The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-03-15
WHO ARE AMERICANS NOW?

year to find out "who struck Billy Patterson
A more difficult problem has taken its place
"What is Americanism?" 1t is strange that,
in country where oil are Americans, no one
can be found who can tell "who is an Ameri-
can" Every locality has its peculiar notions on
the subject, and when the various conflicting
opinions are compared, they are found to be al
most as numerous as the States Of the Union.
Three national councils have been held by
oil of whom claimed to understand
the subject thoroughly but on each occasion,
when they came to compare notes, each man
had cause to doubt his own identity as an Amer
lean, or to regard his brother delegates as i'm
posters.
The two first councils were acknowledged
failures leaving the question as unsettled as
before. The delegates to the last council were
SO eager to have this matter settled satisfactory
ly that they anticipated their regular day Of
meeting and spent four days in a most abori-
GUS effort to ascertain who they were and what
they were; in other words, who were" Ameri-
cans'and what was Amercanism" The result
was on abrogaton and reputation Of all their
former charts and follies and tomfooleries and
the adoption Of fifteen new planks as the true
tests Of "Americanism, "and consequently it is
now to be understood that whoever can stand
on all these planks is genuine Simon Pure
"Amercan" "Prorided Nevertheless, Tin the
language Of the 14th plank That majority
Of those members present at any meeting Of u
local council when an applicant applies for men,
bership in the American party, may, for any
reason By them deemed sufficient, deny admission
to such applicant"
1t would look, from this, like the question
was still open, and after ALL that it is to depend
upon the vote of majority of each local coun-
Gil "who are Americans" This is bringing the
privilege of "Americanism" to new and a
str ange test. A native-born citizen, devoted to
the constitution, Scared all over with wounds
in defence Of his country, prepared to subcribe
to the fifteen articles Of the last creed, may be
told that he cannot be an American unless
five out Of nine Of his neighbors who constitute
the majority Of the council present no one Of
whom ever aspred higher in the service Of his
country than to claim a lions share Of spoils
and to distinguish himself in denouncng and
slandering better men than himself, shall con-
sent that he may enjoy the privileges of "Amer-
icanism" and bear the name of an american"
1t will be observed that the applicant may
"openly avow the opinions and principles" laid
down in the platform and may Subscribe his
name" to it, but this council of inquisitors has
the right, "for any reason by them deemed su6i-
Gent" to exclude him from the party.
If the majority of the council present happen
to have prejudlces against long noses, or red
heads, or large feet, no long-nosed, red-haired,
or largefooted man can be an american"
If the majority happen to have special use
for all the spois within their locality, and de.
sire no competitors from without, they can
readily exclude every dangerous applicant as
barbarian not fit to be an American
If the majority happen to be men having no
special sympathy with honesty, they may shut
the door against an honest applicant, and de-
eide him unworthy, on account of his honesty
to be an american"
On the other hand, the majority at the next
meeting may be on the other side of the sever
al questions indicated and they may exclude
all snub-nosed, black-haired, small-footed appi
cants and so on, reversing the test of "Ameri
canism" at each successive meeting, according
to the accidental whms, caprices, or prejudiccl
Of the majority present. And let it not be for
gotten that every 'local council" Throughout
the Union is vested with this singular power
of determining who shall and who shall not be
Americans. We apprehend that the las
national council has proved as complete fail
ure as its predecessors in their effort to defn
Amercanism, and to determine who are Amer
leans. - Union.
THE SEMINOLE WAR.-The Tampa Pc
ninsula of the 23d is at hand, bringing TIN
latest intelligence from the seat of Indial
hostilities. The news from Fort Myers i
unimportant. The country is still aoode'