Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-06-16
GOV. METCALF's MESSAGE.

Hampshire, was communicated to the Legsla-
ture last week The document is too long for
our columns, or we would gladly give it entire
us il is well worthy general perusal.
The principal points in the Message are its
Recommendations for the abolition Of the "grab
law" and for the enactment Of prohibilory
liquor law condemnation of the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise and other aggrcssions
of slavery, and an expression of views upon Ihe
policy Of the American party, as follows -
1.-THE great influx Of foreigners TO this conn
Try has become matter of deep interest aud
alarming anxiety to the people No one sub
ject has more generally pervadcd The minds Of
great portion Of the community of late than
this, and no one presents more imperious claims
upon our cool, deliberate, uupreiudioed and i'm
partial consideration, than the adoption of
judicious policy toward the vast mixed popula.
,on tina, is annually freighlcd to our shores
from foreign parts. At this time, half a mill
lion of aliens, most of them, we regret to say,
ignorant and uneducated, are annually added To
Onr numbers. Omen destitute Of tho means of
subsistence, without friends and without habits
Of continued industry they are landed here
with a vague impression that plenty, wealth
and honors await them without effort or delay,
and that liberty, abridged by no law, and re-
strained by no authority, is the glory of Amer
lea. Exceptions among this crowd Of numbers,
may, without doubt be found, but too large
portion of them, emptied from the poor houses,
the hospitals aud prisons of Europe, are trans
ported here with no definite purpose, but des-
tined 10 fill from want or crime similar positions
to those they left at home. Probably more
than half the direct taxes of the people Of this
country are made necessary by the pauperism
and crime Of the foreign population Born
und grown up where their political rights are
but little if any superior to those of the slaves
of this country, where the policy doubtless the
safety of dynasties, is 10 keep the masses in
gross ignorance and degraded subsection, they
come here necessarily ignorant of all the duties
incumbent on them as members Of free and
enlightened community, and Of all obligations
due to the laws of the country of their refuge.
All their prepossessons and partialities natu-
rally incline TO their native land, and what lit
ale they may there have Glanced to learn, is
prejudicial aud hostile 10 the institutions Of the
country they have sought for home. Arriy-
ing here at an age when it is equally difficult
to eradicate error and to inculcate truth, it must
require long sojourn for even the most moral
and intellectual to school themselves so as to
discharge the duties of an American citizen
with credit TO themselves or with safety 10 9TH
ers.
In addition 10 this, with some exceptions,
,he religion which they have been taught from
their birth, which has 'grown with their growth
and strengthened with their strength" is 4 re-
ligion acknowledging a foreign power for its
supreme head, teaching and requiring its adhe-
rents to passively submit their conscenccs to
the keeping of the priesthood, TO seek no high
er sources for spiritual instruction and consola-
zion than that order a religion that excludes
the Bible from the common people, and allows
lis subjects to owe no allegiance, spiritual OF
temporal, to any power but what the sovereign
Pontifi may at any time, and upon any omcr-
gency, annul and dissolve: religion that pro-
nounees all creeds heresy but their own, and
boldly avows that it 'nourishes most when wa
tered by the blood of heretcs."
n humorous P,Fulu,i0,r, soattuIvd mum uuv
extreme of tn, country to the other, guided and
controlled by one mind and that mind solely di-
rected 10 one object, the extension Of the do
mnion, the influence and power Of the Church
Of Rome, aud to subject TO its control all other
religious sects and denominations, must be a
dangerous and pernicious element in republi-
can government. Such population, thus ig-
norant and prejudiced, thus lliberal aud bigoied,
thus controlled and directed, are now in our
midst and daily ia
and before they have "local habitalon," or
can speak language understood BY our native
citizens, or can understand our own-withoul
knowledge and without volition-lhey claim all
the rights of citizenship, and not only TO decide
who shall make and administer the laws of the
country, but claim that right for themselves,
often before they can speak the name or read il
on the printed ballot, which, by order or con-
tract, they deposit in the ballot-box. Blythe
facilities offered by the laws and the consiruc-
lion and practise of some of the courts, natu-
ralization has become matter of but little diff
fculty. The foreigner, let loose from prison
in Europe on condition that he will come to
America, and thus free them from his trouble
some, if not dangerous presence, thinks, and
too often has reason 10 thinkSphen he arrives
here, that he confers special favor upon the
country, by condescending to accept of the hon
ors Of citizenship. In mos, other countries cit
izenship is deemed the greatest favor--the most
precious boon that can be conferred upon for
eigner. 1t is seldom bestowed but for mpor-
tant services or high intellectual attachments.
In Great Britain nothing short of an act. of
Parliament can confer it. So Jealous are the
people there, that the right may be abused and
lis frequency prove dangerous, the power to be-
STOW the favor is withheld from the Crown
while in this country the most inferior court of
record can beslow it. This alien element is
now rapidly insinuatng its wies, maturing its
schemes, and extending its influence over the
country, more sure OF success from the very
few TO whom is entrusted its direction and con
troll. With great ease and increasing numbers
they are acquiring all the rights, privileges and
immunities of the citizens of our native land,
and in some places they are already supplani-
ing them.
II is moi Ui hin tho .,r;sd;o.;o. r. c.