The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-01-25
Foreign immigration.

Foreign immigration.
Within few years, the character Of the
Foreign Immigration to this country has
greatly changed. Formerly il was confined
to the better, more moral, and more intelli-
gent classcs-ior the first thirty years after
the adoption of the Federal Constitution,
the immigrants to this country from Europe
were the noblcst, braycst, and most patriot
ic citizens of Europe-they desired to be Ia
ken TO the homes and bOsoms of Americans,
they added Ia the moral wealth and health
of the country of their adoption, they were
refugees from the violence Of the French
revolution, the inquisitiOns Of Spain, the
prosecutions of the Pope, and last, not least,
from the hand of English tyranny, stretched
over torn, distracted, dcmomlinsd Ireland
They were the friends and companions Of
LAFAYETTE, KOskiuscO, de Kalb, and the CO.
struggles with them for republican liberty
on the continent of Europe-they were the
0'COnners, the Emmets, and the Gnttans,
of Ireland, whose eloquencc, virtues, and
wrongs, made, for time, even Kilkenny
and Tippenry, classic ground. From such
men, American liberty had much to hope,
and nothing to fear.
Since that time, the character of our for
eign immigration, and especially the Irish
portion of it, has entirely changed. Instead
of the educated men of Europe, we now have
thrown upon our shores, annually, half
million of her paupers and criminals. From
the refuge of the oppressed, We have come to
be the great Botany bay of the world. In
stead of the Lafayettcs and koskiuscos, the
Emmets and O'COnnors, we are obliged To
have yomited upon us the uncombcd and
unwashed, filthy set Of Irish, class Of be-
ings knowing as little of the spirit Of Amer
lean liberty as 80 many South Sea canni-
balls, ignonlnt, degraded, vicious and super
stitious slavishly devoted to the hummer
les of the popish priesthood, and firm be-
levers in their power 10 grant indulgcnces,
OF remissiOns for any crimes against n Prot
estant, refusing To be educated themselves,
or to have their children educated in Amer
lean schOols-thcy have come to be the
most dangerous and demoalizing elements
in our national economy. Too little civil
lied TO distinguish between liberty and Ii
ccnsc, and without the capacity to under
stand the theory or spirit of American in
situations, the almost entire Irish popula-
ton of the country fall INCREASINGLY into
the hands of mOngrel Jcsuits and dema-
gogucs, by whom their sufinges are as reg
ularly bought and sold as an important
election arrives, and with as little compunc-
ton as the slave traders feel when they buy
and sell the bodies Of their victims. The
great mass Of the Irish population of this
rs the subjects Of a foreign potentate, hat
ers of Protctantism, free discussion, and
religious liberty, and as all forms Of despo-
tism are one in spirit, the Irish and their
priesthood, almost "a one man, range them
selves ON the side Of American slavery
None know better than the Popish priests
that with the triumph Of universal emanci-
patton must come the destruction of all
spiritual tyranny. Now who desires 10
have such set of Irish cannibals and priests,
poking their onng outang heads into our
business, who wants them nc our polls voting,
who wants them in any Office? no one but
boohoo, fifty thousand in this State. say moth
ing about any other State, would be glad 10
have them settle elsewhere at least That
free, native voters Of the United States should
h. sick Of having their rights bartered away
by Roman Jesaits, and the spirit Of their free
Institutions, broken upon the iron wheel OF
Slavery by the Ignorance and superstition OF
half million semi-ciyilized Irish voters,
blindly obedient TO their priests, is not mar
vellous. The prcscntTexcited feeling against
the Irish catholics is the natural growth of
the seeds which the romish priests and their
political allies has sowed. Now we say let
them have full harvest the fact is not TO
be disguised, and need not he, that the pres
ent Native American. movement, now max.
ing such havoc with the old party organiza-
tions, is not against foreigners as such, but
against the spirit Of the roman catholic Irish,
who do not understand that their religious
sympathics should not interfere with their
obligations 10 our institutions. There Is a
strong feeling among the people that they
not only war upon American liberty, rem
dering free suffrage farce, but that they
degrade American Labor. Our natiye-born
citizens will not enter into competition with
savage, unenlightened labor. Free Ameri-
cans cannot be made TO dishonor and degrade
themselves. This they feel that they do
when they carry vote the other end Of
which is borne BY half civilized paddy
How shall we remedy this evil? They re-
fuse TO be educated they refuse TO be en-
uSntcntu III TIC truc HEihSiPae' VI aehS'u
or in the principles Of true democracy
They also refuse to have their children edu-
Gated in American Schools in fact they re-
fuse instruction from any one except the
catholics priests. The remedy which we
must have is this, law that will stop such
food Of immigration, yes, n law that will
prevent the landing ON our shores, Irish
cannibals, also a law, that they shall not
vote till they have been hero twenty-one
years, and they shall never hold Office, Meth
or should they have the right even to vote in
school meeting-ior IL our schools as they
say, proves a cu.se TO their children, how
then, can they feel any interest in our
schools-cr what right have they there, and
why should they want to have anything to
do with them, nor with any other society
until they can become men, or at least till
they get civilized, and that will take twenty
one years, twice over. Put them where you
please, and they will Increase the sum Of
misery and crime upon our continent, and
put far of the day when, when every man
shall be the brother Of his fellow man.
nox~vv