The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-08-10

an American citizen. What has produced
so extraordinary and rapid change of So
cial and political sentiment
If Twas in conversation, at this point
would be told that my remarks do not ap-
ply to the Southern division of the Order,
because of the split at Philadelphia, which
was solely on account Of slavery, and when
the Order ceased to be national organiza-
ton. And this would be mistake The
Order is still national organization, as the
next election Of President will dcvclopc;
when the Know Nothing South and the
Know Nothing North will vote for the same
man-partcularl if the election is thrown
into the lower House Of Congress, where the
temptations Of Office would be more difficult
to resist. The Order is still national organi-
cation, for its members both North and South
concur upon all points of their creed as origin
ally framed, and differ only upon the Incl
dental question Of slavery. Their hatred of
foreigner and Catholic is equally intense,
and my remarks do apply, for the President,
the immigrant and the Catholic have much,
very much, to do with slavcry-a question
which, because of its being Of all others the
most vital to us, Gnseparably intcrwoven as
it is with the political, commercial and So
cal prosperity and happiness of the people
of the south.) and Of being the touch-stone
which is applied to every political issue by
the people of tho North, is, after all, tho
sum and substance Of American politics.
The Know Nothing Order is either national,
or it is impotent. 1t proposes TO extend the
probationary term Of naturalization (by
which its members mean to withhold the
right to vote, for their complaint is only Of
political evils) to twenty-one years, and to
disqualify both Catholics and men of for
eign birth forever for office. No one pre-
tends that this can be legally done but in
two ways-by the action OF Congress, or
by the people of the separate States Should
the Order have the requisite majority to ef-
feet their purposes in either way, then surely
it is as national Il use this word for conve-
nience) as any party can become
hold that neither plan can be cxecu-
ted. Not by the States, each acting in it's
sovereign character; for if all the States,
save one, were to adopt tile principles of the
party, that State would be constrained, by
the most cogent of reasons, to refuse to
adopt them. These reasons are to be found
in the value Of population, and in the po-
litical power Of numbers. The younger
of the Western States would take up the
sword before they would submit to have
their growth and political power checked
by restraint upon immigration. They want
the foreigner to fell their forests and to swell
the number of their representatives. If cv-
cry State in the Union were to prohibit
immigration but Wisconsin, the effect would
be to make her, in very short time, the
Empire State. Wisconsin, with the popu-
lation of New York, would have the same
political power, and the two, by combining
with Pennsylvania, or Ohio, could and
would rule tho Government. You surely
have not forgotten the Albany regency. 1t
IS true that the Constitution of the United
States reads that the "Rules of Natural-
cation shall be uniform in all the States "
but it is clear that the political right to vote
was not herein contemplated but that ref
erence was had to the right of property ;
for we know that the laws of the several
States are not uniform on the subject of vo-
ting. In New York and South Carolina, a
foreigner is required to wait five years, after
declaring his intention to become a citizen.
before he is admitted to the full fruition of
all the rights of citizenship. In Michigan
aud Illinois, but six months are required :
while in the Territories of Kansas and Ne
oraska, actual residence will qualify every
white male admit to vote at the first cleo
ton. But the Federal Constitution also de-
clares that "the citizens Of each State shall
be entitled to all the privileges and im,nu-
mites of citizens in the several Estates n
Now if one of these new fedged citizens
OF Michigan was to come into the Fourth
Congressional District, and in compliance
with your State Constitution remain two
years, could you, under either Constitution
refuse him the elective franchise Yon
could not, unless your own Constitution had