The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-08-15
WEDNESDAY MORNING, AUG. is.
Candid Word to Forsign-born American Citizen,

can party is hostile 10 the free and unre-
strained enjoyment Of your rights as American
citizens. The "Americans" have been de-
nounced as enemies to civil and religious free
dom. and foes TO the Constitution OF their
country. All this is base and reckless calum-
nv: and we are glad to know there is con-
siderable number Of intelligent, dispassiOnate,
discriminating foreigners in our midst, who
understand better the American question and
the issues growing out of it-whO literally
and justly appreciate the honorable, enlight-
ened, far-seeing patriotism Of the American
party.
To these we would render an especial tribute
of honorable praise. Their wise and judicious
sanction of these high-toned AMERICAN sentl-
nents and doctrines is the more honorable to
themselves, because it springs from intellectual
conviction and a sense Of duty, unaided by
native instinct or early education. And Why
should not these principles have their sanction
the sanction of all enlightened citizens
whether native or foreign-bornf Their for
tunes, and the fortunes of their posterity for
good or i'll, are here-this is now their country,
as we'll as ours What is our interest is their
interest-and if native-born Americans pro-
mote their Oson safety and welfare in managing
the Government, they will, of course, by in
evitable necessity, promote the safety and
welfare, also, of their foreign-born fellow
citizens. This cannot be denied, consistently
with the suppostion that the mass of natural
L., L., al hapaftc NTH he
mass of the native. born.
You may be told that we seek to assail and
undermine your Constitutional rights of citi-
zenship. This is utterly untrue, and foolish as
it is false We interpose no obstacle to your
free and unrestrained exercise Of the elective
franchise, to enjoy life, liberty and happiness,
and the pursuit and possession of property
under the protection of our equal, just and
benign laws. These constitutional guarantees
we cannot alter if we woodland would not
if we could If no higher motive restrained
rs, wise regard for our self-interest alone
would be imperative. We cannot touch these
rights as to foreign-born citizens without in
Guiding natives, for the first principle of the
Constitution prohibits partial legislation
The right TO hold office, which is enjoyed at
best, by a small proportion Of the people, is a
right to be determined under the Constitution,
by the will of the majority. No man has n
right 10 complain if the majority decides
against him or his favorite; for that identical
Constitution which he has sworn 10 obey, en-
joins as a sacred duty, a ready and cheerful
acquiescence in the will of the majority. In
the glowing language of the Americans Text
book, ''well we know there are many foreign
ers by birth among Us, whose social virtues
ornament the varied circles of private life
some who have illumined the councils of our
nation by the light of their experience and
wisdom-some who have irradiated the classic
pages of our literature by the bright halo of
resplendent genius; some who, on the battle
fields of immortal memory, by their deeds of
chiValry, by their hearts blood of devotion,
have shed upon our national escutcheon the
splendor of an unfading glory" Of such we
speak not disparagingly. But for them also,
and their children forever, we wish to preserve
the memory of their illustrious deeds, and the
ineffable blessings of our free institutions. In
behalf of such we would gladly make an ex-
ception if we could but no one has yet been
able to suggest any other than a uniform rule
of exclusion, or indiscrminste admission to
places Of trust and power. 1t is seldom that
any general rule does not bear harshly upon
some individuals, and we respectfully submit
whether il is not reasonable and proper that
wise, discriminating, patriotic foreign-born cit
incidental privation, no way affecting their |
Constitutional rights, for the promotion aud |
security of the general public good.
Ola rece with other misrepresentation only |
a few Of which we havespace here to enumerate
Is the baseless and monstrous charge that the !
American party wage war Of religious perse-
cution or determination against Roman Catho.
les Religion is not involved in the ques ion. 1t
rs quite foreign to the subject. 1t is the tenn
porai policy-the civil and political enchroach-
ments-of the Church Government of Rome
which Americans resist. All history attests
the fact that loyal and strictly orthodox
member Of the Roman Church can give No
adequate security for his loyalty to any other
Government than that of the Pope of Rome
DR.. Brownson, " hose Review" is recognized
As the organ Of the Roman Church in this
country, has set this point in the controver.
sy forever at rest. lie says: "TRe Pope IL n,
proper peloeT 10 decide for mo whether the Con-
stitatfoN Of tAS country as or is aot repugnaRt
10 the la0s Of God" As matter of course
then, the Pope has just as much right to de-
Ode that a certainlaw or laws, obnoxious TO his
Judgment, are unconstitutional and therefore,
against the laws of God" Or the Constitu- /
ton might be amended, and he decide the
amendment TO be against the laws of God,n /
or the Pope might, perchance change his mind,
despite of his 'infallibilty"
And again, says DR.. B.-"Wsat 7 claim for
me Pope as tho Uisi5le head OF The Church, Is