The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-03-11

sat aliens 10 acquire and hold real estate prior 10 nau-
r,l.ation Virginia certainly does. Some Of the States
confer the right OF suffrage upon aliens who have declared
slr intention become citizens while others require
bem 10 be fully naturalzed before they allowed
ve The whole subject Of suffrage ia exclusively regua
ia by the State constitutions IL may be confined
aens AZ the sole discretion of the State soveregnties
The naturalization laws affect the subject only far
he State constitutions may direct IL is wholly impracti-
cable for the federal government TO control the right Of
Suffrage through any laws which il could enact
Those who seek TO curta the privileges enjoyed by the
immigrant population accomplish no essential object
through the agency OF the federal government So long
As the alien enjoys under the State government the right
Of residence the right to acquire and hold property and
the right of suffrage, he can experience but little inconse
uience from the want Of the few additional privileges
which full and formal citizenship would confer The only
appropriate theatre for the operations OF party organized
to effect the proessed objects OF know-nohngism is TO be
found in the States where the immigrant population
abounds and where the alleged evils OF oregnism may
exist Those evils essentially local. and be prop
ery remedied only by the local authorities They afford
the appropriate subject for municipal and police regua-
ions Fiye-sixths of the foregn-born population Of the
United States resident in the non-slayehoding States
and there nearly one-half Of 1t is accumulated
In the cities The whole Of this population in the United
States numbers 2,22464s OF that number only 1881
are IN the southern States, with native white pop
ula.ion OF 2342255 and l05,335 In the Southwestern
States with a native white population of l97B53l.
considerable proportion Of this class OF our population IN
the siayehoding, as in the nonslavehoding Staies are
conglegaed in the cities. These facts strongly display
ISM A full investigation. perhaps might show thai the
real evils &c such there are are confined TO the cites
which according the returns contain nearly one
half Of all the oregn-born residents IN the Union The
entire repeal the naturalization laws would not mate
rally diminish the number of that class OF immigrants VINO
come here seeking employment for their labor and accu
mnate In the cities They come to make living not 10
aeonire the right of surageaured by expectation OF
easy naturalization bat by the prospect of higher wages
and more employment than they can Ind IN the
country which they leave OF the oregnborn males over
40 in
1916 and 1850 show that hvesxths were unnaturaiized
1t is fair presume that similar proportion IN the other
cities have failed 10 avail themselves OF the advantages OF
present naturalization laws
The other osensble object of the know-nohlng organ
zaton entirely beyond the reach of the federal govern
nen Ii touch Roman Catholicism by any const-
utona action The folly of attempting to arrest the pro-
gress of religious creed by prosecutions and civil disa
be has been often demonstrated that IT is surprising
to see revived in this age and country distinguished
advocate of religious liberty declared nearly half century
ago that in Great Britain nearly all its opponents
had sencedsome had been taught sense Others in
spred with shame, until were left upon the field ex-
cept those who could neither learn nor blush The prnc
pies of religious liberty cherished in Virginia with PEE
cuar affection Our act for the establishment OF religious
freedom asserts in imposing and authoritative language
that 'he prescribing any citizen unworthy the public
confidence by laying upon him an incapacity OF being
called offices of trust and emoument unless he profess
or this that religious opinion is depriyng
him njurously ofhose privileges and advantages which,
in common with his fellow-citzens, he has natural
right that tends only to corrupt the principles OF that
nopoly OF worldly honors and emoluments those who
will externally profess and conform to it that though in
deed those criminal who do not withstand such tempt
alton vet neither are those who lay the bait in
their way" In the struggle which terminated IN the
pee emancipation of religion in this State the dissenting
Protestant secs under the energetic lead of the Bapsts
bore conspicuous part The act for the establishment OF
religious freedom eminehtly Protestant achieve
ment and Professionalism in Virginia rudey despos itself
Of Unrest with which it is decorated by his
tory when violates the letter the spirit Of that ceebra
1au Thp ho uuW tn rene he q
religious intolerance pay an appropriate homage to the
virtue and intelligence of this country when they conceal
themselves from public observation Those who are afraid
the Roman Catholic arguments in the field OF fair
discussion may well be alarmed at Its anticipated prog
ress but s intelligent opponents will regard with
composure what they consider its errors 50 long as rea
left free to combat them For every Roman Caho
lie priest in the United States there rs Protestant
preachers for every Catholic altar there 80 Protestant
pupts Scarcely onetwentich part Of the population Of
the Union attached to the Roman Catholic religion II
Professionalism is safe with these heavy odds in its ia
its ascendency will not be maintained by prosecutions
aud civil disabilities imposed upon its opponents Know
nothingism may do to advance the Catholic cause
than all its priesthood and place Catholicism the right
side and Professionalism the wrong side of the great
question Of religious liberty by course so iberal and
unwarrantabe This is attempted to be justified by an
absurd exaggeraon Of the political influence OF Catholi-
cm in this country. Mr.. Chandler, OF Pennsylvania adj
dressing the House Of Representatives few weeks since
declared that he knew of but Catholic besides himself
who member of that House of Congress We may,
then least pronounce the legislative department to be
from Catholic control There be
organize party protect that branch Of the fed
eral government and the Catholic influence is equally fee
BILE in the executive and Judicial departments.
What then, know -nothngism accomplish upon the
subjects which it undertakes to agate? IL may expel
from the executive department few naturalized citizens
who afoncumbens of Office but nnetenths Of the fed
era offices said to be already filled by native citizens
that scarcely be object worth the attention of
onal party Those who originated and expect TO control
this organization must have other and undivulged objects
in view Temporary prejudice and excitement the sub
ects of foregnism and Catholicism may to place them
In power. How will they power when acquired We
well recall eloquent warning Of great English states
man. and beware Of $50 trying thing new power in
persons of whose principles empers and dispositions
have little experience and in situations where
those who appear most stirring the may not be
the real movers What is this party expected TO do
upon those great subjects of practical interest to which
have before reerred2 The elections in which they have
already rmphed afford US sufficient data to infer their
policy upon the most important Of these subjects-SLA-
VERY
Know-nothugism has had its origin and its growth in
those quarters OF the Union where abolonism is most
powerful At the instant that wnothingism has
swept the States abolitonism has
acquired ascendency to which it before aspred
Every election in which northern knownothingism has
numphed has Injured TO the benefit Of abolitionsm Ey
cry individual whom the northern know-nothngs have
elected to either branch of the federal legislature is
mtted to the most violent views Of the abotioniss They
have FRUSTRATED wherever they had the power do the
same men whom the abotonists wished TO PROSTATE.
They have sustained every whom the aboitonsts
wished to save. Know nothngism, in the ascendant
throughout the non-ssvehong States does not elevate
into power single friend to the South No solitary
eepton breaks the gloomy uniformity of the Every
where they ARE doing the work which abolitionism has
been unsuccesuy attempting for years And vet we are
required to believe that they were not organized tn ner
formth art nly IN do