths Of our own mind, but us the common
property Of all liberal minds bequeatl ed to
us by cur ancestors, whose truth is striking.
ly illutrsated by the history OF the world fol
the last thre. or four centuries.
Why is it then, we would ask, that such
men us Edward Judson, alias Ned Buntline,
are allowed by their base publications, with
out censure or rebuke, to prejudice the
minds OF our native population, and especial
y the youth, az inst our foreign neiglbors
Have they rs class committed any acts that
should exclude them from all offices of trust
We think not. Yet a greater portion Of our
youth are lead to believe. tina, both liberty
and religion demand that they should use
their utmost endeavors to drive foreigners
from our country, or ut least to render their
stay here us unhappy as possible. Shall
such men be suffered, by their words and
acts to sever all those ties, which feeble
though they may be, bind them to us!-
Shall they be allowed by violent measures to
cheek the work begun by our philanthrophist,
in behalf of our foreign population, and from
which they have derived 50 much benefit
We claim for our foreign population what we
would claim for all, just ard unprecedented
hearing.
We believe that so far as they conduct
themselves with propriety and with due re.
spect to our laws, they should receive our
sympathy. 1t is truly to DO feared that il
we refrain from so doing, we shall lead them
to unite themselves more closely against US
and TO rely more implicitly upon foreign sym
pathy and aid. VoslMus.