Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1855-10-04


as Temperance lecturer, paid a visit to the
U. 8, He came to Washington, and resOlu-
ton was at once introduced to allow him the
privilege of the floor of the Senate. This was
opposed by Mr.. Calhoun, on background that it
was lowering the dignity Of the Senate, and
cheaPening its honOrs--by myself and others,
upon the further ground that he had while in
Ireland INDUCED in denunciaGions Of slavery,
and taken part with the diaunionsts against
the South, which l considered an unWarranta.
bic intermeddlng with matters that in no way
concerned him. Notwithstanding these objec.
lions, the resolution passed by a decided ma
jority, and Father Matthew took bis seat upon
the floor of the Senate. Not long afterwards,
Gen. Pillow. who bore, upon his person the
marks of honorable wounds recently received
in the service Of the Republic, visited Wash
ington, and found, TO his modification no doubt
that the place which had been occupied by a
Catholic priest was inaccessible TO him, a ma
tive born American, and late,.a Major General
in the wars Of his country. Nor was he alone
a sufferer, Every officer who served in the
Mexican war, not member Of Congress, or an
existing State Legislature, was in like manner
excluded, with perhaps the single exception o.
Gen. Scott, who had received special vote Of
thanks during the war of 1919, which Of itself
entitled him to admission. 1t will not do to
tell me that respect for the cause oftemperance
produced this astonishing result. The Con"
gress of the U. S. are not remarkable as dis
ciples of temperance, and that very day there
were perhaps not six members Of the Senate
who did not drink wine at dinner, or brandy
before it.
The Irish vote was the controlling cause
the desire to conciate that large body of nat
uralized citizens who looked up to Father Mat
thew as a superior being. 1t was this which
gave to the foreigner and Catholic an impor-
tance above and beyond that Of the soldiery,
whose blood had been poured out like water on
the plains of Mexico. 1t was this that induc-
ed the Senate to forget what it had been-tO
throw aside the severe dignity which had so
elevated them in the minds of men, and to ex-
change the character of Roman sages for that
Of servile Sycophants. There was time when
that high body was composed Of sterner stuff.
There was a time when such proposition
would have been Treated with the scorn it de.
served. But that was before the Irish Exodus
Now, il we venture to question foreign merit,
it must be done with 'bated breath, If we
venture to deny any foreign demand, however
imperious. we are threatened with political an
nihilation and yet am told that we are in no
danger from foreign influence. When the Sen
ate of the United States has been before the
storm, where are we look for that public vir-
tue which is sturdy enough to resist it.
The other case to which alude was still
more outrageous. L. Kossuth had been &C.
lively engaged in exciting a revolution in Hun
gary, but when the hour of trial came he
shrunk from the danger he had evoked, and
flying across the frontier, took refuge beneath
the Crescent of the Turk. An immense a
mount eff sympathy was at once manufactured
for him, and our government, not to be behinC
the public expectation, despatched vessel o.
war to bring him to our shores. Ofcourse thi!
was done under the specious name of sympa
thy for struggling freedom. But if there bad
been no German votes in the United States,
am very much inclined to the opinion that sym
pathy would have expended itself in some less
costly manner. But not satisfied with bring
ing HIM here, both branches of Congress pass
ed resolution inviting him to Washington. -
He came in all the pomp which surrounds tAe
monarchs of the old world; armed guards pa
raded before his door to keep off the vulgar
populace. And we who would not have !ole
rated such conduct for one hour in the Presi
dent of the Republic, not only submitted TO i
f on the part of this foreign mendicant, but &C.
tually invited him within the bar of the Senate.
He entered with all his guards about him. The
clank of foreign sabres awakened the echoes
J in the vestibule of the Senate, and an cage
crowd Of Republicans looked on with wonder
ing admiration at the pageant. If the deat
} are permitted to witness events upon the eartl
what must have been the feelings of the sterr
fathers Of the republic when they saw the vel
vet uniforms of foreign body guard withir
the sacred precincts of the Senate! Let u
suppose them gathered about the immortal
Washington, as they were wont 10 gather il
the days that tried mems souls, gazing in sor'
row and silence upon the disgraceful spectacle
There is Warren, Greene, Sumpter, Marion
Lee. Shelby, Williams, Wayne. and a hun
dred others of the mighty dead, They remem
: ber that it was German cannon that thinneC
8 their ranks at Mud Fort and Red Bank. The!
, remember that German shouts rang over th
field of Brandywine. They remember tha
: German bayonets were dimmed with patrio