The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-07-13

against them. Indeed, the Inference Of th
Know Nothing creed, on both the issues j
has raised, is logical and practical blum
der from its own premises. IT. assumes ii
the strongest sense Of an existing fact, no
as logical inference from the Catholic
creed, the absolute incompatibility of the
Catholic Church and the free institutions o
this country. This is its premise; its infer
encc is to render the Individual Catholic in
eligible to office; the true inference from the
premise as they construe 's' that the Cath
olic Church ough' not 10 be tolerated at all
On the other issue, the premise is, that the
foreign element in oupopulatlon is danger
Gus to the Government; the inference is
the reduction of part Of the rights Of cit
izcnship-tl,c incligiJ;lty to office, in the
foreigners already here, and an extension
Of the term of naturalization. The true
inference is, the prohibition of all emigra.
ton for the future, and the avoidance o
everything that would exasperate the foreign
element already in the midst Of us; the
careful observance cf every thing which
would tend to strengthen their attachment
to the institutions Of the country. These
are the results which logically issue from
the premises of the Know Nothing creed
and which they are logically required to
assume.
But they dare no. do it: the measure
they propose to adcf;-the exclusion from
ofiice-is ridiculous incomplete as prac-
teal cxpedicnt: it ia most impotcnt and
lame conclusion, asalogical inference. 1t
is absolutely ncccsay, either to cease this
political crusade aglaS, large masses of our
people, or to make hellcctual to accomplish,
not only the ends holds in view, but to
prevent the incidenssiIs the effort at reform
has created in its rogrcss. Nothing short
Of far more. etfa:ive diminution of the
common rights Of stizenship than has yet
dared to assume Il: shape Of public prop
osition, will NEE. trends which the Ameri-
can party are seeE1g 10 accomplish. 1t is
absurd to admit hge classes of men to all
the common rigs of citizenship, except
one, and that by Il means the most impor-
tant one. If the is reason why they
should be deprin; of one, they should be
deprived Of all. lit is right to allow them
to vote, it is righ,o allow them to be voted
for; the one rg ght almost, if not altogether,
the correlative of:e other. Any argument
which would pre-: man disqualified for
Office, would proHhm disqualified to vote.
There may be sTs;al reasons why particu-
lar offices, involvy the representation Of the
national charact as well as the national
policy, should btcxclusively occupied by
native-born citize; but this is very differ
ent in nature, a; proceeds upon a wholly
different principIof political wisdom, from
the universal dearation Of ineligibiity to
all office, anon!Iarge masses of citizens.
That eligibility :taches as an incident, or
inheres among mass Of the common
rights of citizeriip; and it is absurd to
admit the citize!ip in general, and deny
this single capay which it involves. This
principle of acta involves the explanation
| of the difficultyaiscd by the writer in the
Critic for May, relation to the eligibility
Of the Chineser Mohammedan. This
question will bettled by the settlement Of
previous qudon, and this is, whether
large masses cfuch persons, Pagans and
Poiygamists, arto ts admitted at all to the
permanent and sneral participation III the
rights of citizeElip in Christian country
1t is on this pestion, the great Mormon
issue, now ripelng for trial, be determined
in a few years. Conceding this issue as de.
termined in tn affirmative, all minor ques-
tons, such as Eligibility to office, and pro,
priety of votig such persons into office arc
settled it is sturd to question the ordinary
propriety Of aawing by vote what is allow
able by law. The whole question, as gen
eral propositia, is determined by the per
manent admison Of large masses of persons
in view to theummon rights of#citizenship
1t is one thins.o allow specific privileges tt
individual fosigners residing on. our soil
for specific larposes; but it is altogethe
another, to- ddranchise in part, and by
principle desnedto be permitted, immcns'
masses Of ma already permanently par
tof the poPplton, and so recognised. W.
insist, thereto, that the whole movemen
must retraels progress, or 60 forward:
is unwise th he extreme leave all thei
power for 5micbief in their hands, resulting
in part from their simple existence in To
country as apart Of its population, and il
part fromiths privileges which are still t
be left them-and then exasperate them Il
use it, by;atemptiDg to reduce their full pc
litical equally with citizens Of other brit
and religiosopinions. -.
We ojeSin the last place, and with dee
severity q conviction, to: the principles {
organiza9oa adopted by the. American