Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1857-06-27
-Nf. Srittenden's speech in the Nation al
American Convention.

-
inst. in The following terms
! | have tha honor of beng o1lv Al
adopted member, and fee! raYSeIf sur
pri,rd ~ beng among the speakers
4ou have heard 50 much said. So e.o-
quentIy aud SO well, that might bar,
been omitted. have listened wi.I
satisfaction % the gentlemen who have
preceded rns wish | could boast o
them all a. hentuckians bat shey ara
M fellow citizens Of ,ile United States
am = ksntuckian By birth, and love
her with al! the possible depth Of my al
tections. Bat an more fond Of aaotl
er title, and that Is of being citizen Of
The United States. None higher can be
claimed by nsn. i: Is protection TO
him wherever he may travel, and bis
rights in that capacity the proudest mon
arch ot Europe hesisates 10 violate or
offend. Il Is for this reason that feel
The most anxions soi'citude for the per
petuity Of the Union. /. is only in tia.
respect that Wa are known and recoc-
niz-d by the whole world. value this
Union because Ii gives ne great and
mighty country. |. is no. TOO large, for
know that my feelings and hopes and
! aspirations can comprehend tie whole
scope.
VIII we mar the great destiny Of our
land by any sectional jealousles of this
great volume OF intellect IN one hundred
millions Of freemea. Think Of the i'm
mense power IN the hands and hearts
and heads of that number OF enlightened
aud patriotic men. The Roman Empire
never presented such spectacle. We
caanos set limits to their achievements.
ou mas measure the power of the
Dlghtest steam engine. but it is nothing
to compare to tbs mental force which IS
ieading US on IN the progressive current.
ih's is the mission ofthe American party
to nurture Ibis graa, legacy Of which
we are the eb'y inheritors. There a~e
impending dangers which We on.r can
obslsts- Among these is that cf foreign
influence, SO rapidly increasing. and SO
alarming in all respects. In tue earlier
history ot the Republic wa granted fer
eIgDers certain privileges They were
t'at few III number. and rapidly became |
absorbed and AmeEicaniz.si IN our nativ. !
population. But low lhey come hy !
thousands and hundreds of thousands, /
aud there IS 3 prospect II their coming
il. Ienser Inu:tltuies am willing tia.
thev should use our country rs \ refuge !
or al rs, tutn, but Ne cannot, witirou,
pu>Iisnlinoa-,y acting. Weld them the
privilege OF governing the county,
Can he not d-Eef that ambition, while he
can enjoy our rights Of property and
liberty
Ih's is tie enemy in the Trojan horse
in Our midst, more dangerous and alarm
nc than ii living without our borders
snd making external attacks From
uch enemies we can The more readily
1efend ourselves. And why are We no,
III OF the same mind Why are some
Wiling to give UP this Inheritance TO al
ow The foreigner to share their rights
md annuI their votes. think It is an
insult to cur N manhood for these aliens to
demand OF rs equal rights, and | eaUnot
How my honor, my native, Inborn ri sh.s |
> he partaken Of by them For the
!orious isnmunities and privileges Of our
American citizenship our fathers Tough. !
nd b|ed. and SO help NE God, | ain !
'iiing to fight and bleed for their main |
alnauce against the foreign hordes who f
re aggresslng on our liberties. 7
But there are parties in the country q
rho derive all their power from the for v
ign vote. and that is the mos. enormous h
lew OF the question. That foreign vote c
rs elected every Hresid eut since the L
ays of Gen, jackson. 1t exercises n
influence in our legislatlon.- G
is courted and bargsined for, and wa G
ho are descended from the compatri- 8
IS of Washington are ruled and gov Ii
-ped by these men who have fed from er
leir miserable hon es beyond The sea-
do not. however, blame these erligrants a
ho are bedazzei and Influenced by the a,
ron.ses Of office, position and social $
/ antages which they never dared W
resm of in their native homes. Not ,s
'at the men o: this party are less patri $,
ic, but that they love the spo'ls of Of 9,
,e, and the advantages Of political u.
over, more than the honorable main "
nance of thei, bequeatLed rights. tt
We fought the battles OF the revoiu Ii
Oh to become freed from colonial de- n.
sndence. But are we no. becoming
orse than colonists. when we allow for
gners to enter our States and control -
q elections, and subject US to vassalage tn