Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-06-14

bath with anathemas against slavery
And of the three thousand New
England clergymen who sent the an
ti-Nebraska memorial to the Senate
last year, not one was a Catholic
as / have been informed and believe
Why then should we Southern men
join the Puritans of the North 10
prescribe from Office the Catholics on
account of their religion? Let them
and their religion be as bad as they
can be or as their accusers say they
are, they cannot be worse than these
same Puritanical accusers who start
ed this persecution against them
say that we are. They say we are
going to perdition for the enormous
sin of holding slaves. The Pope
with all bis followers cannot, lsuppose,
even in their judgment, be going
to a worse place for holding what
they consider the monstrous absurd
ity of the immaculate conception. "
And for my own part, would about
as soon risk my chance for Heaven
With him, and his crowd too, as with
these self:righteous hypoctites who
deal out fire and birthstone SO llber'
ally upon our heads. At any rate,
| have no hesitancy in declaring that
I should much sooner risk my civil
rights with the American Catholics,
whom they are attempting to drive
from office, than with them. But,
sir, / am opposed to this prescription
upon principle. If it is once begun,
there is no telling where it will end.
When faction once tastes the blood
of a victim, it seldom ceases its raw
ages among the fold so long as a
single remaining one, be the number
at first ever so great, is left surviving
1t was to guard against any such
consequences as would certainly ensue
in this country if this effort at pro-
scription of this sect Of religlonlsts
should be successful, that that wise
provision to, which have alluded
was put in the fundamental law oil
the Union. And to maintain 1T intact,
L
in letter and spirit, with steadfastness,
at this time, l hold to be most sol
emn public duty.
And now, as to the other idea
the prescription of foreigners-and
more particularly that view OF It,
which looks to the denial Of citizen
ship to all those who may hereafter
seek a home in this country, and
choose to cast their lots and destinies
with US. This is favorite idea
with many who have not thought
of its effects, or reflected much upon
its consequences. The abrogation
Of the naturalization laws would not
stop immigration, nor would the
extension of the term of probation,
to the period of twenty-one years.
do it. This current of migration
from East to West, this Exodus OF
the excess of population from the
Old to the New World, which COM
menced With the settlement of this
continent by Europeans, would still
90 on. And what would be the
effect, even under the most modified
form of the proposed measure-that
is of an extension of the period from
five to twenty-one years before the
citizenship should be granted? AT
the end of the first twenfy-one years
from the commencement Of the op-
Grafton of the law, we should have
several millions of people in our midst
men Of our own race occupying
the unenviabIe position OF being a
adecraded caste" in society, a species
of serfs without the Just franchise
of a freeman, or the needful protee-
ton due to slave. This would be
at War with all my ideas OF Amer
lean Republicanism, as Il have oeen
taught them and gloried in them from
my youth up. If there be danger
now to our institutions, (as some seem
to imagine but which | am tar from
feeling or believing) from foreigners
as a class, would not the danger be
greatly enhanced by the proposed
remedy? Now il is true that they
are made to bear their share OF the
burthens of Government,but are also
permitted after a residence of five
wears. and taking anoath to support
the Constitution, to enjoy their just
participation in the privileges, honors
and deimmunities which it secures
Would they be less likely to be st'