Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1856-03-22
The American Party Defended.

The American Party Defended.
The following extract from the speech of Mr.
Crttenden, Of Kentucky, at the great ratification
meeting of the American nominations held in New
York city, is truthful and eloquent. He vindcated
the American party from the SANDERS Of its enc
mics in manly and convincing exposition of the
true position of the party. He said
He had no antipahes against the foreigners
the party has none. Let the oppressed and down
troddcn OF all nations come to us. Let them share
the benficence and justice of our laws. Let them
share our educational facilities. Let them share
our language and our customs; but we tell them
in all kindness, both for their sake and our own,
that they must leave US to govern and manage the
country, Or in their hands, unaccuStomed as they
ale to its delicate machinery, it will be wrongly
directed, and its power will be thrown against
itself, and it will be involved in one mass of sper-
did ruins
The whole philosophy of our principles lay in
one memorable order given by the Father of his
Country during the darkness of the revolution ::
Place none but Americans guard tonight"
There were brave men of foreign birth in the
army; but they were not sons of the soil. The
magic attraction of patriotism did not bind then,
to the land. The Juggling at their heartstrngs
was not Tor the country in whose service they were
then engaged, but for their country beyond the
They were not to the manor born and could not
say, This is my own, my native land.' Then,
was it not policy, and was it not philosophical, to
place men who were bound by these magic ties in
the most responsible situations? And if it were
best them is it not the policy of the nation still, to
place none but nativeborn patriots at the helm of
State, the most responsible of all situations to us
at this time? And should our foreign brothers
object to this policy when it is so constantly fol-
lowed by every other governments [Cheers.
And how did our party arise? That it was the
work Of an over-rulng Providence is evident. 1t
was not the work of propagandism. 1t was from
the germ Of patriotism i'll the hearts of the people
On its first manifestation the people gathered ST.
lently around it, drawn by their best feelings to
enlist in the cause. 1t spread silently and surely
without noise, without effort, being rolled onward
by its own weight, when it was once started. Like
the wind, it is said no one knows of our party
whence it cometh; and some even at this day are
so mentally blind as to say they know not whittier
it goeth! [Laughter.] But to his mind, it was
evident that sit goeth towards the White House,
its home and towards the Capitol as its place of
industry" Great applause.
We have thrown down the gauntlet-let them
take it up who will-we are ready for the fight
Our ranks are full, but we have room still for
those who prefer to struggle with US to fighting
rgainst u.s. for it has come to that point. And let
those who see the truth of our principles at this
the eleventh hour, come to our banners and receive
the welcoming hand from those of lis who have
borne the heat AMI burden of the day.
To our naturalized brethren we say, we do not
love the foreigners less than when we first extended
an invitation to them to find home from oppres-
sion Sborac. wa ln lava 1ncr
but we love our country more. And we find if We
do not protect the ark of our liberties from the
proffered support of oificous hands, we shall all
be involved in one common destruction.
When the emigration of our country did not
exceed 10000 per year, We did not feel the effects
OF it. Those who thus came among us We're alb
sorbed in our CUSTOMS and forgot their native
country in measure, and strove to become Amer
leans. Now the stream has become an overwhelming
torrent aud threatens to subnerge the whole land.
Instead of mixing with us and becoming part of
us, whole counties are found in which the English
language cannot be understood.
The foreigners retain their cannish spirit; their
customs, traditions, habits; they form foreign
colony in our midst as distinct, in fact, from us as
they are i'll habit, though they are under our Gov
1t is this we deprecate. 1t is this we
would prevent.
He did not regard the foreign-born citizen with
feelings of distrust hatred, nor did the party.
He could cordially welcome them, but he could not
accord to them the power to rule and ruin the
common country. No man felt more charity for
the misfortunes of the oppressed lands than he.
In this very hail. not many years ago, he had
spoken at meeting, in which the citizens of Wash
ngton were raising money to send to fumne-stricken
Ireland, and he had introduced a bill in the Senate
which was passed, appropriatng 100000 from
the National Treasury for the benefit of the starving
Irish.
The business Of the American party was to pre-
serve the Constitution and the Union intact; to
preserve them from every hand that should be
'aised against them, and they had everything to
nope from the patriotism Of their course.
He closed by saying 1--WE strive for our native
sovereignty and our native-born supremacy in the
and which benefcent God has given us. Who
S he that can resist the American people, when in
/. just cause they stand before God and man to
lefend their rights" IF the party will but act
worthy of their noble cause, they will triumph
through its purity and patriotism. [Cheers, long
aud loud.