New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-02
THE GERMANS AND FATHERLAHD.

THE GERMANS AND FATHERLAND.
= The Democratic press of the United
y States is disposed to hold the Germans tt
a rigid adherence to their naturalization
. oaths. They carry this altogether too fol
when they demand of our German fellow.
citizens that they shall not even express
!. preference for the cause of their mother
country, or breathe a prayer for her
success againt the formidable antagonist
that now threatens her. There is nothing
in their assumed obligations to the
United States antagonistic to the Ger
mans exhibiting lively interest in the
fate of the land where the bones Of their
ancestors lie buried for generation
upon generation. They have, it is true,
taken upon themselves the obligations of
American citizens, but they have also
been vested with the incidental rights.
| No one can dispute the right of a free
American to discuss the policy Of his own
or any other country, even to the extent of
urging a declaration of war against any
nation in Christendom. And while we
have nowhere seen anything from Carl
Schurz which justiies the charge made
against him, that he was in favor Of array
ing the United States against France, in
the present war against Prussia, it would,
even if true, be nothing more than he has
perfect right to do as an American citi-
zen and Senator.
A naturalized foreigner, We take it,
may urge the United States into war, and
has as much voice in the affairs of the
nation as a native. It is, therefore, per-
fectly proper for Senator Schurz to give
the people such advice as he deems best.
He may think it right to side with Prussia,
or he may choose to favor France. In
either case be is free to express his views,
and if they are adopted by the majority
of the people Of this country they will
become the law of the land
twill be remembered that no longer ago |
than 1861, naturalized foreigners not only
gave advice freely on the question of a
war in which the United States occupied |
a position of much greater interest than
that of neutrality, but they took up arms
against the flag to which they had last
sworn allegiance. They were not re-
buked for this by the newspapers that
now carp at and find fault with them.
But the difficulty lies in this. that while
France was the undisguised enemy of the
Union during the war of the rebel
ion, and even forbade the offering of
our bonds for sale on the Paris bourse,
he German bankers came to our rescue
With five hundred millions of dollars, and
,ne hundred thousand of the brave emf
grants from Fatherland swelled the armies
If the North. Shall We repress the i'm
pulses of this brave people? Shall we say
o them that they must regard the life or
leath struggle in which their countrymen
re about to become involved with stoical
Indifference? 1t is perfectly natural that
Frenchman, whether naturalized or not,
hould sympathize with his native land in
er struggle against all the nations, except
nat of his adoption. And we venture to
ay, that the Emperor Napoleon found
here in New Orleans in his I
nholy attempt against Mexico although
is ultimate design was menacing to the
'nited States. And it is quite as reason
ole that the German resident of this
ountry, whether naturalized or not.
lould feel lively interest in the success,
rosperity, honor and glory of the land of
is fathers Moreover, it is his duty, as
tizen Of the American Union, to give
ich advice to his fellow-citizens as he 1
GEMS best calculated to rebound to the I
DRY of the Great Republic.
We are ever ready to listen with pa T
ence to any naturalized citizen, unless he )
'mands the hunbling of the Stars and b
ripes in the dust before the rebels. But Il
3 have even heard this done, and in New S
rleans too, and those who are now so Z
nder of the German conscience as to Il
insure Senator Schurz and General c
gel, threw up their hats and applauded Il
e treason G.
1t is thousand pities that such lofty a
cas- in regard to the duties of American u
,izenship should ever have been lost Ii
5ht OF in our once favored city. c.
NAPOLEON AS AN ACTOR, y
The Emperor has popularity. He is -