Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-10-25
EUROPEAN INFLUENCE IN AME-
RIGA.

RIGA.
So far as Know Nothingism appeals tc
the public Judgment in explanation and
vindicatiou Of its spirit and purposes, it
alleges an undue and dangerous domino.
tion of the foreign element in our social
system and political administration and
it proposes for its mission, to restore the
Just preponderance of native influence in
creed and race. These ideas, if uot de
Veloped in any formal and dispassionate
Nina1caticn of Know -Nothingism-for the
champions Of this mystical order shrink
from the scrutiny of public discussion, are
very current in the cant phrases and MOI.
toes of its followers. In his way, per
haps, they have made some impression or
the popular mind yet. from the slightesr
investigation, it will appear that they are
altogether false and deceptive.
The revelations Of the census have cor
EeCted many erroneous PreconocPtions
amongst which was the POI pular idea Of the
vast power and resources Of the Roman Ca.
Ihoic Church in this country, persons with
out intelligence and bigoIed dispositions
had come to regard the American branch
Of the Catholic Church with sort ofsuper
stitious awe, which invested the object o
their dread with fictitious strength and
imaginary terrors. But, when the search.
ing scrutiny of the census exposed 20 the
public gaze the secrets Of sanctuary as
we'll as of the workshop, it was discover
ed that the power of the Catholic Church
had been greatly exaggerated, and that in
stead Of being the vast and overshadow-
ing institution, as represented by ignorant
sectaries, it was, in truth, the least, in re-
spect of numbers, Of all the Christian de-
nominations. So far from dis playing the
intoleraut and aggressive spirit which an
insolent pride of power always engenders
in church establishments, the American
Catholics are reduced to the Recessitv-if
we give them credi: for no better motive
of purchasing immunity from assault by q
quiet and cOnsiliatory policy. Instead of
conspiring the overthrow Of religious lib.
erty and freedom of conscience, they cling
to these principles as their only security
against persecution.
In like manner has the census corrected
the prevalent idea of the immense infu-
ence of the foreign population of this
country.
In discourse before the New York
Historical Society, the Rev. Samuel o.
good, minister of the Protestant faith, in
the New World to the Old" presented
some considerations touching the colonial
ton of this country, and the effect of the
mlngling of different races and crceds in
promoting its prosperity and securing is
liberties, which should abate something
from the pride, bigotry and selfisnness ol
Know-Nothingism. 4 few extracts from
this remarkable discourse will illustrate its
ouJ r,o,,nrul
Starting from that point Of time, let us
trace up to the present year some Of the
providential relations of America, especial
ly our part of it, to Europe. Begin (saiI
Mr.. Osgood) with the most obvious aspect
of the subject, and consider the relations
of the very sol! Of America to Europe
Our country long waited for the race able
to use its domain. Says Guyot:
america looks towards the Od World
all its slopes and its long plains slant tt
the Atlantic, towards Europe. 1t seem:
to wait with open and eager arms the ben
e6cent influence of the man OF the Ole
World. No barrier opposes his progress
the Andes and the Rocky Mountain,
banished to the other shore Of the Cont
nent, will place no obstacle in his path.
Thus invited by the very inclination c
the lanl, the Euro pcan came and tool
possession of the soil which the red MAJ
knew not how to use.
x
There has been quite war of words G
late about pre-eminence Of race, and tn
terms Celt and Anglo-Saxon have threat
s.ned to be the ralyIug cry of very moi
sy feud, while Ii is very clear that conflict
ofrivai races have Eeen and st'il are on
Of the main sources of National rum i
other lands. Let us rejoice, tnen' INA
while the best blood Of the strongest rae
in Europe predominates here, there
such Providcutial balance of the ele
ments that no one European caste can ty
1anize over another.
Two great classes Of men appear i
history-the one class impulsiVe, imPas
stoned, tepding strongly to sensuous n
tual and centralized priesthood and EN-
pire more ready to persuade than to rea
son to venture than to perseVere ye
full! Of generous feeling, aud by very tenn
perament, electric and eloquent; the 9th
er class self-poisoned, deliberate, jealou
of priesthoods and despotism, calculatin
the end carefully, and slow 10 yield a
inch of their own ground at once eau
tious and courageous; fond of comfort, ye
reader to starye than beg suspicious {
mere sentiment. and more prone to deed
than words. OF the former class the Ce
is the most characteristic specimen, wht