M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-04-27


Washington does not say here that he
would allow foreign born citizens 10
vote and hold ofiicel Sure enough!--
he doesn't say so in the above extract,
but hk says it in beautiful language in
the following:
"The bosom Of America is open to
receiSe, not only the opulent and res.
pectabe stranger, but the oppressed and
perseented OF all nations and OF all re.
ligiots, whom we shall pelcome to a
participation in all rights and priri,
legesP
Auerica was not only 'open to re-
cirs'Ahe "oppressed and persecuted oil
all nations" +" said Washington, but af-
ter we have received them, he adds,
"wE SHALL WELCOME THEM TO a PAR
TIcIPaTloN IN ALL RIGHTS AND PRlvI-
LEoEsp-among which, of course, are
included the right to vote, and the
privilege OF holding office. We de,
light to quote from Washington, for he
always talked like man with a head
on him and a heart in him, and like
true hearted American patriot and
statesman should talk. Take from his
writings, then, another extract, in which
his oppositionto to the illiberal and pros
criptiye doctrines OF the know nothings
may be clearly seen:
"The citizens OF the United States
of America have a right to applaud
themselves for having given to mankind
examples OF an enlarged and liberal
policy "a. policy worthy Of imitation.
All possess alike liberty of concience
and immuniIies OF ci.izettship. 1t is
now no more that toleration is spoken
as il it were by the indulgence OF one
class Of people that dhotIier enjoyed the
exercise OF their inherent natural right,
tor, happily the government Of the
United States which gives to bigotry
no sanction, to persecution no assist
ance, requires only that they who live
under its protection, should demean
themselves as good citizens in giving
it on all occasions their effectual sup
port"
With all these noble and patriotic
and truly American sentiments upon
record, is it not absolutely ridiculous
inthe know nothings to pretend that
Washington, ii he were now living,
would sanction their odious, anti. A.
meriean and proscriptive dogmas? He
repudiated their dogmas while he lived,
and lest the influence OF his great name
and his patriotic service should be per-
verIed in alter time by demagogues and
by the foes OF liberal institutions to
the prejudice OF religious liberty and
a liberal policy toward adopted citizens,
lie wrote down his convictions and has
left them upon record--greatIy to the
discontinue Of the know nothing big,
OTIS. But, lest we should make this
article unnecessarily tedious, we will
close it with but one more extract from
W ashlngton. To show theexalted es>
innate he placed upon religious tolera-
tion, in the benefits or which he would
restrict no religious denomination or
society whatever, We give below let
ter addressed by him, soon after he be-
came President, to a General Commit
lee OF a Church in Virginia:
"Gen;lemen, request that you will
accept my best acknowledgements for
your congratulation on my appointment
10 the hrst office in the nation; and the
Kind manner in which you mention my
past conduct equally claims the express
sion OF my gratitude.
After we had, by the smiles of Di-
vine Providence on our exertions, OBJ.
tanned the object for which we conten-
ded, | retired at the conclusion OF the
war, with an idea that my country
could have no further occasion for my
services, and with the intention of new,
er entering again into public life; bur,
when the exigencies OF my country
seemed to require me once more to en-
gage inpubic affairs, an honest con
vlcnon OF duty superseded my iormeI
resolutions, and became my apology
Tor deyiailng from the happy plan
which ! had adopted. II | could have
entertained the slightest apprehe nsions
that The constitution framed in the con,
vention where | had the honor to pre-
side might possibly ENDANGERTHE RE.
LIGIoUs RIGHTS OF ANY ECCLEsIAsrI-
CAL SOCIETY, CERTAINLY | WOULD
NEVER HAVE PLACED MY SIGNATURE TO
1T; and it could now conceive that
the general government might ever be
so administered as to render the liberty
OF conscience insecure, beg you will
be persuaded that no one would be
more Jealous than myself to establish
eifeciual barriers against the horrors OF
spiritual tyranny and every species OF
religious persecution, for you doubtless
remember have often expressed my
sentiments that every man, conducting
himself as a citizen, and being accoun.
table to God alone for his religious
opinions, ought to be protected in wor-
shipping the Deity according to the
dictates Of his own conscience.
"While | recolect with satisfaction
that the religious society of which you