Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1855-05-30
JOHN MITCHELL, THE PATRIOT.

Mr.. Shepard, in his speech here on Monday last
occupied the G, ound that this country should repe
from its shores the "paupers and criminals" of Eu-
rope. We have always maintained that the govern
ments of Europe should not be permitted to make a
Botany Bay of this country, by sending hther per-
sons convicted of offences other than political and
paupers SO declared and regarded by law. But this
is matter with which the federal government has
no more to do than it has with the qualifications of
voters in the States; the States, and :he corpora
tons within the States, must be looked to in this res
pect and, general rule they are exercising the
power of sending back or of requiring indemnity for
the settlement of these classes Of persons in our
midst
Mr.. Shepard omitted to state the fact that no for
eigner be naturalized who does not make it sat
isfactorily appear to the Court that he is "a man of
good moral character attached to the principles of
the Constitution of the United States, and we'll dis
posed to the good order and happiness of the same
but Mr.. Haywood, in his admirable reply, showed
this also the similarity Of this movementn which
Mr. Shepard is leading in this District to that of the
alien law of the elder Adams
But Mr.. Shepard spoke of the Irish patriot, Mitch
ell "a conoct and traitor! Mr.. Mitchels crime
is that he endeavored, as Washington and Greene en-
deavored for this country in 1776 to break from the
limbs ofIreand the fetters placed upon them by Brit.
sh rule For this he tried before corrupt Court
and by packed jury and sentenced to transportation
for life to Australia lie escaped reached this free coun
try, and is now, soon will be, naturalized cit
zen thereof. His first crime was that of which
Washington was guilty-rebellion against the
British government; his second crime, in the est-
nation of the aDolitonists was, that he defended
slavery and expressed the wsh in so doing, that he
had q plantation in Alabama, well stocked with
negroes" and his third crime, in the eyes OF Know
Nothngs is that he will not join them, 9TH
er Irish, English and Scotch ingrates and traitors
have done, in prosecuting men on account of their
religious opinions and because they happened to be
born in Europe or Asia. Some time last year Mr..
Mitchell was invited to visit Virginia, which he did
and recently he was the guest, by express invita-
ton, of the Legislature Of Louisiana. He is the
staunch friend and supporter ofthe Constitution of the
United States the advocate and defender of African
slavery and of lion heart and unwavering pur-
pose in his devotion to the rights ofman. Such the
man, who is denounced by the Know Nothing candi-
date as "a convict and tratorI God grant that Eu-
rope were full of such mem If it were corrupt aristo
cracies and despotisms would be overset and the
honest masses would obtain liberty and justice. We
say, we hail all such "convcts and traitors as
Mitchell, Meagher, O'Dunahoe, and mith OBryan,
and bid them welcome to shores. Nor aeould
zoe repel the poor immigrant because he is poor. II
he can reach here by his own means, and if he
come of his own accord, and, painting for breath
and smarting under the lash of the oppressor, he
can just crawl up on the shore, we say we would
not send him back-we would not make his honest
poverty crime Let him, poor though he be, find
refuge here-let him look upon that banner of the
stars and stripes and live!
Is there an Irshman, or the son Of an Irishmar
in the District, who vote for Mr.. Shepard?
Those sterling Democrats, Chas. F. Fisher, Esq.
of Rowan, and Col. John F. Hoke, of Lincoln, have
contradcted publicly, in the most decided terms, thu