Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1859-07-08
1Dolitilal.
The Last Know-nothing Fraud.

of their rights and interests than the
course which he is now pursuing in ref
crence to their probable condition should
they return to the States of their natiy-
ity. With wantonness and reckless
ness altogether objectionable he seeks
to convey the impression that, whatever
obligations they owed, and whatever pen
alties they had incurred, at the time they
left their European homes, they may go
back to those homes and be fully pro-
tected by their naturalization here from
any discharge of such obligations and
any payment of such penalties. Yet
it they act upon this opinion and thus
return, Mr.. Bolts and his know. nothing
associates must know full we'll that the
very opposite rule will be applied to them
abroad. If they were deserters from the
army, they will be in danger of being
treated as desertcrs, If they had con-
tracted debts, they may be held to pay
them. If they had incurred the penal
ty of broken law, that penalty may be
enforced against them. This is the rule
with respect to native citizens, and it is
the rule, also, with respect to foreign
born citizens. 1t is all very natural for
MIR. Bolts and his confederates to convey
a different impression, They have no
regard for our foreign-born citizens.
They make constant war upon them.
They are quite uneoncerned as to what
may happen to them abroad They would
beverly willing, perhaps, that they should
never return to the United States and
hence, they feel no responsibility in giving
them bad advice.
Very different, however, is the condi-
ton Of the democratic party This great
organization has always maintained the
the rights of our naturalized citizens,
and feels a deep interest in their welfare.
When they have been unjustly assailed
it has stool by them, and, in frequent
cases, has perillod its majorities and its
power in so doing. While Mr.. Bolts
was supporting the secret order which
struck at them in the dark, the demo-
cracy made open war upon the order, tore
of It's DISCUSSES, and held it up to the
light of day in its true character of big
otry, intolerance and wrong Under this
exposure, after hard conflict, it was
completely vanquished, and our foreign
born citizens were relieved from their
threatened danger. Mr.. Bolts knows
this perfectly well, for nowhere was the
order more warmly defended than it was
in "a
triumphantly put to rout. But now these
very men who were then scourged back
to their caverns not only dare to show
their faces again before the persons whom
at that time they outraged, but have the
brazen lmpudence to assume even TO give
them advice What right have then to
address naturalized citizen in tho words
of friendship Who does not see that
their friendship is falsely. assumed, and
that they still retain their old hostil-
ity? The democracy, however, have
a right to speak with friendly confidence
to this class Of our people, and to expect
that their words viii be regarded as the
words Of truth and sincerity. Upon this
expectation they act. They do not de-
ccive them in one single particular -
What they know to be the policy of Eu-
rope they are not afraid to declare. -
When they believe that naturalized citi-
zen is safe in returning home they are
willing to tell him SO; and when they
believe otherwise they tell him otherwise.
They cannot assure him of safety when
they know he is in danger They will
neither invite him into difficulty nor re-
fuse to admonish him when they see his
peril. The contrary course is the course
of the know-nothings but it is not the
course of justice, sincerity, and fair deal
ing-it can never be the corrse of the
democratic party.
II is to be borne in mind, on this sub
jeet, that it is one thing to announce
what the policy of Europe is concerning
military service and similar obligations,
and quite another thing to justify it.
Our Government may fairly seek to
change this policy by negotiation and
treaty, but it cannot announce the change
until it has been accomplished. 1t is OBJ
vious, from his published letter to Mr..
Hofer, that Gen. Cass has been engaged
for some time in discussing this subject
With the German governments, with the
very purpose of obtaining greater facil-
ties for our naturalized citizens. II is
chiefly with reference to Germany that
The questions in respect to military ser
vice arise. They have no application to
treat Britain, and are seldom raised in
France. Whenever they arise, they are
'urc to be attentiyely regarded by the
Government Of the United States, and
the legal principles which
must control them there can be no hon
'st difference Of opinion. Mr.. Bots
nay seek TO convey contrary opinion,
md by great deal Of sprcadeagle non
ense may lead casual reader into error;
'ut even he leaves himself loop-hole
# escape should he be called to account
hereafter by admitting the obligation Of
very foreign-born citizen to discharge
very debt which he owes 10 his native
and. Mr.. Bolts says:
"If the debt is still binding, there is
neither justice nor morality in any at. I
empt on our part to deprive these govern
nents Of what they are justly entitled to-" I
This is the whole doctrine in a nut
hell. This is what the Administration