The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1855-06-15
Whnt n Prom inent Wbig thinks
OGHZMOw NutlliMEisIIl.


leading and influential Wing, in letter
declines denomination TO Congress be-
cause the Wing party have organized
themselves into secret combination, with /
objects of which he was not informed and
never could be without joining asectetcoun-
Gil and binding himself to eternal secrecy
to ow latever relates to midnight meet
ihgs and secret operations. He gives his
viewsat full length on "Know Nothingism,'
repudidting and condemning it as dang
erous Of zanization. From his very able
letter bearing date May the 9th we make
the following extract
aTrue Ameneanisui, as 1 have learned
lit, is like true Christianity disciples in
neither are confined to any nation, CLINE, Or
soil whatsoever. Americdnism is not the
product Of the soil; it springs not from the
land or the ground; tits not Of the earth!
or earthly; it emanates from The head and
the heart;it looks upward, and onward,
and outward; its life and soul are those
grand ideas of government which charac-
terize our institutions and distinguish US
from all other people; and there are no
two features in our system which so signally
distinguish us from all other nations as free
toleration ofreligion and the doctrine OF ef-
po,riation-the right of man to throw Oft
his allegiance to any and every other State,
prince or potentate whatsoever, and by
naturalization to be incorporated as citizens
into our body polite. Both these principles
are specially provided for and firmly es-
tablished in our constitution, both these
American ideas were proclaimed in 1888
by our 'sires of 76,' and by their sons at
this day derided and scoffed at We are
now told that naturalization is humbug,
and that it is an 'imposssibilty.' So did
not our fathers think. This 'humbug and
'impossibility.' they planted in the consli-
tuition; and vindica,ion OF the same prln-
, ciple was one of the causes Of our second
f war ofindependence. England held thai
! naturalization was an impossible thing.
, She claimed the allegiance of subjects born
within her realm, not withstanding they
= had become citizens of this republic by our
constitution and laws.-She not only
f claimed their allegiance, but she .laimed
!. the right to search our ships upon the higf
. seas, and take from them all such who
i might be found in them.-It was in pursui
!. of this doctrine of hers--of the right o
E search forour naturalized citizens-that th,
i chesapeake was fired into. which was th
= immediate cause Of the war of 1879. lie
/. no man, then barely because he Vas Dor
in America, presume 10 be imbued wit
, real and true 'Americanism,' who eithe
: ignores the direct and positive obligation
NJ OF the constitution. or ignores this. one {
-, its most striking characteristics. AS we
" might any unbelieving sinner claim to b
- one of the faithful-one of the elect eve
!, barely because he was born somewher
:. within the limits of Christendom An
- - Just as we'll might The Jacobins, who de
\ creed God out his Universe, have. dubbe
70 70 their club Christian Association becaus
~ they were born OH Christian soil. Th
NJ genuine disciples of true Amelicanism
al like the genuine followers ofthe Cross, ar
|, those whose hearts are warmed and fire
=. purified, elevated, and ennobled-by thos
ID principles, doctrines, and precepts whic
q characterize their respective systems.
n, N is for this reason that a Kamtschatkan,
N N Briton, Jew, or Hindoo can be as goo
II Christian as any one born on Calvary
,r brow or where the Sermon on the Noun
ho was preached! And for the same reason a
- Irishman, Frenchman, German. c
Il Russian can be as thoroughly America
- as if he had been born within the walls
,d the old Independence Hall itself.