The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-04-26
Mr.. E1lmore,s Americanlsm.

Mr.. Ffimore's Ancricanlsm.
Early in 1855, Mr.sFilmore addressed the
following letter 10 Friend Isaac Newton, Of
Philadelphia
Respected Friend-Tt would give me great
pleasure to- accept year invitation to visit
Philadelphia, if It were possible ) make my
visit private, and limit it to- d few personal
friends whom Islould Id happy to see but |
know that this would be out Of my " and
I am therefore reluctantly compelled to decline
| your invitation, as ] have done others to New
York and Boston, foF the same reason. q
| return you p aals for your information
on The subject Of | am always happy
to hear what SGD lrd but independent
of the fact that | elf Withdrawn from
the political arena; been too much de
pressed in spirit to active part in the
late elections. 1 cor myself with giving
a silent vote for Mr.. u dan for Governor.
While, however, / amsl1 inactive observer
Of public events, | am by no means an indif-
ferent one. / may say to you III the frankncss
of private friendship, that | have for q long
time looked with dread and apprehension at
the c%orrupting influence which the contest for
the foreign vote is exerting upon our elections.
This seems to result from its being banded
together, and subject to the control of q few
interested and selfish leaders. Hence, it has
been a subject Of bargain and sale. aud each of
the great political parties Of thesconntry have
been bidding to obtain 1t, and as usual in all
such contests. the party which is m~ostcorrupt
is most successful. The consequence is. that it
is fast demoralizing the whole country cor
rupting the very fountain Of political power,
and converting the ballot box-that great pail
ladinm of our liberty-into an unmeaning
mockery, where the rights of native born citi-
zens are voted away by those who blindly fol-
low their nlercenary and selfish leaders,.
The evidence of this is found not In6rely in
the shameless chatfering for the forq at
every election, but in the large dill ion
Of Offices which are now held by foN at
home and abroad, ms compared with oufhative
citizens. Where is the true hearted American
whose cheek does not Jingle with shamanRd
modification to see our highest and md
veted foreign missions filed by men of forelgn
birth, to the exclusion of native born? Such
appointments are humiliating confessions tq
crowned heads of Europe, that a RepublNh
soil does not produce sufficient talent to repre-
sent q Republican nation at {, monarchical
Court. I confess that il. seems to me--with all
due respect to Others, that, as, q general rule,
our country should be governed by native born
citizens. Let us giveTto HE oppressed of every
country an asylum and, a home in our happy
land. give to all the benefits Of equal laws, and
equal protection but let Us at the same time
cherish as the apple Of our eye the great prin-
ciples of constitutional liberty, which few who
have not had the good fortune to be reared in
o free country know how to appreciate and
still less howAo preserve.
Washington, in that inestimable legacy
which he left to his country-his farewell adj
dress-has wisely warned us to beware Of
foreign influence as the most baneful foe of a
republican government. He saw it to be sure
in q different light from that in which it now
presents itself but he knew it would approach
us in all forms, aud hence he cautioned us
against the ansidious agiles Of its influence
Therefore as we'll for our own sakes, to whom
this invaluable inheritance. of selfgoyernment
has been left by our forefathers, as for the sake
of the unborn millions who are to inherit this
land--foreign and native, let us take warning
Of the Father Of his Country, and do what we
can justly to preserve our institutions from
corruption, and our country from d%ishonor, but
let this be done by the people themselves in
their sovereign capacity, by making a proper
discrimination in the selection of officers, and
not by depriving any individual, native or
foreign born, of any constitutional Or lega.
right to which he is now entitled.
These are my sentiments in brief; aud al
though j have sometimes almost despaired o.
my country when l have witnessed the rapid
strides Of corruption, yet I think I perceive {
CLEAN of hope in the future and now | fee
confident that when the great mass of intelli
gence in this enlightened community is once
fully aroused, and the danger manifested, il
will fearlessly apply the remedy, and bring
back the Government to the pure days 0
Washington's administration. Finally, let III
adopt the old Roman motto, " Never despaii
Of the Iicpublic.n Let us do our duty, ani
trust in that Providence which has signally
watched over and preserved us, for the result
But l have said more than I intended, ant
much more than / should have said to any ONT
but a trusted friend, as / have no desire tt
mingle in political strife.
Remember me kindly to your family, an{
believe me truly your friend,
MItI.AEp FILLMORE.
AN EXCITED HoRsE.-The PERI Chronicle
i TIs "