Southern shield., 1855-10-20
NUMBER 27.

because you were believed to be dis.
 ciple of that school that you were re. garded as favorable to the American principles. From the Constitution anC from the teachings of those great mer the creed of the Know-Nothings was extracted. They found by referring to the Constitution that it drew wide and strong distinction between the na- tive and the foreign born citizen. No foreigner can be @ Representative un- til he has undergone a probation of seven years after naturalization. No one can be a Senator until he has un- dergone a like probation of nine years, and no foreigner, no matter what his services, rwhat his length of residence can be President CT Vice President of the United States. The Constitution of my own State, following that of the United States, declares that no for eigner shall be Governor of Alabama. Among the membsSsof the Convention D5s5s5 Dh9 o3o2'ed 45s+ Iosjo?. ondsnp
 your old friefd Eiam R. King, whose devotion to the principles of Jackson and Jefferson you will not question, and whose patriotism you would defend wherever assaiIed.
 The framers of the constitution were unwilling even to tru8t Me people with the power to elect man to the Presidency whose eyes had first open ed to the light of day beneath another sky than ours.--They took the matter into their own hands, and excluded Foreigners forever. It is remarkable that in the whole constitution there are but two restrictions of the rights of the people, and those are in relation to Foreigners. All it's other prohibitions are directed against Congress or the States. Acting upon the principle that all power resides in the people, the Convention interfcred often for security of their rights, never for the purpose of diminishing their privileges, except in the cases alluded to. Thus we find it declared that, "the privilege of the writ of Habeas Corpus shall not De suspended.'' ''No bill of attainder
 NO caE-JatlA or direct tax snail J0 laid except in propu-,.-~ +a the Cen sus." HNo soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner" " ''The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable search, and seizure shall not be violated." F'No person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime unless on a presentment or in- dictment of a Grand Jury" "No person shall be compelled in any crim- inal case, to be a witness against him self. He shall not be deprived of life, liberty or property without due pro- cess of law. He shall not be twice put in jeopardy for the same offence. His property can not be taken for pub lie use without due compensation. The right of trial by jury is secured. He must be confronted with the wit nesses against him.-He is entitled to the assistance of Counsel, and may have compulsory process to obtain his witnesses. Excessive bail must not be required, nor excessive fines imposed
 nor cruel punishment inAicted.''
 All these provisions are for the benefit of the Citizen-to guard his rights
 and prevent the restriction of his priv iliges by Congress, or his own State Legislature. But when the Constitu
 tion comes to consider the election o Foreigners to offices this jealous car, of the people is transferred from then to the Government. They seem tC have considered that there was but ono quarter from which danger to the Re ! public was to be apprehended from tn
 largest liberty. And accordingly whil
 leaving to the people the right to elect
 or not elect Foreigners to minor off
 ccs, they denied them the right to cleo
 a Foreigner 8 Representative until h
 had served an apprenticeship for
 term of years, and in the case of Pres
 ident and Vice President their rigl
 of election was taken away entirely
 cautious in all things else to leave th
 privileges of the people untouched, ii
 terfering in all other cases only ft
 their protection, here alone the Coz vention interposed the strong arm ' Constitutional law to prevent the
 from being hurried by temporary e citement, party ties, or gratitude f. eminent services into the election of Foreigner to offices of the highest pull lit trust. You, sir, and every const tutional lawyer will understand that would have been impossible for u Convention to have marked mo
 strongly their dread of foreign infl ence on our legislation, and their dis ) trust of Foreign attachment to our il
 stitutions. In the same spirit, ti
 American party say, that, in the di charge of that portion of the tru
 IL II F.