Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-07-14
An Englishman's Opinion Of the American
Party.

Englishman, resident of Montgomery county
Maryland, on the principles of the American
party. The author had originally opposed thi
party, as he admits, and now states the reason.
which induced the change, as follows:
At first supposed that some of the objects Of
the Know" Nothings were at variance with the Con
stitution Of the country; but after reading atten.
lively both the Constitution and the principles in
the American Organ, especially the 10th, was con.
WINGED they were not; and thus the greatest OBJ.
lection had to Know Nothngism was at once re.
moved, for no man in his senses will deny that tho
legislature of any country has right to pass any
law that is constitutional Now, the constitution
does not say what privileges and rights foreigner
shall have; it merely says W hat they shall not have
and has left it entirely at the dissection of the leeis
lator to fix the time of probation, &c. But this
fact is SO plain and so selfevident, its opponents
have given up the plea that it is unconstitutional
to repeal or modify the naturalization laws, and
now ask would 1t be good policy to do so? In
answer to Ibis question, l would refer them to
the 100000 foreigners that annually come to this
country, speaking different languages, brought ND
under institutions distinct from each other and dis
tnct from the institutions of America, protesting
different religions, educated with different notions
manners, customs, and usages of society, and
would ask If it is not a moral impossbility that
there should exist among them such harmony of
feeling and such unity Of sentiment as is needf to
make them good lawmakers, or even as good
private citizens native Americans whose love of
their country and knowledge of their institutions
have grown with their growth, and is, indeed, a
part OF their very nature? As foreigner, boldly
assert that it is. There is in every man. care not
how much Of oppression he may have endured in
his native land-how much he may have been
downtrodden-how much misery and want he NAV
have sufered-there is that love of country, there
is that instructive fondness and attachment for the
place where he first saw the light, that he cannot
under any circumstances, get rid Of Immigration,
or perhaps other circumstances may prevent its
further growth but it cannot and does not DESTROY
1t; they may love the land of their adoption, but
they cannot look with eye single to its interests,
at least not as can native; and therefore, say
that that liberty for which their forefathers paid
their lives-those institutions which Americans and
welldisposed foreigners so highly value. are safest
in the hands of Americans, and in their hands
would rather they should remain Imagine the
relns OF government in the hands of such men as
Soule, Kossuth, John Mitchell, Francis Meagher
ana where should we, Americans and foreigners.
altogether, go? I don't know, but |, for one,
should be for shutting my eyes, that might not
see "my own destruction"
NOW, IT understand the subject Alright, Ameri-
cans are willing to live under the same laws they
make for foreigners. They only claim the right to
make Them That right is undisputably theirs, and
let them enjoy it, Well-dsposed foreigners will
not fail to see the danger of letting foreigners &C.
cupy Offices, &c, and am sure will cheerfuly bow
their heads in submission. Some Of them NAV
claim that they have no love remaining for the
place OF their birth; that memory never carries
them back to that stage whereon they enacted the
scenes OF their early childhood; that they never.
In imagination, wander in its fowery Wales and
by its ripping streams that they never in imagin.
alton, inhale the perfume OF its wild flowers and
accompany its wild birds in their songs of praise to
the God OF Nature. To such would say, you are
by nature so base, and your sensibilities are so
blunted, that you are not fit to be citizens of any
country.
Again. it is said, tee Know Nothings do the for
eigners an injustice. Now, claim that, in coming
to America, was prompted by motives as good
as foreigners generally, and l came expressly for
my own benefit. Others do the same, and if thev
are benefited, by coming, let them stay and be
contented or, if not. return to the place from,
whence they came. 1t is an absurdity to suppose
they come here to benefit Americans, for they
have no notion Of it. 1t will do very well to talk
to schoolboys about disinterestedness of motive.
&C., but facts are stubborn things and the fact is
though good foreigners do benefit America by i'm
proving the land and increasing its commerce, that
is not their motive in coming here, and they are
benefited themselves in greater degree.
Let foreigners look at the number Of criminals,
panpers, DC, in this country, Of foreign BIRTH and
ask themselves what they would do if the case
was reversed. For my part, if had remained in
England, and Americans, or any other foreigners.
had come there, filling the jails, the unatic asy-
lums, and almshouses, and sought to assume the
control OF the government into the bargain. l
should do as the Americans have done, and would
have shouted as loudly as they d. "Englishmen
expected! Nor can the helpless condition of for
eigners be pleaded in their behalf It might do in
court Of justice but not at the bar Of the nation
Foreigners should not come unless they are pre-
pared to earn an honest livelihood. America has
enough to do to take care Of her own criminals
and her own insane, and to ameliorate the condi-
ton Of her own poor, and helpless, and infrm-
When she has done this-when there is no crime,
no poverty, and no insanity, within her borders,
Ihe may turn attention toward the suffering of 9th
er nations but not before.
II has been limited that because T am a foreigner
and at the same time an advocate Of Americanism,
that am ungrateful, selfish, &c. But why, can
not understand. Five years ago, or nearly so,
left my native land, mot then 10 years Of age,)
and sought home in strange land and among
strangers Long. long before that the cypress and
yew tree had bowed their heads in silence over the
graves Of my ancestors! There was not one there
with whom could claim any relationship, not even
the most distant. In America / found home;
i've beneath American institutions; am protected
By American laws; the food eat is the product
IF American soil; and the air that breathe is the
pure and free air Of America, that liberty which
vas won BY those who fought and bledin freedoms
cause! admire it, and desire that it may be per-
oetuated l believe the descendants Of those who