The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1855-04-14

lSneS Ill Ills DOSOll tllc SacTeu HlOuIO Oh our
forefathcrs, Civil and religious liberty
every patriot opposed to prescription on
account of the accident Of BIRTH or of par
ticular religious tenets, Will rush forward to
the upholding and protection of that party
which has hitherto proved to our sacred
Union tower of strength and bulwark
of defence. In the meanwhile, "Wc bide
our time"
The Democratic Party and Naturalized
Citizens.
1t has been charged that It has been the
habit Of the Democracy 10 make unworthy
appeals to the citizens of foreign birth, and
to enlist their support 10y endeavoring to
foster among them feeling of separate ma
tionality, which would tend to prevent their
complete absorption into the general mass
Of citizens The injustice of this charge
and the entire absence of any respectable
proof to sustain it, must, we think. be adj
mitted by every fair and well informed cit
izen. In Gre aaatEf
We have nowhere seen acleaaer or more
just statement of the position the Democracy
has occupied, or ought to occupy, towards
adopted citizens than is contained in an
able leader Of the Washington Union from
which the following extract is made. The
doctrines are as admirable as they are
true ord, 6lf
ave repel, with earnestness, the imputa-
ton that the Democratic party has swerved
in the slightest particular from its sound ma
tional and constitutional principles, for the
purpose of securing the votes Of our natu-
rallied citizens. 1t is a calumny upon our
party which every member of it will repel,
to say that it has sought, or ever will seek.
to array the foreign against the native citi-
zens When the Wings combine with the
know-Nothings, upon principles of hostili-
ty to the rights and privileges guaranteed
by the constitution to naturalzed citizens,
| it is natural that those citizens should feel
aggrieved, and that they should sympathize
and cooperate with the party which main
tains their rights as invioLbly protected by
the constitution. This has been, and will
continue to be the policy Of the Democra-
cy; and it is this Characteristic OF our party
which has appealed with so much force to
the naturalizcd voters. 1t is not because
our policy has been "incendiary," but that it
has been constitutional, that recommends it,
self to them. a... ... IA
"Whcn the Democratic party arrays it
self on the side of the rights and privileges
Of foreign citizens, it does not do so from
any preference of our foreign over our ma
tive population, but from preference of
those principles which respect and sustain
the rights secured by the constitution, over
those which disregard and prescribe those
rights. If this preference has led them to
adopt an "incendiary policy" in like man
ner it led our fathers to incorporate an sin
cendary policy" into the constitution
That sacred instrument authorizes Congress
to confer the rights of citizenship upon for
eigners. The rights thus conferred, the
Democratic party feel bound to concede to
them, and not to embarrass their enjoyment
by organizations based upon the doctrines
of prescription and intolerance. The con-
stitution provides against the adoption of
any religious test in respectto eligibility
to Office. The Democratic party acknowl-
edges the obligation of this provision, and
therefore resists any sect Of religionists.--
They insist upon no more than the rights
and privileges secured to all naturalized cit
izens and all religions adopted by the con-
stitution. They insist upon them not for
the sake of the foreigners and rcligionists
who are to enjoy them, butfo the sake of
the whole country, which is deeply interest
ed in maintaining inviolate every provision
of the constitution. s. LII. VA n
In taking IT'S position it should be care
fully borne in mind that the Democratic
party neither assumes that the naturaliza-
ton laws, as thcy now exist, arc perfect,
nor that foreigners have not on some occa-
sions subjected themselves TO just censures,
nor that the Roman Catholic religion is ba-
sed upon the true Christian creed. Citi-
zenship is boon granted to foreigners by
the liberality of our institutions and this
fact cannot be too carefully weighed and
appreciated by our foreign citizens. They
should constantly remember that the high
privileges conceded to them have been grant
ed upon the reasonable expectation that
they would surrender their distinctive ma
tive nationalities, and become fused and as
simulated to our native citizens in all their
feelings, sentiments and devotion to our lib
eral institutions. 1t becomes them now in