Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-05-07

s. NO. XIV.
ulation were ONE In every ONE HUNDRED AND
srxTY-FrvE. wv
In the four cities of New York, Brooklyn, al.
bany. and Buffalo, the number Of convictions IN
1862 was 3,7S3, Of whom 1892 were foreigners!
Of THREE HUNDRED AND ONE arrested in New
| York, for drunkenness, in the first week in -Au-,
gust 1856, TWO HUNDRED AND TIRTE.Two were
foreignersl ssa;5pg l-.sssl Saysa, y,
| But pass from these disgusting details, to
consider the indirect effects Of this population on
social and political order. q s,s;i,s. q
| No argument can be necessary to show that
such elements as those describedin the statistics
above cited must necessarily create disorder, n
OTIS, and violations of law in any community into
which they may be thrown The tables them
selves show that fact. But such persons bring
other and indirect evils on the country, which,n
possible are more fatal to its security than those
to which have referred When they become
invested with the right of suffrage, candidates
for Office will seek their votes and, In order TO
get them, will pander to their prejndices, consult
their pleasure, and adopt every means, to win
their favor. To do this, THE OFFICE HUNTER
MUST SINK TO THEIR LEVEL. He mdst promise TO
do what accords with their wishes and tastes
He must associate with them, drink with them,
fatter them, and if need be, bride theDL In this
way the candidates become prostitutes, and the
repressntatires become corrupt. After election,
being anxious to retain their places, their eyes
are constantly fixed on the voters, and their leg
islatiye action is shaped, not by regard to the
principles of the Constitution and the welfare OF
the country, but by desire TO conciiate the ia
yor of this potential element in elections And
having made large sacrifices to secure their seats,
they think it but fair to seize the earliest oppor-
tunity to reimburse themselves BY plunderng the
treasury, under the guise of some contract or
claim on the Government! Have we not even
beheld the humiliating spectacle of candidates for
the Presidency courting the foreign vote in the
most open and undisguised manner! Andwhat
are all the homestead laws, and presumption
laws. and land distribution laws at nominal pri-
ces but palpable, and had almost said corrupt
bids. by political aspirants, for the foreign vote
The dignity and independence of the officer Is
soon destroyed by practices like these, and nc
soon becomes q supple tool in the hands OF an
inscriptions constituency.
The next step is from Indirect to direct brlbe-
nv. Instead of honeyed words, which do not
satisfy hunger, or homesteads for men who would
be too lazy to work them if they had them,--
money, ready money, will be demsnded-yea'
has been, and is nosc in some States too often de
manded, as the price of votes! Thus money Is
made an element in political contests and we
already begin to see in our republic the germ OF
that corruption which enabled the foreign Pre.
torian bands to put up the imperial crown Of
Rome at auctionl Continue to import hordes OF
ignorant and depraved foreigners, and clothe
them with the elective franchise, and the day is
not far distant when the party that can COM
mand the most money will control the elec-
tons; and men of property will Justify them
selves with the idea that they are buying their
peace because the alternative left them is cor
ruption or agrarianism.
But this is not the only form in which the evil
of foreign influence on political affairs develops
itself. Many of the educated foreigners bSlng
with them the most distorted views OF the ends
and views of social organization Many of them
are inidels, atheists socialists and agrarians and
by their wild and demoralizing ideas corrupt the
very fountain of liberty. Mormonism is stri-
king illustration of this species Of foreign impcr-
tation. In it we behold the most disgusting ex-
hibition that the civilized world has ever wit
messed of imposture, irrelgion and beastly Ecen-
tiousness, introduced into the heart OF our coun-
try, and sustained by the aid and influence OF
foreigners aiG rc
ligious-theories of many of the Germans, are
quite as shocking to the moral sense of the mass
of our people, as the practices OF the Mormons
are revolving to their ideas of decency and pro-
priety. IL. .i.s .rcec ~ 5 .l,ag
1t Is well known that some years ago an asso-
citation was formed, under the title of Free Ger
mans" having its head quarters in Louisville,
with branches in all The principal cities OF inc
Union, which entertained and sought to gisE ct.
ficiency to the most dangerous and anarchical
doctrines. In March, 1854, the branch in Rich
mond published platform Of its principles, and
the measures designed To carry them into prac.
tice. This platform is now before me, and,
would gladly incorporate it into this article, did
not its length forbid. But hope that during
the canvass it will be republished at large, SO
that every Virginian may see and reflect uponit.
It denounces slavery as 'spoLIrIcAL AND NOR
AL cANoRR"-protests. against the extension Of
slarery into any aeae territory demands repeal
of the fugitire slars lac, as demoralzing and de-
grading, and as contrary to human rights and to
the Constitution-a,d insists shat IN national
affairs tie principle Of liberty shall be strictly
maintained and eren tn tho sereral States it be
more and more realized, By GRADUAL ExTKRNIsA-
rIoS OF SLAVERY" It further affirms that sin
free States THE COLOR OF THE SKIN CANNOT Jusri-
FY DIFFERENCE IN LEGAL RIGH7s.".
This platform also holds that Sabbath laws,
Thanksgiving days, prayers in Congress- and
Legislative oaths upon the Bible, the introduc-
ton Of the Bible into free schools" &C., shall be
abolished "as an open violation Of human rights"
1t also demands free eession of lands to oil
settlers, and that citizenship must be early ac-
qured and that new settlers shall be aided with
national means"
ALI elections to be by the people, and the peo-
pie to have the power to recall their representa-
tive at pleasure. 5i.i 49, 81 lsfa q -
| Neutrality in our foreign relations to be aban-
doned. Women to have the same political rights
and privileges as men; and the death penalty to
be abolished in all cases. -
This is q summary of their avowed principles;
but as this is picture of their doctrines in s'the
green tree,n let us see how they exhibit them.
selves when more fully developed
With thisvew, submit the following extract
from German paper published in st. Louis:
"The tlrst and most principal mark whereby
we distinguish ourselves from religious people is.
that in belief on God and that which connects
isself with this belief We recognise destructive
cancer, which for thousands Of years has been
gnawing at humanity and preventing it from at.
tanning to its destiny. No individual can live az
b,r,oy, ho;np. in No fop,;l, az, <.,,. L