Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-04-23
WHAT PRo-sLAvERY DEMOCRATS SAY.

press, may be seen from the subjoined ex-
tracts:
The following is from the Chicago Times,
Douglas organ, of the date of March q.
In the year 1854, when the excitement that
attended the introduction discussion, and final
passage of the Kansas-Nebraska act was at its
highest, the Democratic party lost heavy
portion of the foreign vote. The most of
those who went off then were Germans Like
thousands of nativeb born citizens, they were
wrought upon and deceived, and led blindfold
into the camp OF the enemy. Since then it
has been hard to persuade them in any consid-
cradle numbers to come back to their old stan
dard and to their true place. In the last Pres
identia campaign, the Democrats suffered
largely in this manner. But then we had no
fears of permanent estrangement. 1t never
has seemed credible that the Germans, who by
nature, are thoroughly democratic, could long
act in blindness of their manifest inter
ests-that they could still adhere to their
new found associates, after the charac-
ter and purposes of those associates should
have been found out and exposed We have
for some time past, been happy to per-
ceive that our anticipations in this respect are
being realized. All about us are examples of
German-American citizens who once msled,
and for a while held in the embrace of the CD.
position, have resumed their old position in the
Democratic column.
The foolish and spiteful action of the Massa-
chusetts Legislature relative to the residence
in that State of adopted citizens is already
having good effect, and is certain to produce
a wide feeling among the Germans, in particu-
lar against the Republican party. That action
has been explained to our readers.
1t was the passage of a law to keep natural
lied citizens out of the elective franchise for
two years after naturalization The legislature
OF Massachusetts is largely Republican in its
politics and the Republican party, of course,
is held responsible for this act of legislation
1t is not wonderful that it has created an ex-
element and Il reaction through the whole
country. Such a blow to the rights of adopt
ed citizens was never before struck, and it
was aimed, it should be remembered, more di-
rectly at citizens of German birth Sc the
Germans of Boston themselves understood
it, at all events; and so of the Germans
in all the towns of Massachusetts Meet
ings are being held by them to de-
nounce and protest against this great out.
rage, We have observed that in some in.
stances large numbers have formally and pub
licly made an avowal of want of confidence in
the Republican party, and as formally and
publicly proclaim their intention of uniting
with the Democracy. Meetings in sympathy
with these have been held in other States,
several have been called and two or three
have been already held, in Ohio Thus is the
cloud lighting up. Let the work of enlghten-
ing go on!
From the Pioneer and Democrat Buchananl ST. Paul
Minnesota, of March "a.
NEGROES ABOVE THE IRISH AND GERMANS
The Republican Legislature of Massachusetts
have passed an amendment to their State Con-
stitution, requiring all naturalized citizens to
be residents of that State t,0o years from and af
ter procuring their final papers, before they can
vote. The laws ofthat same Republican State
allow negro to vote in one year after he be-
comes citizen The Irish and Germans are
not allowed political equality with the negro,
but are actually degraded below the colored
race. This is Black Repubhcdntsm the country
over. Even the Republicans used to concede
that white man was as good as black man
if he behaved as well, but they have progressed
much beyond this sentiment now Up with
the negro, down with the foreigner, is the mot
to of that party.
The Missouri Republican of March q, pub
Hshed the denunciatons of the amendment by
the Germans, with column of the opinions of
the press, and speaks of the amendment as
adding two years to the probation of a natur-
allied citizen before he can exercise the right
of voting, and giving to a jet black negro the
right after he has been twelve months in that
State %
Hon. Thomas C. johnson, of ST. Louis.
writing for the Missouri Republican of April
2, says:
For few years past many of our foreign
born citizens have been induced to act with
the Black Republicans, owing to their anti
slavery preJudices. But this class of our peo-
pie are beginning to find now that whenever
the Black Republicans get largely in a maori-
ty, they signalize their triumph by attacking
the rights of the very class that helped them
into power. Witness the late effort of that
party to amend the Constitution of Massachu-
sets, by which the naturalized citizen shall be
required to remain in the State two years be-
fore he can vote, while even negro moving
into that State is required to remain only one
year-thus placing negro above naturalized
citizen.
From the Keokuk journal (Buchanan).
THE GERMAN REpUDLIcANs-How then take
the Insult put on them by the Republicans of Mas
sachusetts.-By the proceedings published in
the Cincinnati Enquirer, of a German Repub-
lican meeting held in Toledo, in reference to
the passage, by the Republican Legislature of
Massachusetts, of an amendment to the Con-
stitution of that State, to the effect that here
after, no naturalized citizen shall have the
right to vote in that State until he shall have
resided therein two years after receiving his
final certificate of citizenship, we extract the
following The meeting adopted an address
to the people of Massachusetts, complaining of
their treatment of naturalized citizens in that
respect, They say
eve always considered it fundamental
principle of the Republican party that all cit-
zens had equal rights before the law, without
distinction Of color or birth. But this action
of your Legislature strikes at the very root of
these eternal principles of equality and right
We had never expected that the party of the
rights Of all men would signalize their accession
to power in your State, by enacting such
clauses, discriminating between citizens and
should this measure be approved of by the Re
pubicans, and by the silence of their press
then we citizens of German descent will have
nothing more to do with such party-we will
never more lend our help to elevate party to
power which trampes us under foot. Nor will
we be driven back into the other political or
ganization, whose avowed purpose is the pres
ervation and extension of American slavery
We can never act with any party that does
not recognize the eternal truth OF the equality
of all men and equal rights of all citizens and
should none Of the existing political parties be
able to elevate themselves to this standard,
then we shall endeavor to promote and to adj
4 A. q.