The American patriot., 1855-08-11

except Natural born citizen" shall be '.eligi-
gible to the Office Of President" and the
twelfth amendment declares that no foreigner
shall be eligible to the office of Vice President.
1t thus appears that foreigners are absolutely
prohibited By the Constitution from filling the
only two Offices which emanate directly from
the whole people, whose incumbents are elect
ed BY the whole people, and who are in an es-
pecial manner the guardians of the rights of
the people. What stronger distinction is it
possible to make between the Native and the
foreign born citizen? In comparison with that
how poor and how weak is the mere resolution
Of political party that they will not cote for
foreignersf If the declaration of such pur-
pose by those who are called Know Nothings
is odious, unjust, infamous, and tyrannical
what will you do with that Constitution we all
profess to revere? From that green and liv-
ing root they extracted the essence of their
creed. Whatever of Observation-Disclosures Of pat
Observation-Disclosures of sincere devotion to hber.
ty and the country may encircle them is drawn
from the same healthful source. Strike them
down and you aim blow at the supreme law
Of the land Strike them down, and you pre-
pare the way for amendments to the Constitu-
ton which will soon have you vassals in fact,
If not vassals in name, to those who grew by
your hospitality. and fattened upon your char
ity. am notunaware that it is customary to
ridicule the idea of danger from foreign influ-
ence. We are exultingy pointed to the fact
that there are but three millions Of foreigners,
while there are twenty millions of Natives.
These figures are not accurate, but we will
take them as they are given to u.s. 1t must
be remembered that of this three millions of
foreigners very large proportion are voters.
1t is the unvarying law of emigration that
frYno hor or HoJv &c
igrants are males. This was the case even in
California when the emigration was only from
one portion Of our own territory to another. All
of us can call to mind cases in which the head
OF the family alone is a foreigner, while the
wife and children are Natives. These 20 to
swell the number of Natives on the census
books, while the voter-the efficient and con-
trolling power, is set down as one foreigner.
Now let US look at the other side: Of the
twenty millions of Americans about one half
are females. This disposcs of ten millions Of
the remainder at least two thirds are children,
and boys too young to vote. That disposcs of
near seven millions more, and brings the num-
Der ofvoters down much nearer to an equality
than is at all agreeable, or than our opponents
are willing to admit. These facts have not
been unknown to. or unmarked by Politicians.
There is not an aspiring Demagogue in all the
land who has not time and again made himself
conspicuous as the advocate of Foreigners
Wm H. Seward with his cold, calculating.
heartless selfishness, is the leader in this race
Of adulation to whatever is of foreign extraction;
and many better men who ought not to be
named in the same breath are fastening in
his footsteps. Even the veteran soldier whose
life had been passed among bullets-whose
strong nerves had never been shaken in the
deadliest conflict, when he was a candidate,
quailed before the vast influence these stran-
gers had acquired, and the 'foreign accent"
became as music to his car. Two public acts
in the recent history Of the country exhibit
still more strongly the dangers of foreign influ-
ence, and admonish US to check it while we
have yet the power.
In the autumn of 1S49 Father Mathew, an
Irish Priest, who had acquired great celebrity
as Temperance lecturer, paid visit to the
U. S. He came to Washington and resolution
was at once introduced to allow him the privi-
lcge Of the floor of the Senate This was op
posed by Mr.. Calhoun on the ground 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 indulged in denunciations of slavery and
taken part with abolitionists against the South,
which considered an unwarrantable interrned-
ding with matters that in no way concerned
him. Notwithstanding these objectious the
resolution passed by a decided majority, and
Father Matthew took his seat upon the floor Of
the Senate. Not long afterwards Gen. Pillow
who bore upon his person the marks of honor
able wounds recently received in the service of
the Republic, visited Washington, and found
to his modification no doubt that the place
which had been occupied by Catholic Priest
was inaccessible to him, native born Ameri-
can, and late Major General in the wars of
his Country. Nor was he alone 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 of Gen. Scott who
had received special vote of thanks during
the war of 1912, which of itself entitled him to
admission. 1t will not do to tell me that res
pect for the cause Of temperance produced this
astonishing result. The Congress of the U. S.
are not remarkable as disciples 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 conciliatc that large body of ma
turalized citizens who looked up to Father
Matthew as superior being. 1t was this
which gave to the Foreigner and the Catholic an
importance above and beyond that of the sol
diery whose blood had been poured out like
water on the plains of Mexico. 1t was this
whice induced the Senate to forget what it had
been-to throw aside the severe dignity which
had so elevated them in the minds of men, ant
to exchange the character Roman sages fol
that of servile sycophants. There was tim'
when that high body was composed of sternel
stuff. There was time when such propo
; sition would have been treated with the scorn i
deserved But that was before the Irish Exc
dus. Now if we venture to question foreigl
merit it must be done with "bated breath
If we venture to deny any foreign demand
| however imperious, we are threatened witt
political annihiation, and yet | am told W
are in M danger from foreion influence