The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-03-10

| Again, SIT. 1nSleuu OI tIle ltluuStflCuS @tuu
thrifty immigrants, who formerly came to this
1 country, thousands of paupers are annually sent
| over by foreign governments, in accordance
furnished by the Census Bureau, that there
were in 1850, $4,000 paupers who received
support, and of these $4,000 were foreigners,
and but $4,000 natives and further. to show
the character Of foreign immigrants, 1 find in
the same table that there were in the same
year 1885, 21000 convictions for criminal
otienses in our criminal courts, and OF this
number $4,000 were foreigners, and but 10000
natives, and this you will observe in q native
population Of at that time of twenty-one mil
lions, while the foreign population only
amounted to something less than three millions.
Can such things pass DER us, like u sum-
mer's dream, without exciting our special
wounder?" | beg gentlemen to look these
facts in the face, and prepare remedy while
we have it in our power to do so for, sir, tbs
the duty of statesmen to prepare for emergen-
cies before they actually occur.
have thus, sir, endeavored briefly to set
forth some of the principles Of the American
party, and | hasten to consider some of the
charges brought by its opponents againstit.
\ The principal charge brought against the
American party, both by the gentleman from,
Mississippi and the gentleman from South
Carolina was that it was asecret organzationi
and to judge from the manner this particular
feature III the organization was treated by them
one was inclined to think that there was some
awful unknown element of explosion within
their OZARK subterranean vaults" q use tho
language of the honorable gentleman from
/, South Carolina,) whose fuse, touched by an
unknown hand, would blow up the whole gov
fN,,vy F.,ys s,,tn al tf
, the parliament house, commons, lords and ALL
| began to think myself that, after all, | had
misunderstood the whole matter, and that there
was some dark conspiracy against the govern
ment but, happily, the honorable gentleman
from Mississippi, (Mr. Balry,) entirely relieved
me by stating with gravity that became so
important q subject, that it was only an at
tempt to overthrow the administration Y
. Mr. Chairman, permit me to relieve the hon.
orable gentleman. l assure him, with SINGER
ity which trust he will not doubt, that the
native American party, in the objects it seeks
to accomplish, has never considered the ad-
ministration as one of the obstacles in its way.
No, no, sir, the American party will not strike
fallen foe, but rather desires to meet " y
foeman worthy of its steel" 1t is true 1t might
complain Of the administration, in appointing
SO many Foreigners us diplomatic agents Of this
. government; but still it inclines rather to
mercy than to vengeance.
0 But let us examine this matter of secresy.
. Are honorable gentlemen really alarmed ut it,
I Or do they thus speak of it only for the pur-
3 pose OF alarming others? Is it the first time
they have heard Of secret associations Why,
8 sir, they have existed from the foundation of
the government and may say from the com
o mencement OF the world. In despotic govern
ments it is true they do not exist, neither does
0 freedom of the press or freedom of thought
exist. But, do you tell me that, in this free
q republic, the people have no right to meet in
secret, and deliberate upon political questionsi
Where, beg to know, can you find any or.
. ticle in the constitution Of the government OF
Of the States, or any law in either, that denies
them the right to do so? And If they are thus
permitted by the constitutions and the laws o
both general and State governments, how dare
you to endeayor to deprive them of itg
o Donot gentlemen see that, while they argue
that secesy in political associations is in viola
n ton of the spirit of the constitution, they anc
= themselves are attempting to deprive the people
y ola clear and acknowledged constitutional priyi
i lege2 is this sir, the first secret political as
g sociation ever formed in this country? L think
=, =, il do not greatly misapprehend the history o
W was a secret association. If have not great.
y " misunderstood the character Of that remarkable
= affair." it was not only secret in its organiza
y tlon secret in its transactions, secret in its re
!. solves but secret in earring out and ehectins
u its purposes. For, disguised as Indians, it
- members boarded the British vessels disguisct
~ ~ as Indians, they threw the tea from their deck
~ ~ into the harbor of Boston and disguised a
" " Indians, they returned in safety and in triumph
~ from their heroic and patriotic enterprise. AM
W is this the only secret political association
~ ~ that has existed in this country since tha
u VI period? Why, sir, there has not existed a pc
~ litical party in the country, that has not il
y, some degree subjected itself to this charge G
~ secresy. In secret have all parties met Il
~ ~ nominate their candidates for office. In secle
y have they met through their representatives /
~, W. mature measures for their respective parties
y In country caucuses, in State caucuses, in Cor
u gressiunal caucuses has the principle of scores
y entered.
he Why, sir, hold in my hand at this momen
a, az the Union, the organ OF the Democratic part,
'ie in which there is a call for a secret meeting,
W. W. caucus, in one of the rooms of this Capitol Wi
" they admit me or any one not of that party t
ar its deliberations? No, sir, il is secret, an
III their deliberations never will be known. 1t
said the principles Of the Native American pa
W., ty are secret, i deny it, They have gone a
l'1 l'l over the country on all the wings of all IL
~ ~ winds nnd permit to say further sir, If tho
~ aa principles are known, how happens it that hol
y. orable gentlemen get up here to attack them
M s Arc they willing to put themselves in the ridie
m 'meF lous position of fighting shadows? All th
Ill outcry against the sccresy of the organiaatic
is made for effect, to alarm the people or ifthe
do speak sincerely land am willing to allo
/. that they do,) they are themselves the victim
1s tSa of most unnecessary panic. Believe me, l
ut dreadful plot is medtated nb treason is inten