Washington telegraph., 1855-12-19
Letter from Com. stockton,
ON ANERICANISM.

At recent meeting of the Americans,
in Trenton. New Jersey. to rejoice over
their late victories. the following letter was
received from Com Stockton
PRacEToS. II. j., Nov. Il, 1855
GENrLEMEN-I am informed by your let
ter Of yesterday, that a meeting is to be
| held at Trenton, on Friday. the 18th inst.
commemorative of the principles of the
! American party. You also say that it is
well known that you hive for several
years approved those principles, therefore
you are earnestly invited to be present. and
address your fellow citizens on that occasion ;
thank you for the invitation, although
! previous engagements will prevent my be-
ing present.
l am unwilling, however. to permit the
occasion to pass without expressing my en-
tire concurrence in the patriotic principles of
the American party, which have had for many
years the approval OF my head and heart
They arc
First-The Constitution, with its Com
promises.
Second-The preservation of the Union
at all hazards
be abolished or essentially modified.
Fdurth--Americans only should rule
America. They only should be appointed
to the high and responsible executive offices
under our government.
The men of the revolution, notwthstand-
ing they gratefully acknowledged the aid
derived from France, were fully sensible of
the dangers of foreign influence They in
corporated in to both the Federal and State
constitutions, pro visions carefully designed,
as barriers against the influence Of any for
eign ingredient in the population. The
protraeted war which succeeded the French
Revolution. powerfully affected the public
mind in the United States. and politicians
were more or less BIASED In favor of one or
the other belligerent. Il required the whole
weight Of the great Washington's character,
to prevent the young republic from being
entangled in the mesbes of European poll
tics. His wisdom enabled him justly to ap-
preciate the desire which has always charac-
terized republican governments to become
more or less subject, in one way or-another,
TO faseica- influence. The events of his
age, however, directed his attention to the
counteracton Of that influence, exerted in
a different manner from that in Which it
now threatens our safety. The foreign
influence which justly alarmed him. arose
from the sympathy of our people with one
or the other of the mighty powers, who
were contending as both claimed to be-
for liberty. and for political predominance
in Europe.
Washington did not anticipate, that in
half century from his age, Europe would
be brought within ten days sail of America.
or that within that period half million of
foreigners annually would come to exercise
the prerogatives of American sovereigns-
Had such state of things been presented
to him, his warning voice would have been
heard on the subject, and would have in
spired our statesmen with the wisdom and
the courage to avert the danger which he
would have foreseen. Such were the jealous
virtue and patriotism which distinguished the
Washington era, that had the immigration
Of that period been one-tenth of what It has
now become, it is more than probable that
no power would have been granted by the
people t, the Federal Government. to enact
any laws of naturalization.
The evil is upon US which Washington
deprecated The evil is radical, and the
correction must be equally radical. We
must awaken in the public mind that sens-
tive regard for the preservation of the Con-
stitution and American liberty which In
spired the souls of those patriots who were
the counselors and supporters of Washing
ton and the fathers of this country. The
safety and prosperity Of ou, institutions |
must be made the cardinal objects of attain |
ment. The spoils of office. the love of pow
er the subjection to the iron tyranny of
few political oligarchs. must be held in con-
tempt, in comparison with the importance Of /
securing these great ends.
The crafty engineers Of political specula-
ton see no danger, and never will sec any, !
which does not threaten to arrest their prof /
liable control of parties. The doctrine that
Americans alone shall rule America" de- |
signed to restore the government as it was
in the days of Washington. to the hands of
Americans alone,' is stigmatiZed by the
organized cabal of politicians who WELD the
machinery for manufacturing the incum-
bents of Office, from that of the President
downwards as pestilent heresy; and those
who hold to this ancient American doctrine
are denounced as traitors. The progress of
events is rapidly bringing the country to
the condition when but two parties contend
with each other-the one the American
party, the other the Foreign party. The
American party viii seek the restoration of
the government to American control, such as
it was when it came fresh from the American
people.
The foreign party will seek to propitiate
the foreign element, pander to insoient am
bition and aspiring predominance, contend
for the continuance and extension Of its
privileges, cringe with servility to its die