Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-10-27
John J. Crittenden on Americanism.

This distinguished gentleman-Who mas ever
been only second in the estimation of the people
of Kentucky to the illustrious Henry Clay
is an open, bold and eloquent advocate Of the
great principles Of the American party. With
hundreds Of thousands, his advocacy of any
measure is sufficient evidence of its justice, and
we may say, without assuming too much, that
better evidence could not well be obtained.
short time since he delivered powerful
and eloquent speech in Frankfort, in which he
discussed, at great lengths, the various topics
connected with the formation and principles Of
the American party. 1t was reported in d
Frankfort paper. We subjoin the report,
knowing it will be interesting to hundreds Of
our readers, who justly regard John J. Crtten-
den as the first, greatest and purest of living
American statesman. Speaking of the origin
of the American party. he said:
ssIn its origin the American Order was small
obscure and weak; but scarcely did summer
cloud arise and overspread the sky more rapid
| ly than it overspread the whole country. Il
was d most remarkable phenomenon-the his
| tory of parties showed nothing like it. Il
proved that the public mind had everywhere
been drawn to the contemplation of a common
danger, had accumulated in the popular heart
| and needed only the electric touch which the
new Order gave to burst forth in q tremendous
explosion. OF that explosion the American
party was generated.
Mr.. c. demonstrated the necessity for the
American party to do what the old parties
effected and falling to pieces as they were-would
~ y,pt Il HI rrln ny,T
just tribute to the material of the American
party-a party which had sprung from humble
private citizens, not politicians, and the mem
bers Of which were all native sons Of the soil
men born in the land, who had here the home:
of their childhood and the graves of theil
fathers-whose love for their country, Unborn
pure and strong, and in whose hands, if any
where, the destiny Of the country would be safe
Z" Mr.. c. then took up the slavery question,
and demanded what more any man-even TIE
| most ultra pro-slavery man-could ask, thai
the position of the American party on the sub
jeet? What could be more national, more safe
more peaceful? There is to be no more actor
on the subject in Congress; the people Of the
slaves States are permitted to go into any Of
the Territories with their slaves, and when The
Territory is ready for admission as State, sht
is to come into the Union with or without
slavery, as her own people may determine
The charge of Free-Soilism or Abolitionisn
made against the party, in the face Of such {
platform, was an established faiseh0od, and
neither deserved nor required any argument tc
be used against it,
Mr.. C. next passed to the subject of re-
form in the naturalization laws. He showed
the immense increase Of immigration; that as
many had arrived recently in one year, as came
in the whole of the first thirty years of our
national existence; and that the present rate
was enough to fill up o State as populous as
Kentucky every two years. He showed that
we had already passed far beyond the limits of
our ability to assimilate and Americanize them
as they came: that they were accommodating now
in clans, and groups, and counties, and almost
|States-perpetuating their foreign habits, Ian
guage and prejudices, and that thus the process
of Americanizing them, which was expected to
be accomplished in five years, was not even
commenced. They had already come at the
rate of half million in year; at the same
| rate of increase they would soon come by mil
lions; and he impressed it upon his audience,
with an eloquence and power Of argument we
| cannot describe, that unless the present process
of comforting citizenship upon these immigrants
was arrested, the sons of the soil would soon be
the ruled and not the rulers in their own land,
and the glorious trust of empire and freedom
which We had received from our fathers and our
God, would pass into the hands of those who
know not how to administer it. Upon this sub
ject Mr.. G. was especially eloquent and power
full, but want of room compeis US to break of
even this imperfect sketch of his remarks
We suppose that, for this address, Mr.. Crit
tenden will be denounced as "a midnight con-
sprator," "a violator of the Constitution, "
proscriptionist,' etc, for no purity Of char
acter is sufficient to protect a man againt such
accusations, if he belong to the American party
The mere fact Of his being attached to that
party is enough with its opponents, to justify
the application of the most abusive epithets
But what does it matter? Such men as Mr.
Crittenden will demonstrate the propriety and
necessity of the organizations which the Ameri-
cans have formed, and of the reforms which
they contemplate-and must greatly strengthen
the American cause throughout the Union Mr.
Crittenden is looked upon in Kentucky as one
of the ablest and purest statesmen of the Union
even by his political opponents and the con
fdence in his integrity is universal.
He draws a correct picture of the result
which may flow from the facility of naturalizine
foreigners, who arrive in our country at the
rate Of half million q year; and shows the
utter impossibility of such mass of people
strangers to our institutions and principles, be.
coming assimilated to Americans within SC
short period as five years. 1t is considered
necessary by our laws, that native born should
reside here twenty-ene years before being ad
mitted to enjoy the election franchse-to par.
ticipate in the election of our rulers, or in the
formation of our laws-and yet, by the present
naturalization laws, foreigner who does moi
understand our language, and who shows nc
disposition to acquire it-who brings with him
all his foreign principles and habits, and stu.
diously adheres to them here's qualified
after residence of five years, to dictate to us
who shall be our rulers, and what kind of laws
We should be governed by.
It is thus that foreigners have been elevated
above Americans, and taught to believe that
they were Of superior race. But the spirit
which has been gathering strength for years
past in the hearts of the American people, has
at last become manifest, and has burst forth
with power and intenseness which will over
whelm all opposition. Foreign dictation will be
no longer tolerated, and Americans will resume
their rights. Hereafter the foreigner will be
protected in his person and property when he
locates himself amongst us, but he will not be
permitted to interfere in our political concerns,
until he has had time to learn something of the
nature Of our government and properly to ap-
preeiate American liberty. His children will
hIoou fbo fho stand +bo, he ,o