Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-11-01
From the Southern Literary Messenger.
The Right of Suffrage to Subsequent
Immigrants.
. CONTINUED

CONTINUED.
Refer again 10 that farewell address: while spea.
king of purity spirit, which he declares "is nsepa
rable from nature, having its root IN the
est passions OF the human mind" he tells u.s. that
'it opens the door to foreign influence and corrup-
ton, which finds facilitated access to the govern
ment ITSELF through the channels OF party passion
Yet think We it crossed his mind that the day
would come, when the iron rule of party would pos
sess such strength, that one seventy sixth part OF
the number of foreigners within the United States,
would equal the majority for a chief magistrate?
But it is so !! They hold the balance of power in
Pennsylvania, in Ohio in New York, in Maryland,
in Massachusetts,, and in Virginia.
Let no one assert that this danger is a cbimera
formed from a heated Imagination, that 10 prac-
tce there is no risk; for, as natural consequence
Of their numbers and Of their holding this power,
they will in the proportion desire to exercise
it, As the nesting commences its flight with fee
be efforts so they have begun to try their strength
See them in Bramber's case, louisiana dare Ito
catechise the high Executive of an independent
! American State, as regards his official conduct
towards foreign criminal" Call to mind the at
tempt, made by foreigners, to exclude tine Bible
from the public schools See Bishop Hughes march
ing the Catholic Irish of New York to the polls
to vote down the common school bill Observe
the party OF Frenchmen, parauing the streets Of
Tue ctuphS Citsi bSdiillS UdiilfE Win tue uOJLO
"Americans sha'nt rule u.s." Inuumerable instan.
ces might be cited
There are "but as the first ripple of that ggan-
tic food, which, il We neglect the warning, will
ere long, sweep away every vestiGe of our couu-
try's haIl0wed Institutions" aud engulph our Hber-
ties in the whirlpool of revolution already they
have commenced to sap the foundation of our free
DOM and if refuse to repair the damage, pres
emily the ramparts OF Liberty will totter aud lal
from very rott mess.
1t is asserted by our opponents, that in FIVE. Oh
twenty one, or thirty years, the foreigner will have
lost ali prepossessiOn for his native land and will BY
that time, have become acquainted with our nsti.
tutions and that the government would be tyran-
nizng over 1.-THE immigrant" should it withhold
The right OF suffrage" for longer time than /.
absolutely necessary.
But who is able TO fix the time, when the for
eiguer has become void Of prejudice, and sufficiently
acquainted with American Institutions which differ
so much from his own as to be able properly, to
exercise this privilege? An individual is doing
wrong when be Gestows a favor which tends 10 hi.
own injury. But this privilege granted to "the
immigrant" operates to the hurt OF
"Both him that gives, and him that doth receive;'
of the one, because if abused it works his own
destruction; and of The other, because il thross 9
weight Of obligation on him. to carry on the
government in proper manner, which he is IN
able TO discharge
The author of Fame and Glory of England,
Vindicated," an Englishman, and supposed 70 be
Lord Brougham, while speaking Of this country
with reference to foreigners, says, "Her political
privileges have been readily and Hnlcssiy bestowed
on these foreigners; for every days experience is
showing that these, in the hands of mutitudes who
enjoy them, are alike injurious to Tie holders ana
10 tie Union al large.
Observe the character Of 'the immigrants" A
msjority Of them flying from oppression;-not
oppression from the heavy hand OF government
but caused by competition of labor in their several
emp0yments. When they hear Of "a ard of lib
erty and equal rights" they at once take up the
idea, that there all men are equal in all respects
that they enjoy natural liberty. When they come
and find it different they disappointed, aud are
pr JUDGED against our Institutions; and are hey
1T pillars 10 support those inSiitUtionss
Just a. the twig is bent the trees inclined" and
thew having from their infancy been compelled to
engage in bodily labor, and TO consider the cult
vatlon of the mind a secondary matter, (ior the
'msjority consists OF the uneducated portion oil
society," says a respectable writer now the habit
Is formed they are unable TO change what has be-
come principle Of their being. They, therefore,
devote their shole time to the accumulation OF pro-
perry, never even attempting to investigate toe
principles Of the government which differ 80 much
IRON those Of their native land, aud, OF course,
their votes will be controlled by demagOguss. who
appeal to their passions o. if they do examine
our institutions being prejudiced in favor Of then
Owa they debate TO US in regard to changing ours
Il may be said, that II education was more dit
fused il would not be necessary TO refuse THE right
of sufffsge to Immigrants
Because there are Asnumber Of uneducaled per
sous Ia the country, is no reason why the Hood o.
ignorance, which Is pouring dOEn upon II, shoult
not be stopped. The native, even though uneduca
ted being yoid OF prejudice against the insIo toD'
OF the land, becomes more fully acquainted viii
them from associaging with the community AZ large
than the foreigner ever can or will. Besides, !
every NAN in this land was educated, party spirit
would still rage, and as has been shown, a. Ions
as party spirit exists, foreigners, if allowed thu
privilege, wiI hold the balance OF power Are ths
CHANCES OF wise AID honest administration Of hi
government Increased, BY extending 10 foreigner
toe privilege Of voSiogs
The greater part Of those Who emigrste 10 ih'
United States ara fSets British soil, aud are, 0
course, sGbiscl 20 the common laE Of England
which, on this one point is very explicit it IS W
cluded 10 the political siAEim, memo PotesI eHuer'
patsla or a. il u expressed by Blackstone, lSsl'
lsl voE lldckst0nss CoasVsafariss,l ''the nstnfa
born subject OF one pr.nee eanno,, By any act 0
he ewn, he, pos By s~earing allegiance 20 anolheF
pus OF or discharge bis naIaFal allegiance 20 sh'
iormer; for this uatural sIlrgiAnes vas Intrinsic
aaa primitive, and antecedent 70 the ether SRs
cannot be Invested wilhcut the enacaueis aeI o
that prince 70 whom il vas hrst dae This - lau
tini s % 4nsInigraats from Great Britain; anS
Chancellor kent gives il as ais 0PlIion, that al