Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-09-11
LlNCHBURG VIRGINIAN.
TUESDAY MORNING. .sEPrR II, 1858
NJ Bolts and Americanism


dressed bv him to Mr.. Barker Of New York. late
prrs3ept of the National American Council.
bearing date I4th May, 1855. The reason for lie
publication. as given by the writer, is that since
the publication Of tho proceedings OF the late
State Council assembled at Richmond, at Which
he offered certain resolutions ri recommendation
touching the creed and policy Of the party,
he has reserved so many letters asking for anex-
pianation Of his views that he finds impossible 10
answer them & adopts this method of eommnaica
ting the information they seek Mr.. Ilotsit will be
borne in mind, recommended 10 the Slate Council
the entire abrogation Of the secrecy. oaths aud
religious feature, SO far as they existed in the
usages and creed cfihe Ordcrand that they shonld
insist upon a total repeal Of the naturalization
laws. His reasons for these recommendations
are embraced in the extract from bis letter which
Whatever prejudice exists against our order
grows Chiefly IL not entirely, out q the religious
aspect that il seems t1 bear, and some of the
friends Of the order lthe Rev. Mr.. Breckenridge n
Ky, fus essmplel take the groand that religion
actually constitutes prominent element OF the
organization. Now this is certainly not my an
derstanding of the subject. for | could not at
taCfl mfstH 10 my poHicHi party Wh'St bbftA -
was 10 war upon any particular denomination OF
religion ! do war against the political influ
snce that the Roman Catholic denomination ok
ercises in this country. and against the temporal
power claimed for the Pope Of Rome over his
creatures among
/ think IL must be conceded By all, TINT it is
not only Anti-Republican, but nii-American,
and BY all means to be avoided, that any
restriction should be imposed upon any part
Il "a tai
States, that IN not necessary for the pre-.
servation Of our Institutions and if this point
In welded as 1 think IL must be, then think ey
rry friend Of the Order must desire TO remove go
far as may be done with sefety all prejudices that
exists against the party. aud thereby give addi-
,onal power and influence TO the organization.
This too being conceded the question arises,
whether we may not safety dispense with the
religious test altogether
For my own part, ! am entirely satisfied that
il is one of the dogmas of the Romish Church
that the Pope can exercise temporal, as well a.
spiritual power over the members OF the church.
wherever they may be found, and that the foreign
Roman Catholics in this country constitute
dangerous political organization: that the safety
Of cur country requires US to reject and exclude
them from all political offices, and so far
from all political influence: but | believe also,
from the investigation that | have given this
subject, that il is confined mainly to the ignorant
beoted and superstitous foreigner, who has been
brought up in a foreign land and who has been
taught this doctrine from his infancy. do not
believe that our native born Catholics, who have
been brought up under republican institutions.
recognize any such power; and that IT they do
the instances are 50 rare, that no mischief is at
all likely to arise from the chances of their get
ting into Office. or Of being able TO do any mis-
chief If they should, that would he at all equvn-
lent to the prejudice we have now 10 encounter on
this subject.
Now, If am right in this conjecture. might we
not safely drop this whole question of religion,
and by an absolute repeal Of the naturalization
iaw, we would exclude all foreigners from office
and by this means We should necessarily exclude
all foreign Romanists, and thus accomplish all
that il desirable. without touching or raising the
question of religion which is so liable 10 be abu
sed misunderstood, and misrepre sented.
While would suffer no more to acquire the
right of citizenship, would abriJge the time
within which they should acquire civil and reli-
gious privileges. which might be the moment they
made declaration in due form of their intention
10 become permanent residents of the United
States; but I mouid pithhoid from them all politi
cal rights forever; and then. in the course Of one
generation. we should reach that desirable and
happy period when should have none but
tive born American citizens to participate in
trolling Tho destinies OF this great country; for
what was our ,pohey ~ iT9a' when we numbered
only three millions, is not our policy now, that
we have reached twenty five or thirty mil
lions; what our policy when the foreign pop
ulation came among us by tens or by dozens is
not our pohcy now that they come III by the hum
dred thousands half million ayear; what was
our policy when emigration was confined chiefly
to the enterprfsing' skiifnl and respectable mer-
chant. cif'zen or agricniturist. is not our pohcy
now. that all Europe rs belching forth the con
tents of their aims and prison houses upon our
shores; and to get md OF the many that are UNI
worthy, we must of necessity exclude the COM
parativeiy few that are vrtuous, honest and in