The Placer herald., 1855-10-06
For the Placer Herald.
Ashton, the Solon of the Press.


politics. conceived it necessary, to digest we'll
the subject upon which they presumed to
teach, and then not until mature years and
life of experience warranted them in suppos-
ing that they were competent to impart
something upon which their fellow-citizens
could rely. The writings of such authors
challenged respect, and each sentiment was
pregnant with thought. Men read and re-
read them and no hasty or crude notion
challenged the attention of the critic. Such
however. seems no longer to be true. all that
now seems essential is knowledge of syntax
and the construction Of sentences-a eapaci-
ty to make words and string them together
as a young girl does her beads As to the
sense or information conveyed, that is con-
sidered a matter of minor Importance, the
author satisfying himself with the discharge
of his duty, when he has furnished a sufli-
cheney of chatf, leaving Ito the expert reader
to imagine them grains Of wheat.
l am lead to these reflections from perus-
ing the series OF Political Correspondence
which has appeared recently through the
columns of the Placer Press 10y an author
whose romantic turn of mind has led him to
adopt the name Of .1Shton We have no
objection to the name, it is quite pretty,
poetical, musical in sound, and besides has
received the sanction Of several writer's of ro-
nance. He might have adopted Genius"
"Rcheileu,' or some such high sounding
title, but he has not-no he has done much
better, he has adopted name that young
ladies will admire, and will not offend the
refined taste of the most refined society,"
Ashton, Dear Ashton? what fine Stage effect
the very name has? His first number is pub
lished in the Press of the 25th Of August
in which he bursts forth in the following
strain:-
Have we as nation any thing to fear from
foreign influence or foreign Interference in our
political affairs? This Mr.. Editor is grave and
serious inquiry and should be met and answered
not from the ribald vocabulary of partisan slang.
but candidly and fairly becomes the free citizen
! of a free and glorious Republic: it is one that
/ coWtS nome 10 every american citlHcn. from the
/ pine clad hills of Maine to the sunny glades of
Florida; from the rockbound shores of the heaving
Atlantic to the Golden Gate of the mighty Pacific"
Thus the question Mr.. Editor, 'have we
anything to fear from foreign influence or
foreign interference in our political affairs"
Now, Mr.. Ashton knows that from the days
of President Madison it has been the decided
policy Of the United States to admit of no.
thing Of the sort, in fact the doctrine goes
much farther. and will not allow foreign
nations TO obtain any more territory upon
this continent thereby checking most materi-
ally the spread of foreign influence in Ame-
rca. Such has been the doctrine frequently
set forth in the messages Of many OF our
Presidents 1t is a question that has been
brought home to the serious consideration
Of the Americas people, from the pine clad
hills Of Maine to the sunny glades of Florida;
from the rock-bound shores of the heavine
Atlantic to the Golden Gate Of the mighty
Pacific at a time anterior to that in which
you my dear Ashton aspired to the dignity
Of breeches or boots Our Government has
taken steps to prevent this foreign interer-
ence in our affairs by planting batteries
along our coast, erecting iortiiications at the
entrance of our most important harbors,
maintaining navy and an army, &c, &C.,
and as to foreign coin that is at discount
at most of the banks. Francs are only
taken for a bit in the drinking houses.
But softly. 1t is barely possible the all
thor does not mean this, and we NAV be
wasting cur powder-in fact he subsequently
says:-
At is urged by our opponents, of the self-styled
FreedomS PhalanX, that there is no danger to be
apprehended to oar liberties from the continual
influx Of foreigners in our midst-and the over
wcenng influence that they WELD in our Councils
Of State"
First my dear fellow, why will you quarrel
about namesl The Democratic party have
never been 50 presumptuous as to change
their name. That is a luxury monopolized
by our opponents.
And as to that ''overweeng influence that
foreigners have in the Councils of State,
we humbly submit that you are slightly in
error there. There is not a half dozen men
of foreign birth in both Houses of Congress.
However, it is not to such unreliable Stats |
tics, that he appeals for proof to sustain his
argument, but he carries us back through
the dark vista of time until we receive a
deep lesson" in the history of the Grecian
States. He rivals Cincinnati pork factory
in his dealings with Greece, and having got
the wheels Of his inauguration somewhat
oiled he represents Macedonia as a foreign