The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-10-18
MIR. Fillmore and Mr.. Benjamin.,
ON NatiYissn.

Were we KNOWN othings, as we are not,
says the NewOrleans Bulletin, and as the Cou-
rier we'll knows, although it chooses to desig-
nate the Bulletin q Known othing journal,
we should desire no better defence Of MIR. Fill
more against the %objurgatory charges made
against him by Senator Benjamin for " de-
grading himself by afiliating with that much
abused class Of citizens, the American Party,
than a speech made by the Senator at the
Convention to frame q Constitution for the
State Of Louisiana, in 1S45. If Mr.. Fillmore
has made himself obnoxious to any of his
former friends for connecting himself with a
party which is alleged to be proscriptive of
Naturalized Citizens Mr.. Benjamin has made
himself equally exceptionable for entertaining
sentiments in every way congenial with the
Know Nothings of the present day.
1t is not our intention to comment on this
speech, nor draw a parallel between the views
therein enunciated, and the suggestions creed
of the American party. We leave that task
to the accredited organs of that party. 1t is
simply our office to vindicate the position OF
Mr.. Fillmore, so far as it can be done by adj
ducing the authority and example Of the accu-
ser himself.
The speech we allude to-extracts from
which we subjoin--was delivered by MIR. Ben
jamin in the State Convention, of which he
was a distinguished member. The immediate
question was the qualifications of the Governor
of the State. The committee reported as one
of the qualifications Of the Executive that he
should be q natiue born citizen. On a motion
to strike out this qualification, Mr.. Soulee took
the affirmative, and delivered an elaborate and
very able speech. 1t was in reply to this
speech that Mr.. Benjamin delivered himself as
follows:
"He las listened to the eloquent remarks
that have to-day been made, with much pleas.
ure; ana consTatulates the honorable gentle
man, not alone ON his forensic ability, but
because he has said and embraced in bis speech
all that can be said on that side of the question.
l feel, Mr.. President, that it is a duty which |
W to the members OF this Convention, to the
members of the committee who made the re-
port which is now under consideration, to state
here plainly, openly, clearly, that it was at my
suggestion that the word native" (tfe gist of
controversy was inserted in the section now
before us for our consideration. II, therefore,
sir, there be censure to be cast on any one, for
that apparently Objectionable word, upon my
shoulders it must'in justice fall. 1t becomes
then, l conceive, a part of my duty to reply to
the arguments offered by the honorable dele
gate who last addressed you and to the best of
my humble ability to endeavor to refute them.
"The position advanced by some of the
members on this floor, on q recent occasion,
that political residence could be acquired by
aliens, is to his (Mr. BIS mind, an absurd
one and we did not then fall so to express our
selves fully, and sustain the falsity Of such a
doctrine. How then stands the case?
"They assumed that principle; we denied it
and what was the action of the Convention
on the subject? Why, they decided simply
that an alien could not acquire a political resi-
dence. What then becomes of the charge that
we have attacked the rights and wiyi!egcs of
the foreigner? Where then is the odious
which, trumpettongued, we have so
repeatedly been charged with, by the honora-