Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-12-07
The Commlssloners, Election.


desire of the onposte party place the matter upon
false issues, or at least upon issues which have
sort of connection with the matter in hand. There
is no man-no party here or elsewhere that ever pre-
tended TO call in question the axiom that Americans
should rule America. The State government is COM
posed of gentlemen opposed to the know nothing Or
der-who are they Foreigners No! The Federal
officers are appointed by Federal Executive opposed
to the Know Nothing Order. Are they Foreigners?
No! They are native citizens. Look around and
point out the evidences of this Foreign Rule that
much talk is made about and the deceptive character
of such talk will at be 1t will be said that
contest is made in opposition 10 the exclusive dino
nancy of the new Order, because of the Foreign ele
ment and influence in town. Now, look thIs-the
County of New Hanover, outside of the town, has no
foreign influence whatever, and no foreign votes-so
with Dupn, Onslow, and all around. Is it to conc-
late any foreign influence to secure foreign votes
that the masses of native North Caronians in these
counties take and occupy the position in which we
find them! Are the maiority of the native citizens of
North Carolina Anti-Amercan? We think not. We
think no one wi II hazard the assertion. Among the
hardy mountaineers, the descendants of those who
fought at Kings Mountain and elsewhere, are the
America? We really think not, yet the large majori-
ty of these citizens went for Clingman and Craige IN
August last and these gentlemen stood fatfooted up
on the Anti Know Nothing ground.
Is there any rule in this land higher than the con-
stitution and the laws Is not the individual who
fulhs all the conditions of the laws enacted in pur
suance of the constitution, legal constitutional
American citizen, subject 10 all the burdens and en-
titled to all the benefits of citizenship? Is he not
taxed citiZen-Can taxation and representation
be separated Is it to be believed that the Amer-
can people-for they the laws, or, at least, speak
through them-is it to be believed that the American
people will hold out any thing deceptive illusory
promise one thing and perform another - say
through the laws to the who 10 support
the constitution and renounces all other allegiance,
you are free American citzen-by your conduct as
such you must be judged-you have right to aspire
| to any position which your fellow-ctiZens may be
disposed to confer upon you and the constitution does
not prohibit and after having so said, for to this
the law amounts, then turn round and say-no, sir,
you arc marked man-you periurer--you
have, to he sure, to support the constitution
and the laws and think that you entitled to the
confidence of your fellow citizens if your conduct
merits it, but it is not soyou incapable of being
) even constable. We cannot believe it. 1t would
he no true Americanism, nor in accordance with the
! genius of the American people.
The wild hunt after Office Isl perhaps too Justly
the repoach of all classes at least it is the text of
numerous political sermons in which it is charged as
general thing. We should be the last to be the
defenders of any such thing on the part of adopted
citizens Offices should seek men and not men Offices
But American citizenship is, ought to be, sacred
deposit by Whonsoever possessed upon whomso-
conferred, and the possessor owes it to himself
and to his country to guard its rights privileges and
immunlties, whether existing IN his own person or
in the person of others and certainly the deprivation
and political degradation of any class of free
white men upon whom. the character of American
citizens has been conferred, is blow struck at that
citizenship itself.
The States ereign in all their domestic af-
fairs, and most if Lot all of them, require proba.
tionary residence of longer shorter period, be-
fore the citizen of another State acquire the char
acter Of citizen of any State into which he may have
moved. The man from Virginia, coming to North
Carolina, must acquire citizenship by residence
And does he not so acquire it, and is he to be made
different from others ? He may come from some
State where opposition to the fundamental element
Of Southern society is the rule rather than the ex-
ception He, toO acquires citizenship by residence
he attans the confidence of his Southern fellow
citizens by becoming one of them. The feelings OF
irritation and prejudice, which Northern aggression
and interference may have awakened in Southern
minds, no longer apply to him, because, by residence
and Identification, he himself has become Southern
man. The man born outside of the United States
becomes American in the same way that man
born North becomes Southern citizen and, indeed
the separation from all former ties and af6ntes that
might interfere with his undisturbed fulfllment OF
the duties arising from the position he has assumed
is much more complete in the folmer than in the lat
ter The naturazed citizen, by law, by resi-.
dence by feeling and by identification of interests
has become, to all ntents and purposes an American
and is no longer foreigner, the of Northern
birth, by the same residence, feeling and identified
ton of interest, becomes a Southerner
SO far as regards the anti-Know-Nothin move
ment in town, know that the first call for meet
ing published in the Journal at the urgent re-
quest of native citizens of town, and none others
Whether the movement be successful or not we know
that ii will receive the earnest support of gentlemen
of both parties. whom to stigmaze as anti Amer
cans is assert what the common sense of every
man must rePudiate with contempt. We know tina
the ticket is composed of gentlemen who have tn.
interests of the town, the qchole town, as much
E heart as any men IN it-who would be as far from
any deviation from the true spirit which should actu
ate American citizens North Carolina citizens, Viii
mington citizens. as any men upon whom the SUI
shines.