Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-06-28
LETTER OF HON. T. L. CLINGMAN
: no HIS CONSTITUENTS .'st

LETTER OF HON. T. L. CLINGMAN
TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. ~
Fxh1ow- C1rIzENs: The Hon. Edwin g. Reade. one
: of nv colleagues some time since published let
.er, which seemed chiefly intended as reply to my
address to you dated March 16 1855. This publi-
cation consisted chiefly of extracts from writings
and speeches Of mine and Of criticisms and stric-
lures on my course as public man. =
There was nothing in il however, that seemed to
require any reply from me, because NEST OF nus o.
iectons to my political conduct had fornses again
and again, been brought forward. withs more force
and much anfairncss, and had been as often con-
clusively refufed As far as he assails my conss.
tency his letter appears to be made up of scraps OF
paragraphs and sentences torn from their context,
,sand thus made 70 favor views opposite to my real
opinions LAS you were familiar with my course as
"a whole. and had repeatedly given Judgment in my
favor, have at no time apprehended injury from
This publication. I have been informed, however,
that some of the know.nothings, and other oppo-
nents of mine, are attempting to misrepresent my
reasons for not having said anything in reply, and
therefore avail myself of little leisure to notice
such of the points embraced in it have reference
to the political contest now going on in the country
have no desire to keep up controversy with my
colleague, for made no reference to him in any
way nor, on the other hand, shall complain if he
thinks my opinions and former course more imPor-
tant subjects for public discussion than any other
matter now before the country. shall only notce
some of the more prominent points made by him,
which possibly, if unheeded, might tend to m'sead
the uniformed.
To sustain the peculiar doctrines of the know no
thing or American party he makes quotation from
q speech of mine delivered January s, 1916, as
follows:
"And if the foreign Catholics, or foreigners gen.
orally, continue banded together, with view OF
controlling the elections of the country, there will
l. an the henTfQ Of oil
true americans, which will ssceep asoay the party
to which they have attached themselves"
The sentence following it. in the same speech, is
in these words:
"But, sir, l wish it distinctly understood that
am for no native-American party care not wheth-
er a man may have been born under the icy zone
which girts the POLE or in the torrid cline; where
the morning is first seen, or at the place OF his
going down, if he comes to this land and, after the
residence prescribed by law and in the manner pro-
vided, takes an oath to support the constitution,
and adopts with it an American heart, American
feelings, determining, then, u uphold the r'gnts
and interests of this country against all others, that
man will take by the hand and welcome as an
American citizen should be by his fellows"
If this sentence had been copied by my colleague
With its fellow Immediately preceding, it would have
been clear to every one, that, even at that time,
was utterly opposed to the formation of any such
party as he belongs to. On the contrary, regard
ed such party as more mschievous than the abu
SEES which was condemning. Those who have read
the whole speech, know to what had reference
Nearly twelve months previous, there had occurred
a very serious disturbance in Philadelphia, in con-
sequence of collision between some of the for
eigners and Catholics and native citizens during
which some were killed on both sides and Catholic
churches burnt by the mob. In the midst of that
excitement native American party was formed,
and Mr.. Clay was adopted as its candidate. This
circumstance, taken in connexion with the violent
war waged against the foreigners and Catholics very
naturally drove most of them into opposition to Mr..
Clay. Under the excitement of that very heated
canvass those foreigners and Catholics guilty
of the excuses which condemned, and did there
fore, say that if they continue banded together,
with view of controlling the elections of the coun.
try" they would create successful opposition to
the party with which they were associated. But,
in point of fact this was not the case On the con-
trary it is we'll known that in the next presidential
election, that Of 1S4S the foreigners and Catholics
were divided like the native citizens, between Cen
eral Taylor and General Cass, and therefore, there
not the slightest excuse for hostility to them
the part of native Americans. As the condition up
on which my prediction was made did not occur, of
course the prophecy could not be realized and hence
the gentleman's hopes of success for his American
party, which seem to be mainly built on this pre-
dction of mine, destined to fall to the ground.
When therefore, discontinue overtakes his Ameri-
can party, hope he will, on reflection, not allow
his faith in me as prophet to be shaken.
Mr.. Reade in the next place refers to my state
ment that the abolition movement in this country
has received its main strength from the support Civ
en- it by the British government and portion of its
aristocracy, and adopts the statement as true. He
then insists that because the policy of that foreign
government is hostile to us, ought to be opposed
to those foreigners who immigrate to this country.
1t is singular that my colleague should be- ignorant
of the well known fact that in Great Britain as we'll
as in most of the European countries, the body of
the people are opposed to their own government and
hostile to its policy. For that reason, the govern
ment keeps up large standing force to compel the
people TO submission On one occasion, when the
people of London were about to hold meeting to
complain of the oppression under which they suf-
fered, the government employed as many as one
hundred and fifty thousand men, to repress any out
break that might occur. 1t thus happens that most
Of those who emigrate and come to this country.
are inspired with feelings of hostility to their own
governments and manifest the most decided opposi-
lion to all movements that are favored by the gov
they have abandoned Most of the emmi-
grants from the British dominions are Irishmen and
it is veil known that they have both in war and in
peace shown themselves true Americans and espe-
;iay hostile to Great Britain. 1t is rare thing to
find an Irishman who is abolitionist. The Irish
and other foreign citizens the persons who SUD-
ported the authorities at Boston, and prevented the
abolitionists from rescuing the runaway negro
Burns. 1t was because these people upheld the
constitution and laws against the native abolitionsts
that my colleagues know nothing party, when it
came into power in Massachusetts,, disbanded the
military companies composed of foreigners and re.
used to allow them the privilege of supporting the
government OF their adopted country. The fact is
that since the anti.savery movement has
become so formidable, the great body of foreigners