True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-08-29
rooNrrNurp FROM sreoNp PAGE. I

lers, neither, with exception of one Office,
does it say that we shall not, but rightly
leaves this matter entirely to our choice
And if we, in the exercise of this our ina
lienable right, the right to vote for whom
we please, should see meet to elect native
citizens to discharge the duties Of the vari-
GUS Offices, who has right to complain ?
Who is injured when we do SO and who
has right to tell US and insist that it is
anti-Republican and despotiC to do so p
Anti-Republican to vote for whom we please
because we vote for native in preference to
adopted citizens It has long been the
boast Of our citizens that none need sub
init to any dictation or control-and We al
ways thought and yet devOutly believe
that the very essence Of Republicanism
consists in free and untrammeled right
to exercise our influence at and manifest
our preference through the ballot box
And by all Republicans the doctrine is
taught, and it is not denied by any who
claim to be such, that the will of the ma
jority, legally expressed, shall be execu-
ted; and that all questions of national and
state policy, should be controlled BY that
will. In point Of numbers, the native COM
pare with the adopted citizens, about as
seven to one and if they, at the ballot
box, legally elect officers Of their own
countrymen, can they be justly charged
with being anti-Republican for thus mani.
Testing their preference?
But some say, if you refuse to vote for
men merely because they happened to be
born on o foreign soil, yoa act in a pro-
acriptive and arbitrary manner, because
the mere locality of birth does not afford
q valid objection. Then nine tcnths of
our citizens, both adopted and native, al
most from the rise Of this Republic to the
present time, have been proscriptivc--not,
indeed toward foreigners, but toward each
other, and for less distinction than we are
prepared to urge in the defence of our po'
sition. But this cry of prescription is
shouted by men who are more proscriptive
than we are; for they, if their plea is cor
rect, prescribe a majority Of their fellow
citizens. Not an American Who loves his
| birtbright and has the manliness to claim
it, can get vote from IN old fogy But
ne know why they set up such a cry--we
hav. taken the treasury teat out OF their
mouths and farmers all know that calves
will bawi whcr they weau 'em--that those
that got the most milk and picked the least
grass, will make The most noise, and get
the poorest A shoyt time ago the ting Of
war was between tie democrats and wings;
members of each positively refusing to vote
for any Of the others, but often striving to
elect persons in their own party whose ei'
cction by the other party would nave peen
pronounced disgrace to the county lD
what light did they view this opp sltl0n
and how did they speak Of each oaher''-
81 would not vote for my father if he wa
whig, or l could oppose my brother at
tho polls if he was democrat" We nep,
er split our ticket "say both" awe vote
for whom we please, and have a right to
do so-we are not proscriptive, say alr'-
and so say we've prefer to vote for Amer
leans and have a right to do so. ,..
But we do not refuse to vote for men
merely because they were born on a for
cign soil, but because they, being born
there, cannot b. as well qualited-cannot
bo us deeply imbued with love for our in
s,i;utious, nor be as desirous to perpetuate
thc,u. Us those are who were born here
Whoever asserts to the contrary, must at
fim aad prove that the greater advantages
rrj Dyed by tlIoSe who were born here tol
obs, rving the practical working of our sys'
tcu Of government, gives no superior ca
patility--that life long residence in
community, of which the members are ac'
customed vf themselves to yield obedience
aud teach by practice aud precept entire
submission to the majesty Of the law, gives
no practical advantages-that people KEEP
down by the bayonet, will, on coming here
prove law abiding citizens without such ap
pliances,-that persons who have seen moth
ing but the practical working Of the despot
ism which eventually compels them to lcav'
their native country, and seek home il
strange land, will stop 1t the precise poin
of temperate liberty-that their destroyed
vague, conflicting ideas Of their rights ant
privileges under our government will b
quickly displaced and succeeded by correc
practical views--that the prejudices ant
o,;mos;t;es pendered by the strifes in whicl