Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-03-26
cLEARFIELD, Pa, MARCH 2s, 1856.
Nominees of the Philadelphia Convention.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH. "

49, FREEDOM OF SPEECH"
In an article under this caption, sour neigh
bor'' of the RepuGlicGn makes use of the fol-
lowing language:-
"The great achievement of those .pTimitive
days was the guarantee of freedom OF speech
to ereru citizen. We would maintain that qua
rantee inviolate. Can neighbor say as
much !? is Would not he and his party deny to
the naturalized citizen, and to the citizen of
certain religious belief, the right to hold Of
fce7'
1t is a singular way, of verify, that our
down-street sneighbor'' has of ssmaintaining
inviolate' the guarantee of freedom of speech,
when IL, the very next paragraph to the one in
which he asks the above questions, he would
not have ministers Speaking ssafter the i'm
pioussmanner of the three thousand New Eng
land clergymen in their remonstrance against
the passage of the Kansas Nebraska bil!''
Is that sEmaintaining that guarantee invio-
late7 If it is, we acknowledge our inability to
discern in what way
Americanism has been so much discussed
within the two last years, that it was thought
no misapprehension of the principles upon
which it is based, could exist. But, it seems,
there still are some, who, whether wilfully or
not, We win not say, have difficulty in arriving
at a correct understanding of the same. The
evil which would result from an exercise of
foreign influence in our governmental affairs,
attracted the attention of the statesmen of our
country long ago, and induced them to utter
their condemnation of it.. Washington him
self set the example in this respect. The evil
tendencies of foreign influences caused the
great apostle of modern Democracy, General
Jackson, to declare that sswe must become
more Americanised." "Pennsylvania's favor
ite son." James Buchanan, was in the earlier
days of his career, impressed with the same
idea, and eoDtended, in speech delivered at
Lancaster on the 4th July, 1915, which we find
in an exchange, that
"yTe ought to use every honest exertion to
tnrn out OF power those weak and wicked men
who have abandoned the political path marked
ont for this country by Washington, and whose
wild aud visionary theories have been at length
tested by experience and found wanting.
.6bore ALL ,oe ought 10 drire from our shores for
sign infiuchcc, and cherish erclusireiy american
feeling. Foreign influence has been In ererg age
the curse Of Republics. Area
dy our Infant Republic has felt her whitening
influence. Already has she involved us in a
war, which had nearly cost us our existence
Let u, then learn ,eisdom from experience, and
JoreUer Danish this fend from our society,"
There is what James Buchanan, the choice
Of the Democracy of this State for President,
said relative to foreign influence. AT the time
it was spoken, it was regarded as being ortho-
dox. Why is it not now7 Why is it that at
rhe present time, when our elections are being
controlled by foreign votes, the principle is
regarded as erroneous by the Democracy Is
it not for tho self-eyident reason, that their
political success in great measure depends
upon securing the foreign vote?r That is the
correct solution OF the problem. 1t was truly
said that sEwsa change, principles never!''
In tho few lines quoted at the beginning of
this article, the question is asked whether the
American party would not s<deny to the natu-
rahzed citizen, and to the citizen of certain
religious belief" which means Roman Cath
lie, ssthe right to hold Office" What ssright''
has any foreign catholic to hold our Offices
Where did he acquire it7 And by what au-
thority he invested with it Does blind
obedience to foreign spiritual head, confer it
upon him? Does his adherence to the pccu-
liar dogmas, superstitons and prejudces of
the Church of Rome, or even an abandoning of
his adherence to temporal prince of Europe
or any other section of the world, beStow up
on him such ssright 2'' Has he any right at
all to hold Officer Certain prigieges are gran
ted upon certain conditions; but to talk of the |
right of foreigner to hold Office, is an absur-
dity. The constitution for5ids sinaturalized |
citizen' from holding the Office of President |
ofthe United States, and, we believe, the same /
rule applies to the Office of Vice President. |
How dreadfally proscriptive the Constitution
and the American party are The Catholics
so far as their religious privileges are con-
cerned are not prosecuted in the United States,
nor does the American party wish to persecute
them. They have their priests and churches,
and are allowed the full enjoyment of these.
with their religion no party wishes to inter-
fere. Politically they are distrusted, and for
This they have themselves to blame. Their
noserviency to foreign priesthood and for
elgn spiritual head superinduced this distrust.
TO free of the ballot-box after a COM
pliance with the requirements Of the constitu
tion and laws, no one presumed to object; but
when they were found, as a church. in obedi.
once to the instructions of their priests who
are bound, by solemn oath, to obey the Pope |
O. Rome, who is, and has always been opposed I
- liberal institutions and a frss>uss Of ,hs Bi.