American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-06-06
ArrnRIcAN1snn I'm 1900.


the Richmond Americau) that the dam
gers to be unprecedented from too libe-
raj an extension of the right Of suffrage
to foreigners, was a source of no little
anxiety to the great statesmen and pa
triots who were the founders of our ma
tional existence. The writings of Wash
ington, Jefferson, and their compatriots
contain expressions of alarm at the ia
cility with which the subjects of for
eign dcspots were adopted as citizens
Of the infant Republic, and the speech
cs Of Mr.. Buchanan in 1915, and the
message of President Jackson of q far
later day, were but the patriotic echoes
of the warnings Of our revolutionary
eircs, which experience had but served
to impress most strongly upon the
minds Of the intelligent and rejecting.
But if the alarm Of our Statesmen Of
half century ago, was excited by the
facilities afforded by the naturalization
laws of that period, for the extension
of " foreign influence" what mischefs
may we not anticipate from the alien
suffrage principles Of modern "pro-
gressive democracy"
The Newark Eagle re-publishes the
following extract from the writings Of
a politician of that State, first publish
cd in lS0l-and every well-informed
and, honest man, to whatever political
party he may belong, must admit that
few prophecies have ever been more
literally fulfilled than have those of this
"know-nothng" of 1900. Let any
man observe the struggle that is now
going on between the selfish AMI un,
prircipled demagogucs of the two great
corrupt parties Of the countryside
mock democratic and pseudo-republi-
CAIN which every consideration of
patriotism is ignored in tho effort to
secure the foreign vote, and if he can
be inscnsible or indifferent to the con-
sequences of that struggle, if it shall
re much longer continued-we cannot
envy him the qualities of his head or
his heart. Tho intelligence and the
patriotism Of that manor to speak
more properly, the want of both, unfit
him for the proper discharge of the du-
ties Of an American citizen.
elf multtudcs," says this Know
Nothing of 1900, swarmng about
great cities and more thinly scattered
through every part of the country, form
a numerous class to whom the right of
suffrage cannot possibly be any privil-
eye, their holding and exercising this
right, will be attended with deplorabe
and incalculable evils to that class of
citizens to whom the right is most dear
and sacred. Entcrprising and ambi-
tious men, who know their own utter
dcreliction to all principle, and their
exclusion from the walks of honor and
virtue, well know that these people
have no mind of their own. They will
be perpetually intriguing among them.
They will not fail to condense and con-
centratc their otherwise scattered opin-
ions, and throw all the weight into one
scale. 1t is needless to say what the
scale will be. The intriguing and am
bilious, knowing how impossible it is
and ever will be, for themselves to rise
by merit, have their eye constantly
upon this class Of people, the true sour
ccs Of their elevation to power.
ct is time the people Of this coun-
try were made sensible Of their danger.
Their progress in the path Of corrup-
ton is rapid and by opening the door
Of citizenship so wide, and making the
elective franchise so cheap, they invite
all strangers and allure all the outcasts
Of fortunes children, to hover upon
our coasts like cloud of harpcs; yea,
TO plunge into public affairs, to put
shoulder to the wheel, and push us on
TO destruction. .'a.
"Thc rage for Office and the spirit
Of clectionecring, have made no small
progress; but more or less Of these
evils must always be expected to ac-
company the privileges Of popular
and free government. 1t is doubtless
thc highest wisdom Of every American
10 ondcayor to give stability to our
present frame Of government, and per.