Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-04-23
Principles and Policy OF the American Par
III tTssNO. 3.

Principles and Policy of the American Pa,
ty.sNo. 8.
Having presented the views of the America
party on the question of naturalization, pre-
eeed now to consider the line of policy whic
{ appointments to Office.
! Their general proposition is, to give prefer
ence to native citizens or foreigners, for all ria
ces OF public trust. They do not propose al
absolute and entire erclusion of all foreigners
but mere preference for natives, as the genera
rule. This is obvious from the language of th,
I Sd article of the platform adopted at Philadel
phia. But If doubt remained on the mind of q
ny one as to the true Interpretation Of that ar
Z ticle it must be removed by reference to tn,
9th article, which, in terms, recognizes the Sc
lection Of officers of "foreign BIRTH.
The announcement of this preference of A
mericans for their own eountrymen has beer
met by the most bitter denunciations by TIN
courtiers of the foreign vote. 1t has been de
clared to be unjust, proscriptive, and contrar,
! to the principles of the constitution and th'
whole vocabulary of vulgar abuse has been ex
hausted, by demagogues of every grade, in Civ
ing expression to their sentiments in regard Il
it. Without being in the slightest degree ruf
fled by such ont-pourings Of vituperation, let u
now enquire: 49,
1st. Is there any wrong, as a question o
principle, in this preference for natives over for
eigners for public stations2
End. Is there any thing in it, contrary to the
letter or spirit of the constitution
| Sd. What was the opinion of the fathers oi
the Republic on the subject2
/. Is it wrong in principlel Here let it be
remembered that II is not proposed to legislatt
/, on this subject. No one has yet suggested the
idea of enacting law to exclude foreigners
! from office. All that is contemplated is, to a.
waken and to organize the American sentiment
OF the country,-to create wholesome public
opinion, which will operate, alike on the peo.
| pie and the government to induce them, in the
exercise OF the elective franchise and the power
Of appointment to give preference to Ameri-
cans for public station. f e7il
What will be the effect in practice? Every
man will be left free to exercise his constitution
al right to vote as he may deem right. There
will be no legal restraint upon him. His own
discretion and sense of duty will be his only
guides. Well, if in the exercise of my discre-
ton, do not choose to vote for foreigner, has
any one right to complain !. Do wrong any
body by voting according to the dictates of my
own conscience and Judgments Certainly not.
1t is Of the very essence of freedom that shall
vote according to my own sense of right and
duty without dictation from any man. And if
have the right, has not my neighbor, or any
number Of my neighbors, the same rightl And
may we not legitimately compare opinions
talk the matter over together, and agree to vote
in the same wayl Is not such every days prac-
tice2 Is it not the very basis of all party or
ganization-that men who think alike should
vote togethera Do not Wings and Democrats
consult together in their respective primary
meetings, caucusses and conventions and agree
to vote together so as to accomplish their COM
mon objects, by concert OF action9 Do not
Wings agree to vote against Democrats and
Democrats against Wings, without incurring the
censure of any one2 And why may not Amer
leans agree to vote against foregnersl Is it not
as legitimate to vote together against foreign
ers as against oar own c0untrymea of the oppo-
site political party2 Was it not rs legitimate
for our fathers to fight against the Hessians as a.
gainst the tories, when they joiued in common
warfare on our liberty and independence? And
may not Americans of the present day, lawful
ly and rghtfully, unite their votes against for
eigners as we'll as Democrats, who use them to
oppress US and deprive us of our constitutional
rights
Oh but this is prescription Prescription
It would cause smile-if it did not provoke O
graver feeling-to hear such word from Dem
ocratic lips Verify, our adversaries should
take the beam out OF their own eye before they
seek to remove the mote from their broth
er's eye They talk of prescription Was it
no prescription to Danish every Wing from pub
lie service, and to put Democrats in their pla-
ces! Was it no prescription to deny to 10000
voters representing near half O million OF Vir-
ginians, a single member of c0ngress-in viola
ton of the Constitution, and of the official Oaths
of the legislators who gerrymandered the dis
tricts2 1t is true We now have one representa-
tipe but that is not through their justice, but in
defiance OF the efforts of the Democracy in the
Legislature to prevent it Have not the Dem
ocratic organs denounced fierce and unrelenting
warfare on the American party1 Have they
not proclaimed that not even q county officer OF
the American party is to be sparedl All, with
out regard to qualification or public service, are
to be doomed to official decapitatiou! Has
Governor Wise ever appointed, or will he ever
appoint, one of the $4,000 American voters, tC
any office OF trust, honor or profit9 And yet
with facts like these staring them in the face
men protesting to be Democrats guardians
of popular rights-have the hardihood to CRY
out prescription" against Americans, because
they love and trust their own countrymen more
than they love and trust the men Of other coun
tries!
What is patriotism, but the love of our ow,
Country? Not merely the love of its broad
plains, its beautiful rivers, its lofty mountains
and green hills and fertile valleys, but the low
of our cOuntrymen--of the gallant men ant
lovely women, who constitute the chief elemen
of the country which We are taught in intanc,
it is our highest duty to love and serve and j
necessary to die for! And shall we forget al
these lessons of our childhood, shall We obliter
ate from our minds all the early lessons OF pa
triotism, and at the bidding of demagogues, wh'
are courting foreign votes, to aid in the ad
vancement OF their selfish purposes-adopt the
notion that patriotism is a crime, and that it j
q duty to love foreigners rs we'll, or better thai
the sons of those who achieved our indepen
dence and established our liberties Long ma,
it be before such sentiments find response il
the hearts Of Virginans
But let US now proceed to enquire whethe
the American party are seeking to lnaugurate
new principle, unknown to our fundamental
laws and at war with their spirits
The principle of preference OF natives is em
bodied in our constitution both Federal ant
State and in the latter By the aid Of the cot
of Mr.. Wise himself!
No foreigner can by the organic laws Of the Q
nited States, and of our Commonwealth, be Pres
ident or Vice President of the United States, o
Governor or Lieutenant Governor Of Virgin
: ia
This great American principle is to be foun
in both these instruments.
, Now if the principle be wrong, it should b
stricken out of both. If injustice has been don
, to our adopted citizens-if the 'cause of civ
and religious freedom" has been invoked b
!, those prohibitions, then they ought to be e,
plunged from our fundamental laws
But who will venture to make the propos