The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-11-08

ceedingly punc,ilious.
In his other article, the writer proclaim.
ed himself an advocate of the platform
which we had published, and accordingly
squared himself upon i. and commenced
firing away in every direction. Finding
perhaps that he could no, spread himself
over the whole iT-shaped mass, he now
thinks he is not required to support but
t'co Planks out Of the si1teen. All right.
he has but one step more to take, and that
will be to abandon the rcketry concern,
and he will be pretty clever fellow.
1t would be a waste of time and paper
to follow his wild goose chase in following
arguments and replying to assertions which
have no bearing on either OF his remain
ing planks; SO we let them 60 for what
they are worth.
First then "A pure American Common
School SYSTEM Now if the writer means
by this that the common school systems OF
America should be pure, we agree with
him, and do now end will continue to op.
pose anything to the contrary. But we
want it to be done in an open manly way,
and not by stabbing in the dark. A just
cause needs only just and honorable means
to sustain it. II however, the writer in
tends to say that our schools should be
purely American. excluding all persons
from them who are not native born, we
differ widely; and for reasons not neces.
sary to be enumerated as they fsuggest
themselves to every intelligent man.
The writer is astonished that on the
subject Of the Naturalization Laws when
the platform says repeal, we did not under.
stand it to mean amend; when it says all
Naturalization Laws, that we did not un .
derstand it to mean only a part. Is this
dodging2 Why does it not say repeal the
present law? Because it means all laws.
Why does it not say change or amend?
Because it means repeal. 1t reads, The
repeal Of all Naturalization Laws" the
word "all'' being italcised to give i, en-.
phasis. so that there be no mistaking it:
yet strange to say the writer canno, or will
not understand it 10 mean what il SAYS.
The sentence is unqualified, it is neither
dependent nor conditional, consequently
as we before stated "absoute and uncon
ditional.' We are not surprised that he
canno OF sustain this plank, nor that he does
not try, but we were little surprised tha,
in his first article he should declare HIM.
self an advocate OF the platform contain
ing it.
In attempting to sustain the plank upon
| which he climbs for refuge, he says in ef-
feet that there is no more injustice in de-
priving foreigners Of the right Of suffrage
for 2l years than for 5 years or for any
other length of time. Now the great rea-
son for fixing inchoa,e citizenship was to
prevent foreigners from coming here for
the very purpose of voting. Suppose no
time at ell We're required; foreigners liv.
ing on our borders, or even crossing the
ocean, might come on the day Of our cleo.
tons in sufficient numbers to exert grea'
influence over our general elections. and
might even sometimes control municipal
elections. 1t is made necessary for US 10
provide some protection, and in doing il
we violate none OF the "inalien able rights
which he speaks of. But when we are
secure in this respect it is only narrow
minded seishness to deprive those per
sons OF the privilege OF citizenship who
come among US, link their destinies with
ours, and here embark their all, Of fortune
talents. enterprise and aspirations. Five
years residence and the oath of allegiance
are abundant evidence they intend to re-
main permanently. Again, it is we'll tc
allow them time TO become acquainted
with our language. Some it is true do no
learn it in five years, others learn it sooner
and five years was very properly adopted
as a just medium.
In our last we stated that the hostility
of the foreigners to the government which
exiled them would be sufficient guaran
tee Of their opposition to similar institu
tions here; or, in other words if despotisn
drove them from that country, they weult
certainly not rear a despotism over thei
heads. which might drive them from this
To this the writer replies by regula
fourth OF July speech. Not feeling an.
excess Of patriotism we won't indulge.
u He denies our statement that at q Ger
tain time Catholic Maryland was the onl
place where religious toleration was prac
ticed. We will give our authority. Gu
readers are OF course aware that Calver,
Lord Baltimore and the Proprietary ar
the same person.
at is certainly very honorable TO tn
liberalty and public spirit OF THE rRopR1E
TARY that he should have introduced int
his fundamental policy the doctrine Q
general federation and equality anon