The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-06-19
James Buchanan ON the Know
Nothing Question.


On the 7th day Of October, 1852, James
Buchanan. delivered speech in Greensburg,
WestmOreland County, Pa, in advocacy Of
the Democratic cause. In that speech he
thus eloquently alluded to the Anti-American
principles of those who would persecute the
foreign-born citizen on account Of his birth
or difference of religious views. We call
the especial attention of the friends OF civil
and religious liberty to his pointed denunci-
alton Of the principles that are now at the
basis Of the Know-Nothing orgsnization.--
Said Mr.. buchanan:
From my soul | abhor the practice Of
mingling up religion with politics. The
doctrine of all our Constitutions, bo:h Fed
eral and State, is, that every man has an in
defeashble right 10 worship his God aceor-
ding to the dictates OF his own conclence.--
He is both bigot and a tyrant who would
interfere with that sacred right. When
candidate is before the people Tor office, the
inquiry ought never to be made, only in the
language of Mr.. Jefferson, "Is he honest; is
he capableW ...
|
! for a Native American party! When ull the
records Of our past history prove that Amer
! lean Democrats have ever opended wide
their arms to receive foreigners flying from
oppression in their native land, and have al
ways bestowed upon them the rights of A
merican citizens, after q brief residence in
this country. The Democratic party have
always gloried in this policy, and its fruits
have been to increase our population and
our power with unexampled rapIdty, and to
furnish our country with vast numbers OF in
dustrious, patriotic and useful citizens. -
Surely the name Of Democratic Americans
was an unfortunate designation for the Ma
tive American party.
The Native American party an "Amerlcan
excellence" and the glory OF its foundership
belongs TO George Washington! No, fel'
low. citizens, the American people will rise
Iup with one accord to vindicate the memory
OF that iIlustriOus man from such an impu
alton. AS long as the recent memory OF
our revolutionary struggle remained vividiy
impressed on the hearts Of our countrymen
no such party could have ever existed -
The recollection of Montgomery, Lafayette
De KHlb Kosciusko, and along list OF Tor
eignprs, both officers and soldiers, who lree
Iy shed their blood to secure our liberties
would have rendered such ingrattude i'm
possible. Our revolutionary army was tillet
with the brave and pairiot;c natives OF thel
LANDS; and George Washington was thei
commander in. chief. Would he have eve
closed the door against the admission OF for
eigners to the rights of American citizens
Let his acts speak for themselves. So car
, ly as the goth Of March, 1870, Genera
Washington, as President Of the Unite
States, approved the first law which eve
: passed Congress on the subject OF naturaIl
. zation; and this only required resldenc
/; o. two years previous to the adoption OF
foreigner Us an American citizen. On tn
Goth of january, 1895, the term Of residenc
was extended by Congress to five years, an
: thus it remained throughout General WASH
inpton's administration, and until the acces
sion ofJohn Adams TO 'he Presidency. i
= his administration, which will ever be know
in history as the reign OF terror-as the er
of alien and sedtion laws-an act was pass
j. ed on The 18th of juno, 1898, which pruhit
!. tied any foreigner from becoming cltiZe
~ until afte a residence OF fourteen years; az
this is the law, or else perpetual excl
" sion, which General Scott preferred, an
" hch the Native American party now d.
r. sire to restore.
e The Presidential election Of 1900 secure
the ascendcncy of the Democratic part.
;, and, under the administration of Thom'
1t Jefferson, its great apostle, on the l4th
April, 1902, the term Of residence, previo'
to naturalization, was restored to five year
# what it bad been under General Washn
ton, and where it has ever since remained
o No, fellow citizens, the Father Of his Cou
try was never Native American. IN
y, "American excellence" never belonged
9, him. .-r r..s