The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-06-15
Reported for ns Telegraph.
Senator Wilson on the Position and
Duty Of the American Party.
BnA11LrpoRo,, W.. Nav 27, VS..

'uen. NlsOn, yOur ucW ccHapt, uuu'o'seu
the American party, and the citizens general
ly, last evening, at the Unitarian Church,
upon "The Position and Duty Of the Amer.
can Party" The speech was bold In its
tone and INDEPENDENT in its positions, and IL
received the marked approval Of his political
friends and of oil parties. Believing that
the views presented by Gen. Wilson are at
this time highly important, | send you for
publication brief abstract Of his speech.
Gen. Wilson commenced by saying tha, he
had chcerfully responded to their kind invi-
.ation to address them upon the present as.
pect Of public affairs, lie should, however,
con6ne bis remarks 10 the consideration OF
The Position and Duty Of the American
Party" In doing SO, he should speak with
entire freedom, whether his views should
meet the appreciation Of gentlemen Of the
American parry or not. The first duty oil
pub ic man was to SEQ to IL that he himself
and those with whom he acted were right In
their principles and policy, aims and ends.
The honr had now come that was to d.
eide whether the American movement shall
be liberal, progressive movement, Amer.
can in spirit, principle and policy, or whether
II shall be narrow, intolerant movement,
anti. American In spirit, principle and policy.
1t was the bounden duty Of men imbued with
the spirit of American Institutions 80 to
shape the American movement that 1t will
prove pleasing instead Of curse to their
native land.
The American movement had sprung into
being to bridge a yawning need.' Schol-
ars had demanded an American literature
Statesmen had demanded an American policy
in international affairs-Patriotism deman-
ded an American domestic policy-a policy
that should tend to make the distinct races
and nutionalitics in America one homogene.
GUS people oil 10 sentiments and
feelings. The American movement sought
to absorb into one nationality the various
races and na,ionalilies Of America, and to
develop an intense national spirit.
Lured hther by free democratic institu.
tons and millions Of acres Of rich, virgin soil,
hundreds of thousands of sons and daughters
of Western Europe, differing in race, Ian.
guage, laws, religion, manners and customs,
had sought homes in this Western World
Reared under institutions, differing socially,
rclgiously and politically from those they
have found in Amcrica-called upon to ex.
crcise political rights before they can posi-
bly, have learned political duties, 1t wss nc
matter OF surprise that these adopted citi'
gems were often the dcluded tools of native
and foreign managers, and that gross abuse:
and corruptions had grown out Of the pres
ent policy Of naturalization. The patriotism
of the nation demanded that these abuses
and corruptions should be reformed, and the
American movement was inauguraled to re-
form them. Patriotism and religion sane
toned that movement.
During The past ten years, nearly three
millions of immigrants from western Europe
had found homes in America. They had
contributed largely to gil our jails, prisons
and poor-houses on the Atlantic seaboard -
Paupcrs and criminals had in many instan.
ces been sent here by the authorities Of the
Old World. The abuses growing out Of the
vast immigration into the country should be
reformed. II he cOmprehended The Amer.
can movement, its genius and spirit, its oh.
jec,s and purposes, It simply proposes to
correct and reform abuses and corruptions,
which can be corrected and reformed by leg
islation 10 modify and improve the natural.
ization laws, and TO make public sentiment
that shall prevent political managers from
making appeals to the clanish feelings oil
foreigners among us, and which shall teach
our adopted citizens to forget that they
were once Iri.hmen and Germens, English
men and Scotchmen, and to remem Der only
that thcy are Americans, whose voices and
votes cannot be won by appeals to tho "rich
Irish broguo, l." or the G. sweet German ac-
cent" or by dark intrigues with Priests
and Bishops. III no rightly interpreted the
American movement, this was itspurpose.-
Believing this to be the policy Of that party,
and that such policy was in perfect harmo'
ny with the scope Of our democratic institu
tons, ho had given his influence in favor oil
It. - ly'
Ho had no sympathy with that narrow,
bigoted, iniolerant spirit that would make
war upOn q race OF men because they hap
pened {, be born in other lands-a dastardly
spirit that would repel from our shores the
men who sought homes here under our free
institutions. Such spirit was Anti.Amcii
can, devilish-he loathed j. from the bottom
Of his heart. r-'.H
He knew there were men who called them
selves Americans who would abolish th,
naturalization laws altogether-who wonlt
forever deny the right of suffrage to men fo
the fault Of being born out Of America. III
had no sympathy, and no hoped the mon
Vernon, had no sympathy with that class o
men whose opinions were ut war with th'
shirt OF American Institutions and the law,
OF humanity. Such Anti-American senti
ments had brought dishonor upon the Ameri
can movement, and unless they received the
rebuke Of tho American party they would dc
feat tho real reforms contemplated, aud cove
the movement with dishonor.
lie regretted to say that there werc som,
members OF tho American party In favor o
excluding by constitutional amendments, al
adopted citizens from Office. He deeply de-
plored the action Of the Legislature Of Mas
sachuse,ts in proposing m amendment 10 th,
Constitution embodying this doctrine. II,
hoped the gentlemen who had given thei
votes for this proposition proposition tina
would not permit Professor Agassiz, one o
the 6rst living scientific men Of tho age 4
Gil under State appointment, an Office ever
Of scientific character-would eco thei
error ind retreat at once from q position
justice, reason and religion condemned
What little influence he possessed, would b,
given with hearty good will 10 defeat tha
proposition. He had no sympathy whatevc,
with the spirit that would send out OF tn,
country, the sons and daughters Of mi,for
ture who, by the storms Of life. were thrown
upon Us for support. Whenever the autho
rites Of the Old World sent their poor her,
to be relieved themselves Of their support
he would promptly redress the imposi!ion.-
Such an abuse ought TO be Immediately cor
recsed. But when poor man lands upo,
our soil, and by tho misfortunes OF life !
thrown upon the public charity for support
be would as soon send poor, fleeing bond
man back to the land az. s7ll1,. ~
"wherc the cant Of Democracy dwells On the lips
of,he forgen ofieiien and wielden Of whips"