The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-03-24

preston and wrong Their number is now lit
tie short Of three Millions Consider that most
of them are men, and as such eventual voters.
Consider the different modes invented by polit-
ical jobbers and office-mongers for the purpose
of evading the laws Of naturalization. Look at
the vote cast by foreigners. let us turn back
| to history, question it and shudder. A man, q
political leader, on certain occasion issued his
proclamation to the foreign population residing
| in the Union, urging it upon every one to pur-
sue a certain course. 1t need not be remarked
| that to a man they were true to their calling.
So convinced was Mr.. Kossuth of the power
| full influence welded by his countrvmen over
the administration of this government, SO much
did other men share that opinion, that latterly
we have seen the three leaders of the European
Democracy ossrth, Mazzini and Lerdu Rol-
1 1lin-under cover of q letter of coincidence to
George S. Sanders, presuming to lecture the
American Senate, and calling upon the foreign
population to demonstrate energetically. Nay,
they even went so far as to predict that the
American Senate would COVER before these de-
monstrations of popular feeling. So it must
be readily perceived that in the ewes of Messrs.
Kossuth, Mazzni and Iedru Rollin, our nat
uralized fellow-citizens are foreigners first, and
Americans neat Now who is to blame ?
Certainly not Mr.. Kossuth. -
When the nation rose on this Western con-
tinent to protest against the tyranny of despots,
it was sublime and magnificent Spectacle
The vanquished chieftain Of an oppressed but
heroic people was being welcomed with ioy.
When he entered the Halls Of the National
| Congress and sat himself down in the midst of
the peoples delegates, there was then an i'm
mense clapping of hands over the whole face of
| this broad continent. Human conscience pro-
tested against Russian interference and Austri-
an gibbets. The descendants of the Revolu-
| tionary heroes cheered the noble efforts of the
European democracy. Thus far, all was right.
| But when, not satisfied with this pacific and
healthful interference, men folded their arms in
silent submission, as Mr. Kossuth acting the
part Of revolutionary propagandist, in the
very teeth of the Constitution and the Laws.
issued bonds bearing his signature, and by
which he was toraise means to lew war against
a power entertaining amicable- relations with
| the United States-Oh then. the question as
sumed new aspect. And when Mr.. Alexan-
der Smith left NewYo York on one Of the Ameri-
can steamers, with hundreds Of thousands ofdol-
lars raised, for the purpose of furthering the
cause of his bleeding Fatherand" it was an
ignominious spectacle, and shameful and de-
grading precedent.
| Who was to blame? Again ask it. Mr..
Kossuth certainly was actuated by feelings of
gratitude towards this government, this country,
this glorious land of freedom, as he called it.
But his gratitude, like that of most foreigners,
existed only in an exact ratio to the material
aid and benefit he could derive from us-and I
believe that he has said somewhere that we,
| Americans, had wronged him, and that he had
been deceived.
| Take this mans sentiments as a standard by
which to Judge of the sentiments of Others.
Who is the foreigner that ever was under greater
| obligations to this people He was rescued
from an Asiatic dungeon, conveyed on one OF
the national ships, entertained as no man had
been since the days of Lafayette and what
did he do? Precisely what we would have done
be saw that no assistance could be obtained in
strict conformity with our laws how much did
those laws weigh in the balance? He thought
of the benefit Hungary should derive not of the
injury we should suffer. In similar circumstan-
ces every man would act as he did. There is
not single foreigner within the republic. moi
an honest hearted man in the whole world, who
will not avow that love for his native land is
the supreme .: mother of his actions--that hel
veal is the main object of his etTorts-her hap
piness the fond and lervid vision ofall his dreams
and of all his hopes, and that all other consid-
erations are vain and mpotent The man who
invented the saying" Ubi hbertas, ibt patria ?
most impudently lied to his moral sense. Great
heavens Irishmen forget old Erin Though
she be now but by-word amongst the nations
of the earth, can you forget that ireland wa;
the war-cry of Brien Boromhe and the watch
word Of fiSnmet ? Frenchmen forget France
the old war-songs the proud tri-color A
mans country is where first he saw the light
where his fathers lived, where his parents died
That green spot in the church yard, the old hut