The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1863-08-06
THE AMERICAN CITIZENS DU-

/
which this war and its incidents are
rudely dispelilng notion that this
nation, more than any other, Isl, to use
Burke's language, 'noth,ng better than
: partnership in trade OF pepper and
coffee, calico and tobacco, and some
such other low concerns, to he taken
up tor little temporary interest, and
to be dissolved by the fancy Of the
parties" 1t is this notion, diligently
exploited by traitors and demagogues,
which, more than aught else, has been
working tho havoc which has disgrac
ed this city during the last week. Ever
| since the war began, the men who are
bent on pushing their own fortunes at
the cost of everything that is valuable
iu our institutions and manners, have
devoted themselves TO inliaming the
laborlng classes, and par,i ,ularly tho e
offoreiyn birth, against the Government
on the ayowed ground that it was car
rying OIL the war, and that the war
was productive Of loss and suffering,
and entailed heavy sacrifices on most
classes Of the community. They have
laborcd to spread The idea that every
man who came TO tie United States
and became citizen, acquired ipso .fncto
a right to lifelong ease, comfort, and
prosperity, and that any action on the
part Of the Government in defence OF
honor or existence, which curtaled the
smallest of the working mans comforts,
was fraud and imposition. Accord
ing to this theory Of the national orga
nization, the National Government is !
sort Of swinehcrd, whose business is to
see that its hogs get their meals and
their sleep regularly, and are not 'roub
led by anything that impedes or delays
the growth Of fat. The cares, anxlctics,
duties, aud sacrifices Of citizens are all
very well for the down trolucn serfs OF
Europe. but once on American soil, the
MN rises into the full dignity Of
sworring, radlng, boarding animal, and
N attempt to make lin raise an arm
or contribute cent for the defence o!
the common honor, or dignity, or even
safety, is declared 30 have no counter
part except in the tyrannical and fero
cious caprices Of tue Car or the
Shah.
The war has dispelled much Of this
delusien already; it will dispel more of
it before it is over and the roits and
the draft in this city will, we hope,
give it in this city, and all over the
land, shock which will finish it. We
want to have every man in every cor
ner Of the earth, who dreams of making
this country his home, know and re.
member that we offer him nothing but
an ample and unrestricted field for the
exercise of all hls talents and all his en-.
ergies, for the development Of whatever
is best and noblcst in his nature. We
guarantee him freedom for mind and
body, and promise him wealth and hon
or in proportion to his merits. But we
warn him that when he comes here, ii
is not to roam over rich pastures aud
chew the cud, fat OK among fat oxen.
He comes to be a freeman in Fl &c
community, jealous Of its honor, Of its
integrity, and Of its glory, AMI prepared
to make whatever sacrifices, down to
the last cent and the last drop of blood,
to preserve every ono Of them without
stain or blemlsh. We are, in short, it
is time that all should know, nation
like any other nation, except that we
are frecr, mere progressive, less burden
cd by bad traditions and bad laws. We
are not a commercial firm and if any
body insists on forcing this construc-
ton of our social and political organiza
ton upon us, rs the rioters and ruifians
have been trying to do, tho assumption
must be repelied, if need be, at the
point Of the bayonet and the mouth OF
the cannon. No American, with drop
Of manly blood in his veins,t will ever
allow either foreign powers or domestic
cut throats to hold this theory Of the
nature and aims of this community,
without protesting against il both With
the pen and the sword.
II the world does not know already,
we arc determined it shall believe that,
70 re,u y to Burke's definition, the AM
erican nation 'is not 4 partnership in
things subservient only to the gross an
imal existence Of n temporary and per-
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