Southern shield., 1856-02-23
The American Party and it's
 Mission.

Yesterday, the 22d, was the day fix ed upon by the American National Convention which assembled in Phila- delphia in June last, for that party to make nominations for President and Vice President of the United States. .- There was doubtless a general repre- Isentation of the States, and we sincere Fly trust that good understanding ex- listed among the delegates, for whether a nomination is made at this time or deferred until the opposite party bring |out it's candidates, the country will ex- lpect this Convention to enunciate the cardinal issues upon which the great American battle of 1S56is to be fought. That the highly important question of, a change Of the present imperfect Ma turalization Laws is and should be the main issue, we feel very confdent;- other issues are of secondary impor- Itance when compared to this. A rad lcal change of these laws, say 21 years residence in the country to entitle a foreigner to all the rights of an elector, Twill correct many abuses arising there from. We have not the slightest doubt lthat public opinion, if 1t could be direct Fly arrived at, would be decidedly in favor of such change, as there is no
 redecting man who viii not honestly
 admit that the bestowal of political rights upon a class of foreigners who from birth, habits, and education are incapable of understanding and there
 fore of appreciating the high and ines Itimable rights of the elective franchise
 has already done immense mischief and
 is calculated, with the constant increase | V
 of our foreign population, to do still
 more. Many, if not all, of the powers lof Europe are at war with the political tprinciples and clements that are at the foundation of the structure of our gov |ment.
 Hereditary bondsmen" are the longest of all others learning the great blessings of liberty; they are certainly
 the least competent of teaching others, |and perhaps the least able to exercise a wholesome discrimination and delib-
 crate judgmentin in the selectionof their rulers, when this responsible and un-
 wonted power is fcrtuitously given to them.
 We believe strongly in political edu-
 cation and training; we believe that the
 servile and abjeet subjects of the mon-
 archies of continental Europe, reared
 and trained in condition of degrada- Ition, with minds and bodies enslaved under systems of government, the rul- ing principles of which are to keep the
 masses in ignorance of their natural
 rights, in order to ensure their fealty land obedience, have much to unlearn,
 and then much to learn, before they Iare qualified to exercise the same priv lileges with those whose inheritance is religious and civil liberty, and whose Ieducation has been to learn and com Iprehend the genius and spirit of the
 government under which they were born
 and expect to live. We look upon the elective franchise as a privilege to be
 won by undergoing judiciously ex-
 tended pupilage and probation, and not
 a cosmopolitan right, which every refu- |gee~is prescriptively and by nature en- titled to as soon as he treads upon
 American soil. We are, proud to know lthat the flag of our Union is the agis of protection to all who place them selves under it's sheltering folds, and that our country is the home of the emigrant and the asylum of the exile;
 we give a free and hearty welcome to the oppressed of all nations; they are
 free to come and go, and to enjoy all
 the blessings, privileges, and comforts that are common to all living in free country. Most certainly it cannot be brought against us as areproach, or an Impeachment of our hospitality, if we are somewhat chary in the extension of political rights without iudicious dis Icrimination, and requiring reasonable and proper probation.
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