The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-08-22


through all the States. Nor could the
know-Nothlng Order legally disqualiE
the Catholic foreigner who had been le
gally naturalized in different State, from
voting for or holding Of Federal Office, if
he chose to remove irto this State, and
had complied with the acquisitions Of the
law As it now stands, because of another
provision of the Federal Constitution.
which enjoins that /" no religious test shall
ever be required as qualification to any
Office or public trust under the United
Stat,s" ......
This plan, then, is utterly insufficient for
the purposes of the Know -Nothings; and
the other-by the action of Congress
strikes me as even less elfectual, as | shall
next proceed TO show. The remedy by
Congress implies the right of Congress to
determine who is, and who is not, ci,i
Zen OF a State. That Congress, with the
consent of three tourths of the States.
may expunge the clause Of the Cons,i,u,
IL n which refers to religious faith, or to
the privileges OF the citizens of the States.
Is admitted. But has Congress the right
now, or will they ever have the right, to
grant or refuse the privilege Of voting to
the citizens OF a sovereign Statel If they
have, then the days of liberty, and the
happiness of the people of the Southern
States, are few and bitter. Will the
hnow.NoIhings adnritl will they dare to
establish this principle? And if they do,
how long will il he before an aboiltion
majority, III pursuance of the precedent,
will declare that your negro slave is ~
citizen, and will authorize him to vote at
your elections Aud what then becomes
oi our favorite doctrines of State Rights
and State Sovereignty NV conviction
Is, that the right to ynte is derivable from
the sovereign power OF the State, and
that the concession Of the right to Con
gress is fatal To Southern liberty. Con-
gress may prohibit foreigners from enter
iag the territory of the United States, for
Il Is their pecliliar province to regulate
our foreign intercourse; but when for.
eisncr Is once located in State, with a
view 10 remain, whatever Of political
privilege he isto enjoy, must he derived
from The sovereign power OF that State.
For the sake Of argument, let us sup.
pose that Congress had this power, and
that nc the next session they should pass
law withholding all political rights in
future from men Of foreign birth; what
would be its etfectl An intelligent and
accomplished gentleman, like Jno. Mitchell,
(who has embalnlcd himself in my atlec
tions by signing for planlath and ne
groes in Alabama,) would indeed avoid
country hiclI denied him the most vaIu
cd and yet the most ordinary right Of
free citizen but how would il he with
the poor aud the famished, who come to
our shores for bread with the restless
and intractablc or with the criminal and
fugitive, who swell the tide Of immigra
tloni What care they for political prlvi
icges or rights, whose European heritage
is ignorance OF eitherl The operation Of
uch law would be to exclude all the
intellig' mt and good Of every cline, aud
to leave tue door wide open 10 the vicious
aud debased.
The Order has gone too far, or not far
enough. Too far in provoking the hos
tllity Of the Immigrant population, with
out achieving an equivalent benefit; and
not lar enough for their purposes, which
can only be attained 10y the absolute pro-
hibilion of immigration. A feeblo blow
recois AMI brings injury with il return !;
vigorous one may demolish or correct
In common with many Of my fellow,cili.
zens, experience some discomfort because
OF the influence aud impudence exerted
and displayed hy few men who have
become Americans by sort of hot house
process; yet will not disguise my belief
that We Of the South have but little IN.
terest or concern in the single issue of
Nafive Amerieanisna.
The institution Of negro slavery pro.
tects us from the evils attributed to the
foreign population. The States of the
North, 10y manurnission--byi incessant and
bypocriticaI cant about the horrors and
degradation OF slayery---by their greater
wealth, which they bave filched from the
pockets OF Southern planters by means of
protective tnritfs--by their inordinate de-
sire for the political over Of plumbers,
and which has caused them to hold out
inducements OF employment and hersto.
fore higher wages--hase succeeded in di
.yertin0 the tide Of immigration from the
ave 10 the free negro States. They are
pp reaping the fruits of the seed sow,i
'by themselves; aud that Il is bitter fruit,
occasions me no manner OF distress. Our
policy isto view this Kilkenny cat fight
ia serene silence and composed eqaaninii.