The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1857-04-25
X. MS REJoICING-AND FOR WHAT?

ovefawc anu degrade Them (Ihc Know N0hlnga
or Americans as they call thcmselvcs) we suppose
they mcan) Very the reverse. The dominant party in
the State has tried TO prevent the good people of
New Orleans from being overawcd, huggcd, and
driven from the polls whenever they attempted to
exercise the inesmable right Of irccmcn. in peoc-
ably going to the polls and casting their suffrage.
according to the constitution and laws of the land.
for whomsocvcr their Judgments dictated most wor-
thy and proper to be chosen. If this was ovcrawing
or degrading the people of New Orleans. II would
be very difficult for the most astutc, and learned
Know Nothing editor to sbcw and equally difficult
to believe.
These same editors rejoice also, they say because.
the election in New Orleans. has placed over every
court in New Orleans, "1mericdns' to preside who
will stop the wholesale manufacture Of votes Ivy the
admission of foreigners to become naturalzcd. DO
these gentlemen editors Of the Comet and Gazette,
and the American Patriot mean. that these judges
will be Americans in its true Specification, good
and worthy citizens of this great republic, or in
party sense? lin the former they will not pretend
that any of the gentlemen elected, is more of
an American citizen in everything that constitutes
that appeaton, than Judge Kennedy, Judge Rey-
maids, or Judge Robertson? We presume they would
not be willing TO say any Of the Judges who belong
cd to their own political party were wanting in that
virtue Then can come to bu. one rational con
clnsion in regard to the cause Of their rejoicing and
1t is because these judges elect, were Americans
in party sense and in party sense will proceed
to administer the laws in regard to the naturaza-
ton of foreigners, which is to exclude all we may
suppose who are not prepared to vote on the Amer
can side at all elections in future Now we suppose
Int ia int oii lao.
the laws, which is, to administer them according to
their letter and spirit The provisions Of our natu
ralization laws are simple and plain, and whenever
a foreigner by birth presents himself before the
Court. and complies with the conditions therein pre-
scrbed, the judge whoever he may be- IL bound TO
administer to him the oath of allegiance and decree
him, to be a naturazcd citizen, entitled to all the
privileges it confcrs or disregard his oath Of Office
to support the Constitution of the United States, the
Constitution of this State, and TO discharge his duty
to the best of his abilities. To withhold ii upon
such proof would be to deny justice TO the applicant
and pervert, and set aside the meaning of all law.
usage and common sense. And why should this
be douc! evidently to prevent the increase of Demo
cratic voters; nothing more-nothlng less. What
else can we infer from reading their articles on the
late election in New Orleans.
These editors congratulate themselves. that. this
thing of making voters, by making naturalization
citzons. according to the constitution and laws OF
our country is at an end at least in New Orleans
and that no longer will the people of that city be de-
prived of their own representatives chosen for the
Senate and House. by OK parte ahidays and trials
thrust before the Legislature. All, gentlemen. the
sooner you get rid of that matter the better for you
You might nj one time have used such an argument
with some degree of FEASIBILITY but you must re-
member, that that plea no longer avail you now
Although these Senators and Representatives. who
yon assert were deprived of their seats by OK pare
afdavits and trials, were duly notified and summon
ed to attend at the examination of Witnesses before
Judge Robertson and Others, when the members
testing their seats. would proceed to take testimony
to be used before the Senate and House they used
to attend, and treated the summons with contempt
This was the reason why IL was parie and for no
other What was the reason they did not attend and
examine witnesses The answer is obvious They
knew that the truth would come ont. as il did, not
wtlstandng il was expartc. This same testimony
has been twice decided upon by the Supreme Court
and pronounced valid by that august body of jursts.
among whom were two of the most distinguished
Know Nothings in the State Judge Buchanan, and
Chief Justice AIcrrick.
The clear, able and conclusive opinions of these
two gentlemen ought forever to silence the batteries
of Know Nothing editors on that question The
opinion of Judge Merrick in the lIufty ease and of
Judge Buchanan in the case of ". C. Aud against
his opponent, yindicate the Democratic party from
all blame, and prove the wisdom of the Legislature
in admitting the Democratic Senators and Represcn-
tativcs to their seats to which they fairly elect
ed by the voice of the people at the ballot box, on
the one side, and allowing the gentlemen who had
usurped them, to return from whence they came on
the other
There is one thing in this election Of judges in
New Orleans, that would seem, at least TO be in
perfect keeping with the principles of these Know
Nothing editors, and We believe of the members of
that party generally and ii is this Very few per-
sons voted at that election. This is at least, in the
spirit of their opposition to making naturazed ci
zens, and their effort to repeal the law altogether
or extend the time to twenty-one years. before ad
hitting them to do so. A few privileged voters,
one in three four, it would appear is enough for
only about that number voted at the judicial cleo
tion where these pure "Amercans" have been cho-
sen to preside for the next four years.