The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-11-09
HON. ]. ]. CRrTTENDEN-

| AT grand mass UeeLlhg OF American!
held at Falmouth, KY, Hon. Jno. J. Critten
den, one of the first of living statesmen, nd
dressed the crowd in substance as follows:
Amidst the party strife of the last few
years, when the only one struggle seemed io
be, not how the country should be governed
but who should govern it-unexpectedy q
new party had grown up. Without n cause
No. II came from the heart of the people
A conviction was making its way from heart
to heart, that foreign influence threatened our
liberties. And the thought of having them
subverted on our own soil aroused every true
citizen. 1t was the peoples party.
Immediately after the Revolution, when
our country was impoverished, and our for.
ests to be subdued, foreigners did not care
about coming to share our labors. For the
first twenty years but 5000 per annum came.
In the next twenty from 1910 TO 1880, they
came at the rate Of $4,000 perannum. These
were absorbed by the people and became
Americanised.
But since that time new scene has been
exhibited. From 1910 to 1850 they came BY
the hundreds of thousands, and since 1850
they had been coming nt the rate of between
a and 100000 per annnm. The foreign in.
vasion of armies Of voters became alarming
"Was there any probability of its decrease? {?
No. 1t was true that it had fallen off little
in the past year, but when the war which was
now swallowing up the surplus population of
Europe closed we should be again inundated
with the worthless desperadoes it has made.
"The like of such an emigration the world
never saw. When the children Of Israel
quilted Egypt they were not more innulnber
than this annual migration.
"Your forests are now subdued, and your
country made habitable, and they now come
to share it with you. Yonr free institutions
are attracted by it.
"The grave question is, are these foreign.
ers to he entrusted with the preservation of
our liberties. He would not boast but he
did not believe there was another race Of Gods
men on earth, that could have formed the
free institutions made by our fathers. Since
the worlds history commenced. n Washing
ton had never arisen in any country bat ours.
at required all our vigilance to preserve
this government. Foreigners could not do
it. They did not love it as we did. He did
not blame them. Every man loved his native
land better than any Other.
"As long rs we could be safely generous,
we were so and we say 10 them, even now,
come and share our liberties, our blessings
we make only one single reservation, and that
for your good as well rs ours. We are out
the trustees of God, who has given us these
blessings, aud We dare not commit them to
strangers.
He wished change in th, naturalization
laws-an extension of the time so rs to give |
foreigners better opportunity TO become ac-
qualntcd with our institutions, and to fit |
themselves for taking part in cur government.
No man was to be upbraide6 for wishing to
take the best possible care Of his liberties, or
for refusing to share them out until the little
residue was not worth keeping. These men
came from monarchleS, where they had
been accustomed, not to governing, but to
being governed. Were they ever called on
to vote there? Why, tie doctrine of trans.
was not greater mystery to
them rs the elective franthise
"lf the term Of naturalization was extend.
ed, or the law entirely repealed, it would
make no difference in thu immigration. For
eigners did not come hre to vote. They
know nothing about tie elective franchise
until they learned it on our soil. He did not
object to their coming. On the contrary, he
would say, come one, come ALL We will re-
,eive and entertain then; but the right of
governing we must reserve to ourselves, and
'epe every encroachment upon it, and we
would call on our adopted citizens to help
Is. If these foreigners come with cartridges
vc would call on them to assist in repelIing
hem; but cartridges in their hands would
lot be half as dangerous 10 the brave Amer.
can people rs ballots.
"Foreigners already formed third estate
giving preponderance to either party, as
hey cast influence with il They had become
n object for parties to pay court to, and they
we're wooed to one side and the Othe. by
very sort of promise and maneuvre.
"They feel their influence, and are claim
ng their share in the Offices of the country;
ot us Americans but as foreigners; for they
eep up separate political organization, and
re as much foreigners here us in the heart of
iermany.
"They favor us with their views in regard
0 improvements in our government. A fel.
Nv had hardly shaken tie dust of the Black
'orest off his feet but he was suggesting
mendments to the Constitution; and some
f the things they proposed to give us in ex-
hange for our liberties were curious enough.
hey would abolish the President and the
enate, and have single popular branch of I
,gislation, whose members could be recalled {
pleasure. They would give US their Ger
ian dream Of democracy.
Kossuth-that begging pa:riot-who got ;
is country in fight, and then was the first
run away and leave her, charged the Ger.
Ians here to band themselves together and !
atch the opportunity to vote in such n way
to benefit their fathcr'land. He di4 not
pbraid them for doing so. They had right
, love their country MS he had to love his, s
Ut to submit to be governed by this foreign
prde was to make us natve-bOrn the only ,
lens in our native land. He then spoke in
lowing terms of the Union, and said he |
wed the American party because it was de- .
,ted to its preservation. Their principles I
ust ultimately prevail They would con.
nue. to advocate them notwithstanding their
iure in other States; would submit to be
llled proscriptionsts, if loving their own t
,untrymen better than any others, made
lem such, till these principles should be tri- !
nphantly established at the capitol of the {
,ton."
SpoNGIHG ON THE PRiNTER.-Hcre is a i