The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-10-12
RIGHTS OF NATURALIZED CITIZENS" KNOW
NOTaIEGs"

RIGHTS OF EATURALLZED CITIZENS" KNOW
N0TaIEGs"
When first tho foreign population in this
country became 30 large that it could be used
in political contests, demagcgues and parti-
zlns began to ply their arts to make it sub
seryient to party or personal ends. The Dem
ocrat vaunted his superior regard for the rights
Of naturalized citizens, and the Wing, not to be
outdOne, spoke to them in fsttering words. In
one place the Germans il another, the Irish,
became the objects of special attention and re-
gard They were addressed as distinct classes
1T was assumed that they had interests and
claims separate from those of other citizens;
their prejudices wero appealed to; their pride
YVES fostered, and they were taught to feel that
by maintaining distinct political existence,
they secured consideration and influence In
this way were ideas Of nationality and feelings
Of clanship among our naturalized citizens
cherished by native demagoguism.
The evil grew, until in some localities, where
the foreign element Was strongest the spirit of
the nstivc-boya e:GZe.-- was alarmed and irri-
tated, and soue II them formed political COM
binstion f5sE7.,9 resse;on of the naturalization
laws, 50 as 70 ploloag the period of inchoate
citizenstSn. Native Americanism was in fact
the offspring of Native Demsgoguism. The
latter, to serve personal or party purposes, had
fostercd foreign combinations the former got
up native combinations in opposition.
But this policy only aggravated the mischief
1t failed to command the appreciation Of the
majority of native born citizens, while Its direct
tendency was to intensity the spirit of clanship
among our naturalized citizens, and deepen the
feeling of separate interests.
Meantime, Demago guism continued to prac-
tice its srts; each Of the old Parties pretended
10 special friendship for the poor immigrants,
and charged its antagonist with secret hostility
70 them ambitious leaders of the naturalized
population saw that by maintaining distinct
alien organizations they could further their
own schemes of personal advancement; and
some Of them began to imagine thas they
could control the destinies Of the country.
The mischief was soon aggravated by the
intrusion of religious element Archbishop
the task, first of excluding the Bible from the
Common Schools and then of breaking down
our Common School system, by substituting the
policy of denominationsl schools to be support
ed By separate appropriations from the State, if
supported at all By Governmental action. For
the accomplishment of this task, they relied
chiefly upon the Irish Catholics and hence
they bent sll their efforts to prevent the fusion
of that class with other citizens, and to pre-
serve the sentiment Of Irish nationality. To the
disgrace of our politics, this war against the
Common School system was favored in some of
the States bynative demagoguism There were
not wanting Wing politicians in New York.
who pretended to think the reading of the
Bible in tho Public Schools a violation of the
rights Of conscience of our Catholic fellow-citi.
zens, when they knew that all pretext for such
a charge could have been taken away, by not
requiring any child to attend at prayers or
reading, unless permitted to do SO by his pa.
rents. In other States, Democratic politicians
were found mean enough to beg for Irish Cath
ole votes, by declaring themselves in favor of
the system Of separate denominational schools
While this struggle was going on, Kossuth
landed on our shores, and, whatever else NAV
be said of his visit it must be admitted that
his action tended to foster policy among our
naturalized Germans not favorable 70 their
fusion with the native population. He appealed
TO them as Germans rather than American
citizens, as interested rather in the affairs Of
Europe than of tho United States. He called
upon them, as distinct political class, to give
an independent support to one or the other of
the PARTIES just as it might stand affected on
the question of Intervention in foreign affairs.
While his course was calculated to keen m
the sentiment of German nationality, the in.
terposition of Archbishop Hughes to counterfeit
the effect of his teachings still further minis
tered to the sentiment of Irish nationality. The
Catholics, especially the Irish Catholics, were
put on their guard against German Red Re-
publicssism and Infdelity, taught to distrust
the liberal movements of Europe, to withhold
all sympathy from the Cause of Revolution,
and take sides with the Despotism of Austria,
in its attempts to crush out the spirit of liberty
in Italy and Central Europe. The most ultra
doctrines in regard to despotism and priestly
domination were put forth in the columns of the
Jesuit press; and the effect was twofold: the
Irish Catholics became more and more pecu-
liar and an isolated people, and an intolerant
to them was aroused among ma
born Americans.
Oot of the elements of evil thus engendered,
By native natursGzsd, itinerant and priestly