The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-04-12
VOL. TX.
FoREIGEERs-Two VIEWS.

the very moment this class of people took nm
their abode in Hamilton county. they wera ~
ken into care and harangued by Piatt and Other
demagogues and when, in wear or two. tbsr
forced their way to the polls, with their M
pers not folded, obtained by perjury. ever,
vote was cast for the Locofocos, and with :
large share of profanity against the Abolitior,
lists. | also know that when, in the wear lsu
DIR. Bailey's press was thrown into the Ohm
river, good share of the actors were fDrei,s.
erS. / saw the commencement of the CATHERINE
at the Lower Market; j saw the mob, when a..
lacking the negro dwellings; l mingled in the
crowd the next day, when the military guarded
the eolOred people to the Jail yard, for their
safety, and | know that a large share of the
mob were foreigners. ] also know that when
on the second evening DIR. Bailey's Office was
attacked, the sheriff was requested to bring tb.
" Harrison Grays for its protection but he
placed them at the jail, and ordered Germa,
company to clear the mob from the office. They
marched into the alley; the mob, portion of
which were foreigners, were commanded 10 dr.
sist they did not. The commander WAS mr.
dered to fire into them; he uttered some kind
OF gibberish, and the company fred upward.
stepped few PAGES back, and took compla.
cent look at the crowd, as they dragged the
II. ~
a few minutes after, Mr.. Burnet's confectionery
store was broken open and robbed the foreign.
ers were as busy as any in making waste with
his property-and that, too, because he was an
Abolitionist. Thus much for their regard for
Right, Justice, Freedom, Right Of Speech he
Freedom OF the Press.
This has been my experience of them from
that time until they made - body guard for
Judge Douglas, to aid him in conquerng the
prejudices of the people of Chicago; until the
last vote was polled, in November last. for
NEBRASKA and Whisky" until the presen,
moment, when they are yet the allies of the
slaveho!ding demagogues, and the unieelng.
hard-hearted rum-dealers.
They have no sympathy with US as a repuL
lican people they have no regard for our inst
tutlons; they have been so reared and taught
that their feelings are at war with ours You
heard ct our troubles with the Mormons. Jo
Smith could not have governed that number of
people as he did, if they had not been foreign
ers. Our duty hold, then, is to guard our
own rights.
| have been a laborer in the Temperance
reform for the last fourteen years believe
the principles thereof, which are now about To
triumph in prohibition throughout the length
and breadth of our land, to be truly Republi
can; and, as | have heretofore said. | have al
ways found the foreigners. save here and there
an individual exception, ignorant, bigoted, and
unyielding enemies and but for this class of
people, prohibitory law would scarcely be re.
quired.
They have no regard for our laws they defy
the moral sentiment of the community: they
take delight in following that business which
makes, if possible, their victims more reckless
than themselves.
In addition to my own experience in this
matter, | wish to quote the convictions of Hor
ace Greeley on this branch of the question,
which suppose will not be considered at this
time partial on my side:
"The Catholics, who number less than one
sixth of our population, keep two thirds of the
grogshops where grogshops are tolerated and
sell most of the liquor in stealthy violation of
law where selling is legally interdicted. While
the foreign-born population Of our country is
scarcely sixth of the whole number it ap.
pears that large majority of the crimes
against life-at least in the free States-are
committed by this fraction, and most of the
culprits evince by their choice Of spiritual ad.
visers that they are Catholics
These are facts which stare every observing
man in the face; and / will not now consume
time or paper in quoting statistics to prove
them to be the facts in the case, our land over.
We are sorry, truly ashamed, that our Young
and fourishing city, Chicago, has become
cursed, beyond any city of her age in this I'm
ion, with lewdness, drunkenness, debauchery,
and crime. And why? A census lately taken
developes the fact that there are six hundred
and seventy-fve dramshops in said city; that,
of that number three hundred and eleven are
kon Nv nd ;,,., oil
found to be mostly Irish. And why are these
nurseries of crime, these houses of i'll fame,
these gambling hells, so numerous? Where
does the secret lie? The municipal Govern,
ment has been in the hands of foreigners for the
last two or three years.
But, i'll civil as in social affairs, point ar.
rives, beyond which endurance ceases to be
virtue; and | learn that the American Party
have taken it into their own hands. ! am not
disposed to interfere with the rights of any
man, but want to prohibit the manufacture
and sale of intoxicating drinks and will not,
therefore, aid to place any man in Office who rs
In favor OF said traffic. / am opposed to Sa-
very, and, with others in this Western land,
have resolved that | will aid in placing the
National Government under the control Of
those who will absolve said Government from
all support of Slavery; therefore, am opposed
TO any Shareholder having Office in the Govern
ment And | am just so foolhardy as to think
that any Temperance man or friend of Free
dom who thinks to obtain his object by placing
foreigners in Office, is simply green. My views
upon this question are not the result of the
present excitement they were long years ago
formed, the result of convictions produced, as
have said, by observation and when the Hon.
l.. G. Levin agitated this question, many year,
since, recollect | was of the opinion that be
was right; and having been educated in the
midst of Anti-Slayery, by Anti.Slayery people,
have never been able to discover any wrong
in my views on this subject. l may yet be
convinced of an error, but / opine it will have
to be by those who know more of the workings
of Americans than those who have thus far
written for the Era. II. S. Thomas.
Vermont, H., March IA, 1850.
The heated prejudices of Mr. Thomas we
apprehend, viii greatly impair his reform ef
forts. He who would prevail upon men to
abandon their vices, must first learn to do JUS
tice to their virtues. The denunciaton of for
eigners by Mr.. T., is indiscriminate and unjust
He refers to me for the confirmation of certain
statements about mobbing in Cincinnati.
cannot confirm them. The lawless men who
in 1886 destroyed clandestinely at midnight
the Phitanthropist press, were natiye-bora
Americans. The markethouse meeting, which
met subsequently, to put down the press which
we had again started, was composed of native
born Americans. President, Vice Presidents
Secretary, and the members of the COMMITTEE
it appointed to wait on US and warn us out OF
town, were native-born Americans, all "gen
tlemen of property and standing" The mob
that under its auspices destroyed our Office
and dragged the press down Main street to TIE
river, was composed of native-born Americans