Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-11-03
From the Southern Literary Messenger.
The Right of Suffrage to Subsequent
Immigrants.
| CONCLUDED.

All act OF iegiSlauOn, such as that under con
sderatiOn, mould MT rohibh immigration; or even
though it did, would not de this land an injury;
for this nation has increased in an unprecedented
ratio, and has not that need of inhabitants
which il had at the time of the revolution when
an almost boundless wilderness was spread before
the citizens, and they were scarcely able to pro-
Iect themselves.
The secret power which immigrants exercise
through the ballot box is more, far more, to be
feared than open force. The one assumes the garb
of friendship, and its approach remains unnotlced;
the other comes as an open enemy, and prepare
! ton is made to meet it. If then it be said that
disturbances and mobs would be created By foreign
ers, in case they refused this privilege it may
! be answered, that this open violence is much less
to be feared, than the secret power they possess
when this privilege is granted them; and it nav
well be askcd,-f there be men who are so wick
ed, so weak, so ignorant, 20 wish to participate
in the government OF our country at the expense of
its prosperity, they worthy of being endowed
with the privileges OF citizenship?
1t may be objected, that as refusing the right of
suffrage will not prohibit immigration, a danger
will threaten the government from having so many
| persons in it who not of it,
That foreign influence and power-no matter
how 1t Is exerted, is always accompanied by dan
ger, is plain, but, has been stated open danger
is less than that which is threatened through the
ballot box. Besides, there is now class sprnging
up IN this republic, which gives it as their opinion,
that the time of probation should be twenty>one
years, which is virtual prohibition, for but few
will live to become voters. The public pulse thus
indicates shat perhaps, such law as the one under
discussion, or one equivalent to it, might be passed
but there Is no reason to expect that prohibit
| ing immigration could now be passed Prohibiting
to foreigners the right of suffrage removes the dan
ger to the future, still retaining to the native ct-
! 81, -.
| may deem it necessary. That power will soon be
removed, in case foreigners still be allowed the
! privilege OF voting
If then, it be said, that "the right of suffrage"
should not be prohibited, because it but partially
removes the danger, while checking immigration
woul be a certain remedy, is it not plain that the
one is now practicable and the other is not? That
the one removes the danger to the future, and the
other can be acted on when the people are more
prepared? Refusing 'the right of suffrage" allows
the government still to keep extended the arm of
protection over the oppressed of the earth prohib
iting immigration withdraws that arm aud Declares
that this free people feel no sympathy for the mis-
fortunes and wrongs OF the oppressed.
Another consideration may be presented here
that every people should have national character
that is the people Of a nation should have some
particular trait of character common to ALL and,
the same time, differing from other nations They
I
shown in strong light by Mr. Msxey in his ceIe-
brated speech, where he proves, that 'the loss Of
firm national character" is the inevitable prelude to
a nations downfall. Washington, to whom it was
given to form the germ of our national character
refers to it repeatedly in his writings and places on
| it the highest value. Those who are acquainted
with the early history OF this country, will remem-
Der the fact recorded by Fisher Ames in relation to
the pilgrim fathers. They, who, lying from OPP
preston themselves would feel for Others excluded
foreigners and immoral persons of their own nun.
Der from political power. This together with the
| institutions which they founded, formed a charac-
ter, which may still be observed among their de-
scendaDts
The basis of oar character should be "love OF
liberty" and our motto, 1--WE govern ourselves"
Bat how is it possible to preserve this character
when such food of Immigrants" from almost
every country, and with as many different charac-
tiers, pours in upon this land and takes part in its
political affIirs? Presently ali the languages on
the globe will be collected on this little spot of
earth!
Nor is the number of those who reach this west.
ern shore, so small to afford no ground for ap-
prehensiOn. The annual increase OF those who ar
rive at the principal ports on our sea- board, taken
! from 1925 to 1874 is IA per cent while the in
crease OF our native population, taken from 1920
to 1910, is only 2 9 percent. The report Of the
Secretary of State, from which these calculations
are made, does not include those who come by way
of the Canadas aud the North and the lowest esti
mate for the last year which has been made OF their
number, is from 80, 900 to 10000. But leaving
these out of the ACCOMPLISHING the calculations
entirely on official reports, and estimating the in.
crease OF males at the same rate with the increase
Of immigration although it bears the relation 10 il
of AZ to So it is impossible avoid the conclusion
that the number OF male foreigners will double in
FIVE years. The increase OF American voters, TAX
ing the votes Of 1882, 1886 1910 and 1874 as data
Is per cent, but taking it at three per centum
thus iavoring the foreigner they double in twenty
three years; but the number Of foreign voters dou-
BILE in five years, showing clearly, that foreign vO-
tiers increase trenty four times, while native voters
| increase but once.
Can any one look on this fact and say that there
is no danger of losing our national character; or
| that there is nothing to be dreaded from foreign
| power in electionsl The question nav again
/ be repeated, is il not the duty Of the government
to reuse the right Of suffrage TO subsequent inn
migrantsg
The several arguments which have been advan-
ced, Independent Of one another, are each con
elusive in itself; aud mgay might be advanced
The danger which Is threatened the government
| from extending political power to foreigners who
still remain subject to his holiuess-the pope, is
itself a subject for volume But this essay has
| already passed the bounds which we had fixed and
/ a suthcient,-a more than sufficient, -number OF
arguments have been dwelt upon TO satisfy candid
| unparalleled mind
This government Is truly one of experiment; on
its fate is based the solving of the proposition "is
man capable of self government" An English
statesman predicted that in fifty years from its tor
nation, it would reach the pinnacle OF its glory.
That time has passed, and It's progress is SIN p
ward, but who will say, that it will advance for
another fifty years,
IL has been threstened With many dangers, both
from within aud from without. Foreign influence
has menaced it with destruction, but never before
did that hydra wear so bold front as il does at
present. IN former d1ys, the weakness of the
State caused ii to guard against the approach of
danger. Non it has grown strong and self conf
dent,-the gates are opened wide, the draw bridge
/ lowered, aud danger courted
1.-THE Ship Of State" has reached the outer circle
OF the fatal maelstroom, which swallowed Up the
liberties Of Greece, Of Florence, Of Venice, Of
Rome, and il its course be not arrested presently
/ Il will reach the vortex and 90 down. The propo-
sition, that man is incapable Of self government
viii then be established. But one remedy is nigh -
| bit one antidOte is at hand. Let those who ell
an interest in their country and for is fundamental
Law, stand forth, aud placing shoulder TO shoulder
ss did their fathers OF old resist the deep phalanx
OF evil which il pouring down upon this land. Let
not the sweet voice OF the Siren entcs you 20 de-
struclion. Now, while YOU still hold the power,
refuse the right OF suffrage 10 Subsequent immI-
/ grants. PENNSYLVANIA
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