Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-07-31
Who are Americans I?

We have watched the course of those members
of Congress who were elected by the force of the
american sentiment and feeling in their several
districts with no small degree of interest, and in
not few instances, candor compels US to say sur
prise, since their entrance into the Hall of the
House of Representatives. When the present
Congress met, it was supposed that the Anaerican
sentiment greatly preponderated over any other,
among the members of the House, and it was not
doubted that this preponderance would be made
manifest in the election of Speaker, Clerk, Ser
geant-at-Arms, Doorkeeper, Postmaster, and Pub
lie Printer. The election of Speaker came on and
the unprecedented period of nine peeks were spent
in the effort to elect; at the end of which time,
not an american, but a Republican. was placed in
the chair, though, having been an American, and
giving such equivocal answers to interrogatories
put to him by Americons, as led them to believe
that he still was one, that being the idea he evil
IDENTITY strove to impress upon their minds they
were many of them reluctantly induced to vote
for him.
But If there be any, the least particle of Amer
icanism left in his bosom, it seems strange that he
is, and has been, for months past arrayed against
1uC nmCiiSoh PoAbJt ohu Aeo posiioLtS SonuiAobSo
for President and Vice President, and is the open
and avowed supporter Of the Republican, section
al candidates, and the ally of the foreign Catho.
lies of the countryl .aa
OF the Clerk OF the House we have nothing to
say. We presume he is an american, though
we have been Uniformed that the greater por-
ton OF his under clerks are either Republicans
or pe8ocrats AS to the Sergeant-at-Arms, the
House thought proper TO re-elect the old one,
Democrat, Of course, in preference to very de-
voted, honest and efficient American, one OF the
most popular and effective public speakers in this
section of the country, and who has addressed
american meetings more frequently, we will ven-
ture to say, than any man in the nation. This
was, surely, strange way for 4mericqn members
to show their fidelity to the party electing theml
We pass over the door-keeper elected without
remark, because we know not whether he is for
Fillmore and Donelson, or Fremont and Dayton
and would do him no injustice. We say nothing
Of the Postmaster.
Then comes the Public Printer and it would
certainly be saying enough to exotic the surprise
of our American friends in the various Congress
sonal districts Of the United States in which they
predominated at the balot-box to state the simple
fact that the nominee of the Democratic caucus,
himsef most decided Democrat and bitter oppo-
nent Of the american party, was elected by a
large majority! BY what means this was effected
we cannot undertake to say but II was whispered
at the time, and has been whispered ever since
that bargains were made about those days, and
such a spirit of generosity manifested by the
friends of the individual who is now Public Printer
TO the House, ~ Ben members hearts and votes.
We know nothing of the facts Of the case, eI-
cept what appears to the'publc eye, but we ahopld
be glad to know how much money, If any, the Re-
pubaasp Committee, who are printing and sending
off large quantities IF electioneering documents
speeches, pamphlets, &C., haye reseiged, directly
or indirectly, from him or what portion of their
political Email matter" has been printed at his
expense, or by hirn'
And now, where are 6 large portion Of those
members of the present House of Representatives,
who were waited into their seats by the swelling
tide Of Americanism Are they now standing
upon the American PLATFORM squire and simple"
namely, that Americans shall rule America p do
they stand shoulder to shoulder with those who
as;e determined that, "sink or swim, live Or die,
survive OF perish, they win stand upon this plat
form' Or are they nor ip alliance with foreign
srs and the enemies Of this sentiment, and sup
porting candidate who hassdeclared that, II he
should be elected President, and Congress should
psss law abridgng the present naturalization
laws, he would veto itS We speak now especially
to those who wee elected as Americans from
New Hampshire Vermont Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Inai-
ana; and speak, too, in the spirit Of kindness We
Wish them to look around them and see who are