Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-07-01

Son. John Hickman On she Cass Doctrine
The Cassie Olerc letter is a wet blanket on
The Democracy, and had the blundor been COM
mitied by any other than an old Democrat IN
high position, The press of the party would have
denounced it with one voice As Il is the let
Ter and its doctrines are but feebly defended
The echoes OF the administration organ are
faint and scarcely responsive. To explain |
away It's odiousness is the main effort, and
Senator Pugh claims to so read the Cass letter
as to make il mean nothing more then that
desorter from foreign army would not be re-
lieved from the penalties attached TO deser'
ton by having been naiuralized In the United
statesl To such shifts and perversions has
the Cass doctrine driven the craven Admins
tration Democracy. 'n
It is said, however, that Senator Douglas
takes the samo ground against the letter Of
Gen Csss in regard 70 the protection Of natur-
allied citizens, that has been assumed by the
liberal press throughout the countryi though
by some over sight, intentional or otherwise,
the 'Little Giant omitted to put any plank on
the important subject in the Charleston plat
form he informs the party he would coDdescend
to stand upon as their Presidential candidate.
The Hon. John Hickman, Of Pennsylvania,
one the most popular old Democrats of the
State, who parted with Buchanan on the Kan
sas question, and was reelected to Congress
by an over-w holmning majority from the West
chester district, has been addressed by num-
/ r., II 80 vhn b1n
constituents as to his views on the doctrine set
forth in the late letter Of Secretary Cass to
Mr. lie Clorc, of Tennessee. His reply has
the ring Of the true American metal, and his
letter closes with the following clinching con-
illusions: 7iWG
l. The Declaration of Independence pro-
claims the equality of all.men and makes the
conduct of the English King, in refusing to pass
laws encouraging the migration Of foreigners
hither, and in obstruoling laws for their natur-
alization, a ground for revolution.
+ 2. The founders Of the Republic intended IL
should be an asylum for the oppressed Of all
nations; and tina team scarcely be regarded as an
e asylum which allows restraints upon the indi
vdual who travels either for business or pleas
ure, subjectng him to to the peril of being for
. ever separted from his family and home A
?
( uge from oppression.
r 3 The Constitution makes no distinction be-
; tween citizens, with the single exception al
2 ready noticed.
1 When duties and obligations to Government
I ere equal, rights and protection nnder 1t ought
] to be without discrimination.
8 Under tho various Administrations of the
$ General Government all claims upon our adCp-
ted citizens by foreign powers, because of for
= mcr allegiance, have been denied and all at
e tempts to enforce them sternly resisted or con.
: sidered cause of war This was clearly so in
T the Koszta case and the war of 1912.
! 6 The Democratic party which has mainly
7 controlled the political affairs Of the country
= has antagonized with every movement creating
= distinctions between men on account of thell
s nativity.
It T. All Offices below the Chief Magistracy be
s ing open to foreigners, and our army and nava
o forces being, in great part, made up of them
, would seem to force upon the maintenance
u of such doctrines as would make it unwise fo
+ Great Britain to arrest and detain a Secretary
Z, of State, Major General or the Captain of
/ feet, whose birth place may chance TO have beer
: across a lake and few miles north of the resi-
dence of Mr. Cass.
g. Allegiance to a State means fidelity ant
suiection to that State No man can be in al
+ legiance to two States at the same time, any
n more than he can serve two masters. All oui
n naturalization laws assume that old or implied
allegiance may be renounced, and new or eX-
- press allegiance assumed,
g. The fact that strangers to, and enemies of
our system of government contend for doctrines
: irreconcable with those we hold cannot dis
D prove the truth Of our positions, inasmuch as
l the form and principles of our Government diff
fer radically tom those OF every other with
> which we are acquainted. Under such circum-
# stances, we are driven to the necessity of ad-
f mtting defect in the ground work of our po-
tical structure, or ofresisting all encroachment
, upon it.
You will thus see that / regard any refusal
OF the United States to defend and protect a
naturaliEed citizen, either at home or abroad,
t as vigorously and fully as an American born,
, destructive alike of the theory, principles and
practices of our Government, aud demanding
the marked rebuke of every consistent Demo
crat. / am truly yours, JNO. HICKMAN.