The weekly American banner. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1855-18??, 1856-06-06
A Preference for Natives Not In.
cons tstcnt With Equality % All.

We appehend that iu reasoning upon the ou,s.
ton Of equality Of RICH. among all citizens TO the
possession and emoluments Of Office, mistake is
often made by overlooking very important fact.
The Offices Of q government are not created to
furnish lucrative or honorable positions TO any
class OF citizens but to secure the faithful admins
tration Of public business. To All these Offices
with credit to the individual and advantage to
the community, peculiar ad p.lluie and fitness
essential. All men have not The req iste knoS al.
edge 80 ne possess not the require integrity, 9TH
era cannot lay claim to that pur ty OF character
or that education Of manners essential to com nand
public respect. Such qualification il essential in
the public officer.
Political off .es-those which involve a control
the public policy of the nation.-which con.
Germ the domestic laws, the impr pvement of exist
ing institutions and the wise govtram mt OF rap
Idly growing "onfederacr of States, must of me-
cessity be placed in the hands of men having
distinct conception OF our pecu'ilr form of gov
eTnment-a perfect understanding of the com ,,lex
political machinery oftne Republic knowledge
of the genius of our ps ope and the spirit OF our
laws. or they will work ruin with the powers en-
trusted to their hands, They must be emhued
with "A high nationality of fee ling. and their SYM
pathics must flow out IN favor of ali hat i Amer.
lean, or they will introduce into our system the
spirit of governments hostile to the constitution.
al, reprepresentalive and free institutions, which
they are expe, It'd TO cons rye. One born on the
soil, and educated under the fostering care of
the r public, comprehends the word tenaiitv as
Ia fro, 4
to the foreign born. Order and obedience TO The
lorms ARE not antag>,aiste: regard for the law
TN res ,ect for its officers arr nat RI, ol.h
there Is no pomp aud para ie to Civ. them isni-
ty or any outward show ofpower. Tarse circum-
stances give him q la i6catiens Tor th. a.lminisra
ton of political offices which the foreign born can
n.ver acquire. A I'd the preference Of the native
is mt then unjust to the nat,iraliz.i, nor does it
conflict with the freedom ,f all to aspire to dis.
tinction. The views Of Whitney on this subject
are philosophers:
The first political idea that is presented to the
mind OF one rearsd under the influences OF Amer
lean Republicansm, is equality. Through the
avenues and surroundings OF republican Gus ON,
the mimi OF the American boy steps naturally up
on the platform vi equality, as soon as he il old
en"dgh to comprehend any general princi, hes
II. inis no privileged cllss above him 10 subtlue
md neutral z. his aseln no arstoeracy to over
awe the innate impuls aud asplrainns of the free
soul. He lcok. around, and finds himself the per
Of lis associates; ne encounters superior Of his
own age-no matter except over his imperfeeti,ns.
! III is m'ni roams 1t large. and gains strenytn: he
reads, h listens tn his el ers. be forms opinions
on topics within the scope OF his mind, anil fear
essiy express them, and thus, by early habit
learns o demand OF others nothing but whit ia
| right, and to submit to nothing that is wrong. -
II is the character OF righteous independence and
thus fortified, he onterS with II firm step and re-
fecting mind, upon the duties ola citizen. The
Independence of character gives force to Lis prin-
| ciples, aud vigor to his integrity. It quickens
| his perception, cncouragesa becoming sell-rpsppct
expands his understanding, and thus qualities him
early for rational comprehension and a fir ex.
ercs" " the perogatives OF an in eligent an
moral tzen.
Il T sc qualification are rarely found in one train
ed to subm sson, AMI imbued with d sense OF hi,
own inierlority. Such man coming from thu
twilight Of bondage into the broad meridian O
freedom as dazzled with the unaccustomed glor,
that surrounds him. His confused senses canno
; endure the light. He is lost, bewildrred. III,
can neither comprehend nor realize his new posi-
!; ton. Accustomed to cringe IN the presence y
his "betters, he looks in vain for living shrin
that will accept the homage of his Blended knee
: of the transition that he has encountered Fl. i
told that h. inhabits land of liberty and tqlal
! ty. II gets i coli'tsel rnti,a that yr..a
change has taken y ace in his cenli,i,n, bnt tn
nature of the chang is MT yet unrrvaI Il tn hi
? mental faculties. H.. has heard something ahou
n "Lberiy' before, without k owing what WI
$ n ant, but the word "equ,lity,' il not ionnd i
e his xcon. and he can't make ont how If is thu,
he is las good rs oth'r people" His mind il no
!. blank, it is worse than blank He has ha
!" rngraven heron. by the hand of a stern ar
:. thoughts and iancies adapted to his former st,t
lessons, not of rational obedience, m RELY. bu
t OF la, slavsn. abiect Submission and it ia Difficult
l. to rub out the impression, and make a clean sur
face.
: /, such man in such condition to exercis
! the right of suffrage side by 81 le with the free
born, and free-cnltured intelligence! Should Il,
8 vote of such II man b.. parmitte to nentra iza an
render nu ratorv the vote, of the mos enliyhtene
!, mini in tie at Oh? s. Oh is its ffa t. I le,y
. common sense H. answe' The qnrst IN. Woal
v the ioc r q Of equally" require the citizn {
o entrust h IN with uflie?
IS But the man aOes moi a ways rema q hus? NJ
IF 1t us pass to the next transition! The tablet
3, o. his mind are undergoing further change. TT
s. atlrition of surrounding elements ore gradual
of mknf'ther mark upon thafn, celebrating ii
7, cd impression only by new excavations, the on
"a commingling with the Other without order, ar
- the whole pres ilting an unt lgbIe mass Of GRO
- hatchinys. -tcAings. Inns. AMI interlins. The O
n memories are msrfectly hidden Will yet the ne
n: impressions are equally iniistiact. The man res
ir lies his n w position without comprehrmling
at its moral. He experiences an awkward relief fro
err tire-honorrd RS faint. He perceves that he h
ne right to s'eak his minl and he does so, freel
!. giving off, lk, blurred copperpla q. the contu
ol cal impression of the matrix. H talks of demo
~ racy like parrot, AMI seasons his essays ofpar
~ san drvOtioa, with reminis, ences IF the sou
II cnlnthry, the "Faderland. or LA B He Fran.