Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-03-29


for its existence Another controlling reason
for the maintenance of this doctrine is, that
slavery cannot be regulated by Congress, and
the harmony of the Union preserved; upon
this subject the North and the South hold
different and opposing sentiments, and when
IN Congress, representing as it does these OPP
posing sentiments, it is attempted to regulate
the question Of slavery, controversy, strife,
aggression, bitterness, hatred and disunion
will follow in quick Succession
Within the last eighteen months there has
sprung into existence new political organiza-
ton, held together by secrecy and oaths. In
that short time it has been brought forth. and
attained the vigor of manhood, and is now
perhaps the most formidable foe with which
the Democratic party has had to CONTEND since
/ the days in which Federalism triumphed,
and enacted laws against foreigners, and
1 against persons who wrote or spoke against
/ the officers of the government. Know Moth
/ lngsm Is not of itself 81 powerful, but becomes
! formidable from Its capacity to unite within
/ It's lodges all the elements of opposition to
/ Democracy, however descendant they may be.
| When men thus unite in 4 new political par
ty 10 control legislation, and to give new form
TO the Institutions of the country it is the
right of the people to inquire what are the
purposes of the organization, and the object of
its secret meetings. And the enquiry should
be earnestly made, and zealouslv prosecuted
by any people jealous of their liberties, These
enquiries have been made, and answers given,
but | will attempt to show that the answers
are evasions.
We are told that the influence of foreigners
in the country must be controlled aud re-
strained. That is now the cry But two
and-a-half years ago and three men out of
every four who now belong To the Know
! Nothings in this district, voted for Gen. Scott
for President During that canvass Gen.
Scott spoke most kindly of foreigners, and
| pledged himself to them that no act of his
should impair their rights and privileges UNI
der existing laws. To promote his election,
good sized pamphlet was published, in
which his most important acts, and such as
would commend him to the favor of the peo-
pie were eloquentlv described, and many of
them beautifully illustrated by wood CUTS
/ Prominent among his opinions on government
are mentioned, and at large set forth, his SEN
timerts so kind and liberal to foreigners and
So favorable TO their political privileges i'm
this country, from which / extract the fol-
| lowing
Certainly it would be Impossible for me to
recommend or support any measure intended
to exclude them from just and FIJI participa-
ton in all civil and political rights now Sc
cured to them by our republican laws and
institutions
OF the valor of foreigners in Mexico, he
saws: " | witnessed with admiration their
fidelity and valOr in maintaining our flag in
the face of every danger
During that year my competitor for Con-
gress published Circular. addressed to the
Voters of the District, in which he brought it
up as a charge against me, that when | was in
the constitutional Convention, as Delegate
: from this County, | refused to support pro-
} position allowing foreigners before being nat
, uralized, to hold important offices in the
State. A large majority of the men who now
belong to the Secret Order, and are down upon
foreigners, supported Mr.. Bradley, and con-
demned nv course In that matter.
What have the foreigners done since the
: liberal sentiments of Gen. Scott and Mr.. Brad.
; lev were endorsed by the people who are now
Know Nothings, that they should be hunted
down and driven from the face of society P
: In 1852 they were sought after and courted,
but in 1854 and 1855 a secret party must be
organized to crush them
! To put down the foreigners, Americans
: must unite, and plan and swear Is the con-
test worthy the sons of the men of the RevO-
) luton? Our fathers mention it in the Dec
t laration of independence, as one of the causes
of the separation, and of the war, that the
! British governments adopted policy hinder
Z ing the immigration and naturalization of
foreigners. When the democratic administra-
} ton of Jefferson came i'm, liberal laws were
enacted, and our young Republic said to the
oppressed millions Of Europe, come, and cheap
lands shall furnish you home Come, and
the fac Of the free shall wave over and pro-
tect you Come, and just laws shall make
, you free
They did come, and with them came the
scholar, the artist the farmer, the mechanic,
, and the laborer; and they brought no trouble
upon our fathers, but much strength, and con-
tributcd largely to the development of the
: country. Our fathers were then only FIVE
millions strong, but they were not afraid for
their liberties, or for their protestant religion,
in the adoption of that policy. Since that day
half century has gone by, and our last Gen.
sus shows us to be people Of twenty three
D millions, with a native born, white population
: of seventeen millions and three quarters, and
4 a population of foreign birth of only two mil.
= lions and one quarter This statement of OH
: foreign population includes hundreds of thou
5 sands of people who have long been in on
midst, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, and fifty yean
engaged in the industrial pursuits of the coun
Y try, and who are not thought of as foreigners
: Our foreign population, animated by common
e sentiment of admiration for our institutions
n have abandoned the land of their birth, ans
II IL, L.
It down among us, making our fortunes thei
fortunes, our hopes their hopes, our destin,
4 their destiny When have they refused Z
5 discharge any duty required by government
5, Do they not promptly pay their taxes, dill
IS gently labor upon the highways, faithful.
Q serve in our armies and vallantly fight in de
IS fence of our country? 1t is not true that on
' liberties, or our religion, are endangered b,
S the presence of our foreign population.
y Gentlemen, if we would truly know TIA
{ dangers that threaten our country, We mus
f look towards another quarter. From the tim
Y became able to reflect at all upon the sub
: iect, have been satisfied that the American
# Union mas nothing to fear from without NJ
single power, no combination Of powers car
e destroy us The first blow that falls upon n
G from without will unite us TO a man maxim:
: us indeed ono people, and giving us but ont
! heart and then we are invinclble. With Us
it would be like the increased weight upon thu
a arch, that gives it additional strength. Gu
o dangers are within. Internal controversy, OPP
e posing interests, and sectional feuds will de
o stroy us, if we do not stand by and maintain
: the great principles that underlie our confede
S ration, which secure TO the States their whole
: sovereignty, and limit the federal government
e within its proper sphere. To preserve thes'
2 principles we MUST look to the Democratic
e party In these times we can look Eo wher
"A else.
4 With one thought more close this brancl
2 of the subject. If the Hnow-NOthings could
|. succeed, and in the States deny the foreigne
, the privilege of votifg, and in the fedora
L government naturalization and citizenship
t and the protection to himself and property
Il secured by naturalization, what would they
: have accop plished ? The aristocrat of Flu
= rope would come to our shores rs readily
al he. IL.