The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-03-22
WASHINGTON ON NATIyEISM.

WASHINGTON ON NATIVEISM.
At a banquet of the friends of civil and
religious liberty; held at tho Astor House
New York, on the evening of the 22d Of
February, the following toast was given.
Washington and his Principles His name, nobest in
the annals Of Freedom his principles, pure cnlight
ened and liberal the glory Of his nation-the pride
Of his peope--the beacon of hope to the oppressed
In every cline and age.
Mr.. Jas. 7. Brady arose, and in q long
and eloquent address, which was listened
to with great attention, and which drew
forth frequent and loud applauses, vindicat.
ed the measures Of Washington, as friend
Of the impartial and equal distribution Of
political rights, without regard to birth, to
all who adopt our country as theirs, and as
the enlightened asserter Of religious liberty.
He referred to the associations and friend
ships of Washington as proof of the
ground he took, and quoted various passa.
ges from his letters and other writings to
show that he made no distinction between
the American born abroad and the Ameri.
can born within the United States, and that
nothing drew from him greater expressions
Of censure, or stronger ones Of disapproba.
ton, than any circumstance which show I'd
a disposition to establish political distinc.
tons between citizens on account of their
religion.
He referred to various acts of Washing.
ton, illustrative Of the partially of his
views in regard to persons Of foreign birth.
Washington aided in the work Of importing
Palatines and even paupers, to settle Ohio,
as may be seen in his letter to James
Tilghman, February, l774; and in 1892 he
wrote to the Commissioner of the Federal
District, recommending him to send an
agent to Germany to induce emigration
from that country. How does this accord
with the Know Nothing version of his acts
and policy? In his letter to Benedict Ar.
mold, in IT'S, when about to invade Cana.
da, he strongly urged him to respect the
religion of that country, and to protect and
support the free exercise of it, and the un.
disturbed enjoyment Of the rights Of con.
science by the people, to the full extent of
his authority. This he also embodied in
an address to the people of Canada, in
which he says: THE cause Of America and
of liberty is the cause Of every American
citizen, whatever may be his religion or
descent" The Know Nothings quote j:
Put none but Americans on guard to-.
night"
Would not Thomas Adds Emmett or
Richard Montgomery have been safe Ameri.
cans to place on guard the night before the
eventful day ON which West Point was to
have been betrayed to the British? He
continued: l discover no instances during
the whole revolutionary struggle in which
the place Of nativity or religious sentiments
of those who took part in that momentous
undertaking were ever investigated to de.
termine their merit or fidelity. Charles
Carroll, Of Carollton, who signed the Dec.
laration of Independence, was Catholic.
Many Of those who, with him, subscribed
that instrument were natives of foreign
lands. Among the officers who assisted in
achieving our independence, we all delight
to honor Lafayette, DeKalb, Steuben, Gates,
Lee, Kosciusko, Montgomery, and DIES.
taing. Washington, in 1889, responding to
an address from the Baptist church, in Vir.
ginia, utters this memorable language:
IF could have entertained the slightest
apprehension that the constitution framed
in the Convention where l had the honor
to preside might possibly endanger the
religious rights Of any ecclesiastical society,
certainly would never have placed my
signature to it. And If could now con-
ceive that the General Government might
ever DO SO administered as to render the
liberty of conscience insecure, | beg you
will be persuaded that no one would be
more Jealous than myself to establish elfec.
tual barriers against the horrors of spirit.
ual tyranny, and every species of persecu-
ton. For many doubtless remember that |
have often expressed my sentiments that
every man conducting himself as good
citizen, and being accountable to God alone
for his religious opinions, ought to be pro
tected in worshipping the Deity according
to the dictates of his own conscience"
No viler SANDER has been uttered against
Washington than that his farewell address
admonished his country against foreigners.
The most limited intelligence plainly per-
ceives that the foreign influence which
he assails is that Of European nations.
That he could not have been speaking of
individuals is evident from the fact that, in
cOnjuring all within our territory to struc.