New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-05-31
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
A CASE FOR THE KNow-NorHINGs.

CASE FOR THE KNOW-NOTHINGS
X he Editor Of Tzs ". y. Tribuae
SIR: VIII you be kind enough To present my case
for the consideration Of your Nothing readers.
was born in England by accident not choice was
not consulted in the mater; ] came to the United
States by choice not accdeni came on the faith Of
your flag, your Constitution and your laws these
told ice might become a citizen Of the Republic and
stand equal footing with my neighbors, native
''to the manor BON" by giving /" value received"
The consideration was remuneration Of my birhright
my natal citizenship. / paid the consideration and
became, a. supposed, a citizen Of the United States
hardly established in my new home hear the war
blast and find myself doing soldiers duty in Mexico
under my newly-adopted flag; after that bind my
self by other relations TO this country; | marry sn
American woman and have sons born unto me,
Americans all; come ont into this wilderness 10
carve out Ofths forest and this prairie feemens homes
for nv sons an startled by another sound the
scream Of bigOtry and ntoleTauce am told the con-
,,act made between the United States end me IL TO be
repudisted that / am 10 be deprived Of my citizen
ship or at least that il il TO be robbed Of rs virtue
and its grace that lis attribute Equality, for when !
prize IT, must be stricken OUT must not hold an o.
fee: | want none, but Ike not this ban. gave
away my cifizenship for another this was the con-
tract. AID al must have my bond But YOU say
shall not have il. To this ] reply: You are strong
Q
IL il i dangerous to your Institutions tha foreigners
should come among You viii leave. II viii be loss
ard en- inconvenience TO me, yet leavci must. cannot
stev where / ON not welcome, nor hive where am not
as good as another. | viii seek again the rel cross
banner and on the cold soil OF Canada repent ike the
! prodieal. | viii take my American wife and my
American sons and on the threshold of their native
| country tley shall shake tie American dust OF Their
| feet Nv Lows are sons Of the sires Of 70 Puritan
stock not Hessian like some kn0w-N0thingsl, but
| thew viii never know it. OF the suferings OF Their
| ancestors in the cold days at Valley Forge ond IN
| the hot day al Monmouth tiyo shall nothing know
! One thing regret; | cannot take them all, for one
Of nv boys he's become American dust lie hes on
| tic sio,es Of the Old Dominion, and the waters 81
The Chesapeake dash upon bis grave lie sleeps well;
| let him sleep.
Here new difficulty meets me. If, a. Arneric IN
iuii=is tell me- cenno. renounce the allegiance nv
/ self have voluntarily undertaken, then am doubly
cheated. But II tbs be not so vii England take me
! back She may; but my wife and children England
| does not know. She may recognize my wife az part
Of my own individuality; but my sons, they are for
/ eiguers born in America when their father ras On
American citizen. They cannot stand on an equality
/ with free born English citizens. Here l. the dilemma
/ What am to do II / live here am under a social
| and political ban. If | 90 70 my native country my
/ children are urder the same disability. Who Is re-
| sponsibei l am not. You told me might become
an American citizen by rendering certain cons der
/ atom. gave it. Am | to be cheated and my chill
| dIon tool Very respectfully yours, Lex
Bpfier c., bro, April s, 1856.