The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-10-13
SATURDAY MORNING, OCT. IS.
The American Party

and impels the movement is the spirit of the
people-it must eventually carry all before IL
The pulsations of the American heart respond
10 irs prouptings.- That great heart beats high
and quickly when American principles are dis
cussed, warmed with pure love of liberty
with generation for the Patriots who labored
and fought TO establish and defend this Free
Government, and with zeal for the honor and
glory of our institutions. Those patriots periled
their fortunes and their lives for no selfish mo-
tive-it was to render imperishable and uncon-
querabe, invincible in all time to come, free
and independent nation, rich in the full enjoy
ment of physical, intellectual and spiritual lib
erty. The American party seeks to carry out
these patriotic purposes-to guard these bless
ings and privileges from insidious attacks, and
perpetuate. for all time to come, the only free
Government known to man.
The unfair and uninformed, the designing
politician, who seeks the promotion of party at
whatever sacrifice, and his willing dupe, &C.
cuse the American party of prescription and
intolerance. The charge is false and unfounded.
That party would scorn to make war upon or
interfere with any mans creed or interest, be
he Gentle or Jew, MahOmetan or Pagan, Pro-
testant or Catholic. That party is earnest in
its determination to labor to secure to all, of
whatever caste, condition or profession, the
most unbOunded freedom of opinion, of creed,
of tongue and sentiment. The American party
seeks to perpetuate all these blessings to the
people of every cline that may seek them.
They believe that native born citizens, educa-
ted TO the principles Of our Government, born
among MS, and of us in every respect. are the
most suitable persons to secure this much de,
sired end. Those who understand our insttu-
tions and the character of our people best, eau
best guide the helm of government. Who will
gRinsay thisl The American party holds that
the right of suffrage should not be too loosely
handled-that It's important responsibilities
should not be undervalued Icy bestowing them
upon an ignorant rabble, a population of for
eigners and criminals, even though every one
hundredth man, so receiving, may be capable
ofappre, ialng and properly dschargiog them.
The ballot box is the keystone OF our liber-
ties-let its valuable privileges be frittered
away upon ignorance, and vice, and crime
entrusted in the hands of those who are con-
trolled in its exercise by selfish and unworthy
motives, rather than patriotism-and those lib
critics which Washington, with his last breath,
exhorted us to cherish, guard and defend, will
crumble away and be known only in history.
All this praling about interfering With the
"rights of foreigners" prescription" and
Intolerance" is the merest gasconade-a weak
invention of the enemy to direct attention
from the investigation of facts. il is the only
nutriment which our opponents can get at, and
is a fit diet for those party hacks who have de-
voted themselves TO success rather than TO pa
triotism; who rail and rant in the performance
of their party labors, and who traverse the
country during political canvass to
- suckIe fools and chronicle small beer"
What right has foreigner to vote at all in
this country Is there any law of nations
which gives the subject Of foreign potentates
the right to interfere in the government of this
country, or the American citizen the right to
vote in France or Spain2 Besides, what ben |
cit can it be to Hungarian or a native of
Kamschatka to be allowed TO vote before he is !
qualified to do so intelligentlyl Surely none,
unless il is said that he is thus invested with
an importance which makes him political capt.
tai in the hands of designing politicians, aud
gives him an opportunity of bartering his priv
ileges for promotion or for silver. Who de-
eires to encourage this unholy trafcl The law
as il now exists, recognizes the principle for
which the American party contends by making
q probation of five years necessary 10 entitle
an alien to vote. When that law was enacted,
perhaps the period fixed was sufficient for all
practical purposes. But times have changed
greatly. The poor houses and penitentiarie~,
the cities and town of Europe are pouring their
contents upon our shores, at the rate of half
a million per annum. The evil results are pa
tent to the merest tyro in politics. The time
has come when this evil should be checked,
and the American party intends to perform
that duty as speedily as may be.
There is something substantial, patriotic and
enrolling in the principles of this party, and
whenever properly understood, they are ar
IDENTITY embraced by the people. Let us stand
shoulder To shoulder, knit together by the spirit
of brotherhood, aud the future is bright with
respects of brilliant success.