Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1855-03-29
Extracts from the Speech of John ]. C.
Henderson. Esq.


On the .4mericdn Question, dei,urred al Md
die GroUc, Monroe county, 22d February,
1865.
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: Politics
and political speech-making have formed no
part of my vocation, from the day that first
set foot upon your soil up to the present
time. have been called on by some of my
friends, whose pnrIioliiy may possibly have
outrun their discretion, 10 address you on a
subject which now ugitates the length and
breadth of your land. Due regard for the
wishes Of my personal friends, together with
a deep conviction of the expcdiency and ne
ca<siy Of OH alteration of your laws regula-
ting the naturalization OF foreigners, have
alone induced me 10 appear before yon with
an expression Of my views on what is term
cd, "The Natire Amer,can Question:" l am
gratiGed by the unlocked for a,semblage on
this occasion; but let m ak ynu: What
c,me We out for 10 sep" "Whnt came We
ont for to hcar?' Game We tn scan the fra-
lures Of renegade? Came We 10 hear his
voice raised III abuse Of the lard n' his ma
tvity. "thc sca-girl isle? 10 hear him rail
AT his former fellow ,ubjec,s, the Irish? or
pour cont, ,npt on the character or intellect
Of his friends from The European continent?
T. such were tho exp, cations of any, most
assured'y will they be disappointed. No.
geih'rrnen. trust that | um incapable OF.
such course. No heart beats trucr 20 the
land OF its birth than does mine-ncne more
cordially re-echoc$ the sentiment Of tie i'm
mortal Scott
'Oh Caledonia! stern and wild,
Meet nurse for poetic child;
Land OF brown heath and shaggy wood,
Land of the mountain and the food,
Land of my sircs-what mortal hand!
Can e'cr unite The filial band
That knits NE 10 the rugged stand?"
My feelings toward my own country, ]
think, may he taken on my own assertion,
and trdst that the friendly relations have
constantly maintained with other foreigners
in our neighborhood since my advent here
may be considered as indicative Of the res
poet and esteem have for them personally
cannot hope 10 follow at length every argu
ment that might be offered in favor Of the re.
peal or amendment Of the present naturall.
cation laws; and | shall therefore conteiI
myself with following out those position,
that more Immediately present themselves
10 my mind, which are these:
ls,, Tie history OF the different nations
Of modern Europe has amply proved, lho
up 10 this time the masses OF the inhabitants
have shown incapacity for practical rCPvbli
caniSm or self government. %. Forcignim
migrants ought justly TO be content that tn
laws ofthe United States grant protection t'
their lives and limbs, and secure 10 them tn
peaceful enjoyment Of the fruits of their in
dustry; and ought not of right, to complail
if this government should, for the future, re
solve 10 extend them time and opportunit,
for studying its working. Sd. The conduc
O. many foreign residents Of the L. State
has been such as TO warrant the native bcr
citizens in insisting on revision Of the law
under question. 4lh. The sudden transfer
5 nation Of Europeans to American citizen:
5 opening such door TO Romi>h influence an
and thus 10 its twin sister Jesuitism, call
for the prompt action Of American citizens
in order 10 arrest its progress.
e | will, then, enieavcr TO draw your after
[. tIon TO my first position--,hat based on tn
issue Of the Republican revolutionary strue
). gle OF Europe. need not carry you far'l
t er back into the pages Of history than Ii
II date of The French revolution, at the clos
e Of; tie last century. Ample material ic
); the substantiotion of my position can |
VI found in the history Of Europe since tn
time. From May OF l174, when Louis i5i
!. 50 unNillingIy surrendered his soul to II
God that gave it, I'LL January Of 1888, whc
Louis 10Th fell beneath the hcad,non'S aN
d a space Of nearly nineteen years-what WI
|. To le seen in France but II continual striviI
IN the part of tic m,bleSt intellec'S tn
h groccd that unhappy kingdom, /" arrange
n system that would ,ilecIuay secure tie ii
Is critics OF all. Their effort was in valn.-
II The three great parties, Nrl>tocra'ic Ioya
lists. constitutional monarchists aud rppub
cans, If indeed these las, deserve the name
," maintained their deadly hate toward ca'
- other; the struggle between them ended
NJ the triumph of the so called republicans al
> the death of the unfortunate King. Fren
republicanism then had its sway, and ho
did il succeed A new reign OF terror
Directory and Dictatorship, till France alo
: found glory and prosperity under the abs
lutte guidance of the great Napoleon, I'll
resulted one attempt at popular sovereign
in Europe. Take next the same country