The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1855-08-04


OUR GERMAN FELLOW CITIZENS.
The last number Of the Onondaga Dem
ocrat German paper) contains another chap.
ter on know nothingism, from which VIC
make few extracts. Replying to the OBJ
.jections against the Germans for forming
exclusive military companies, the editor re.
marks: salaa a'n y,
J" If the Know Nothings will look back
to the days of Washington, they will sec
that then already existed in Pennsylvania
two full regiments composed of Germans BY
birth, who even had the words of command
spoken in German. Were they therefore
less liked by the great Washington? On
several occasions he spoke in high terms
of admiration of their conduct and gallant
Iry, and whenever he met them he spoke
some words in German to them, in order to
show how he loved these tforcigners.'-
Conrad Bush, who died in POmpey not
long SINCE aged 102 years, was one Of these
foreigners, who left the Hcssian army and
Joined the Americans and fought well witt,
them for liberty. He was personally ac.
qnainted with Washington and esteemed
by him; but when he died, the American pa-
pers gave only "a mcagre notice of the death
Of this revolutionary foreigner.
:" Do the know nothings not know that al
the beginning CT the Revolutionary war Rev.
Mr.. Muehlenberg, who preached to Luther.
an congregation in Virginia, collected the
young men of his flock in military com.
Ipany, was elected their captain, and march.
cd with them on a Sabbath to the church?
Here he assembled the the pulpit in full mil.
itary uniform, took leave of his flock n, Ge,,.
man, and told them the time had come that
every good citizen should fight for his coun.
try with the sword and not with the Bible?
Did Rev. Captain Muchlcnbcrg with his
German company ever dishonor the Amer
ican flag? Has any German company
ever dishonored the flag of their adopted
country? Thcknow nothings boast of their
forelathers who fought in the revolutionary
war; we have also our forefathers whom We
can boast of. We have our Steuben, Dc
Kalb, Muehlenberg, and Others but VIC
have no Benedict Arnold. Have the Ger
man military companies in any war shown
themselves unworthy of the confidence bes-
towed upon them? OF course they did not
burn blue lights in 1912; they did not pray,
like Corwin, that tho Americans in Mexico
might find bloody graves; but they fought
well and did not turn traitors II it had
not been for the German and Irish compa.
nies the Mexican war would have ended III
a little different style. And yet the know
nothings want to have such gallant men ex-
cluded from the army and navy and the
right of citizenship. They set up fierce
howl when President Pierce appointed
Thomas Grey q second lieutenant, because
this man, who had fought all the battles in
Mexico and distinguished himself by bis
gallantry and conduct, was by birth an
lrishman. Who made the revolutionary
troops military body? Was itnota Ger
man officer by the name of Stcuben, who
left his country and his good salary and
joined an almost pennilcss army only for
the sake Of liberty. 1t was by his toreigm
influence that the army was saved from
ruin. HHlE UUlF| HI8'e W
"llow contemplate these snccrs and as
sumptions of the Hindoos are They boast
Of the merits and virtues of their forefath.
ers, because they cannot show some OF their
own. They are like the bird which orna-
mented itself with the feathers of other
birds that its own ugliness should not be
seen" H4 3.'j tld8L