Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-08-18
Toraign influence


he wished there were an ocean Of fire between this
and the old world. has been often repeated and
commented upoub BY the American press. AT that
time, the influence Of foreign manners habits. and
politics was fet mach less in this country than it
Is now. II Mr.. jefferson had reason t, make such
an exclamation half century ago, we have .tiIl
greater reason TO do so at the present time
In addition 10 this remark. Mr.. Jefferson has
left on record two fundamental maxims Of Govern
ment Of the same character and description, and
inculcatins the same general doctrine. The ones
"neyer 70 entangle oArselvcs in the broils Of Eu-
rope"-and the other .neve- N suffer Europe TO
intermedile with affairs this side the Atlantic"
1t is evident from this thai it the idea Of
Mr.. Jefferson that this Government. politically,
should occupy an independent and isolated posi-
ton. We were favorssly situate |. geographically
for carry ing cut aad practising upon. these two
soand mnxins Of Goyernmi mt. A broad O,eln
Of three thousand miles in .dth s'r,rat d from
Europe. while scarcely less distance inicrscncl
tween US and the Republics Of south America
We were not +kercfore- ip ssff ,icnt contguhy to
any other leading political power. to justify the
belief that either Of the evils against which Mr..
unles by our owa folly or neglect.
But Mr.. Jefferson no, alene in cndeavoring
to impress these ideas of fepnblicau Government
upon the people Of North America. higher
authority than hc--Gcorgc Washington himself
in his memorable Farewell Addrsss-a advanced
the same doctrine. Aspirit Of national ind"pen-
dence. political and social was " bet both of ,hcm
endeavored to dissemr..o ....ong the great
# the American people.
How have we obeyed the tcachirss .. thes. pio.
neers of American liberty? How clo.y have we
followed the wise preccpts and maxims # Govern
ment which they left for our guidance
SO far as the intermeddng in the Lr'il' Of Eu-
rope is concerned, we have perhaps followed the
advice faithfully enough. But ns L" the fcpelling
If their Interference with our affairs. We have
scattered the doctrines Of the father, 10 the winds
We have seen foreign interference not ouly III the
police Of the scas contiguous to ushni, worse and
most shameful Of all. we have encouraged tho i'm
migration of foreigners, aud made citizenship 80
cheap aud easy to them, that this class Of people
has more than once held the balance Of power be-
tween the two great political parties Of the c"un
frr and thus determined the whole foreign and
domestic policy Of our Government
At the time Mr. Jefferson n al, hi. 80 iark 'hc
emigrts If Europe were coming to this country n
few thousand n year. Now they come u half n
M lion pcr snncm-" not III single hr- hu, in
lattalions.' They swarm all sections Of the
country. not only coming into competition with
American labor, but exercising a potential voice
in the discrimination of our populm r'ccl,ns--
Happily we Of Virginia are comparatively free
from their influence but throu. ,Lont the North
and Northwest, they huyr settled in immense
numbers tansplanting upon Aia,ricnn soil the
peculiar habits and mana. y, .. nr European
continent, md destroying lhe ,cor If oar %, quail
American nationality hy luting i, with tic pecu-
liar doctrines of the lowest grad, g, 80 cty Of tho
Old World.
Should any one enquire what the alyanta-
ges VIC have derived from this steady stream Of
immigration TO our shores, the ready reply would
be that they have incres sed population. So
they have--lu. they have increased the popula-
ton Of the Free States principally. aud thereby
given them vast preponderance i'll the political
power Of the government IL would ho further
answered that they supply the demands for labor
This is also trne-- but MT the same time they have
deprecated the value of slave lAbor and led toi's
earlier abolition in some Of the States thar would
otherwise have occurred. The positive INJURY
they have inflicted is seen in the characterization Of
politics and pollticians-the turtheruDce of rallu
and .yrer;.n ;d.as-,b. ;n,,,.,;o,. ,,,, ~ 49,,