The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-02-26
WHO ARE AMERICANS NOW 2

We have heard Of efforts for than year to find
out @who struck Billy Patterson difficult prob
lem has taken its place What Amercanism2" It lie
strange that country where all Americans no one
can be found who can tell "who is American" Every
locality has its peculiar notions the subject and when
the various conflicting opinions compared they are
found to be almost the States OF the Union
Three national councils have been held by delegates all
whom claimed to understand the subject thoroughly
but each OCCASION when they came TO compare notes.
each had doubt his identity Amer
lean, or regard his brother delegates as mposors
The two first councils acknowledged failures eav
ing the question unsettled before. The delegates TO
the council eager have this matter settled
satisfactorily that they anticipated their regular day Of
meeting and spent four days in most laborious effort to
ascertain who they and what they were; in other
words who were "Americans and what Americansn"
The result was abrogaon aud reputation of all their
former charts and ooeries and omooeres and the adop
ton Of fifteen panks the tests Of American
ism" and consequently it is be understood that
whoever can stand on all these panks is genuine Simon
Pure American !" "roudcd nevertheless lin the language
of the 18th plank That majority of those members pres
ent at any meeting of local council when applicant APP
plies for membership in the American party, for any
By Me deemed sufficient deny admission to such APP
plicant" a,a.U..r. esm.
1t would look from this like the question still open,
and after ALL that il is to depend upon the vote Of
jory of each local council "who Americans This is
bringing the privilege Of "Amercanism" to a and
strange test natiye-born citizen devoted to the con-
stitution SCARED all with wounds in defence Of his
country prepared subscribe to tire fifteen articles of the
last creed may be told that lie be American
unless five out Of nine Of his neghbors who constitute the
majority of the council present of whom ever as
pred higher Ia the service Of his country than claim
lions share of the spos and to distinguish himself in de-
nouncing and slanderng better than himself shall
that he may enjoy the privileges of Amercanism
and bear the name Of an American
1t win be observed that the applicant may "openly
the opinions and principles laid down in the platform
and may subscribe his name" to it but this council Of in
quisitors has the right @for any By them deemed
sufficient" to exclude hn from the party.
If the majority Of the council present happen have
preudices against long noses red heads large feet
long nosed redhaired, large-foo,ed be an
American
II the majority happen 10 have special for all the
spois within their locality and desire competitors from
without they readily exclude every dangerous spp
cant barbarian not fit to be an American
II the majority happen to be having special sym
pathy with honesty they may shut the door against an
honest applicant and decide him unworthy on account Of
bis honesty, to be American"
On the other hand the majority at the next meeting
may be the other side of the several questions indc
ted and they may exclude all snub-nossd black-hared
smaooed applicants and on, reversing the test Of
Americans" at each successive meeting according to
the accidental whims capnces preudcss OF the MAORI
y present And lot it not be forgotten that every alocel
council" throughout the Union is vested with this sngu
lar power of determining who shall and who shall not be
Americans Wespprehend that the last national council
his proved complete failure its predecessors 10 their
effort TO define Americausm, and to determine who are
Americans