The American patriot., 1855-07-28
For the American Patriot.
Z" Vested Rights

As per invitation (see Democrat July 2l,).
we have been seriously considering our plat
form, and have come to the conclusion that
said platform contains no inconsistency, or wc
are too dull to see it Notwithstanding the cogent
reasoning the Especial Democratic commit
tee" .E.-t
We agree that if the principles of our plat
form are inconsistent they are not true; and
that as honest and patriotic citizens if we can
not get them corrected we should withdraw
from them our support 1t may be considered
bold in us to attempt to controvert the position
taken by the committee; backed as it was on
the same day of its issue, by a repetition, and
further affirmation of its truth, by Dr. Bard,
in speech replcte with words and lacking
within so much ss argument (Was the DR.
or the committee guilty of the plagiarisms)
From the fact of being firmly convinced Of the
falsity of that position, We are compelled to
dispute it.
We repeat the question asked by the COM
mttec, what are the vested rights of all persons
whether of native or foreign birthg Vested,
means not in state of contingency or suspen.
sion; consequently vested right is one that
does not directly or indirectly depend upon
any contingency whatever. Hence if the right
of holding office is not in state of contingency,
or suspension, it is vested right, if on the
contrary it is in such state, it is not vested
right "Candd FaonNothings" accedc the
right to all citizens, whether of native or for
eign birth, the right to hold Office on the con-
tingency Of their getting votes enough, and
that right is in suspension, until tho result is
made known from the hallotbox "
Erample.-Dr. Bard undoubtedly thinks
that he has right to the Office Of superinten-
tendcnt Of Public Education, judging from his
assertions that the Democratic State ticket
would be elected by five thousand majority,
and with it he would stand or fall
Now we must can9id'y beg leave to differ
with the gentleman and think, to say the least,
that his right depends upon an extremely
doubtful contingency, the suspense of which
does not trouble as. One would think from
! the tone Of the special committees article, that
| it is crime to vote against foreigner, who
may see I'll TO offer himself as candidate for
| olllcc. we pace our prescription III the same
category Of crimes, with exclusion of foreign
ors from the office of President; from all APP
pointmcnts, as minister's cousuls, &C., &c; aud
as far as possible from our army and navy
acts which the Democratic party boast Of az
theirs exclusively.
Is their any consistency in the Great Demo-
cratic Party, condemning us for aayocnting
of principles that they have already carried out
in practice? We eare all Americans, and feel
that those born and bred in thc midst Of our
republican institutions, arc the best qualified
to fiji our offices Of honor and profit, and until
we are convinced TO the contrary shall act ac-
cordingly. Elect citizens Of foreign BIRTH TO
Office legally, and the American party are willing
to submit; and oppose any and all interference in
their then, and not until then, vested rights.
A CANDID KNOW NOTHING.