The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-08-28
The chlnaman IL Politics.

ress and out of it, are warmly opposed to |
he introduction in our midst Of Chinese
abor, because it is supposed that these
'eople will make disturbing element
q politics. We are told that they will all
Immediately become voters by virtue of
'ecent amendments to the Constitution.
But that venerable document has not yet
oeen strained SO far as to make a man
voter and a citizen against his will. Now
the Chinese are like the English in one re-
spect-stay here as long as they may, they
never forswear their own country and their
original allegiance. They come with the
full intention of returning to the fowery
kingdom, and they never waver in that
resolution for a moment. Even If death
should overtake them in a foreign land, it
is point of religion with them that their
bodies should go back for sepulture. But
little apprehension can be reasonably felt,
therefore, on the snject of their politics.
If it were otherwise we should, of course,
oppose their advent as much as any one.
We incline to the opinion that political
equality is practicable only among men OF
the same race. There are three evident
divisions of the human family-the white,
the yellow and the black-and it appears
to us that the instincts of nature tend to
keep them distinct. Notwithstanding all
the agitation of fanaticism, the negro is
easy and comfortable in the society of his
own people only, and shares the antipathy
of the white man to intermixture, either
social or martial. In the same way the
Chinese and other Asiatics are by no means
so much fascinated as we might f1atter our
selves with the superior civilization of
America or Europe, but turn longingly in
their thoughts to the scenes and the associ-
ations that give coloring to their dreams of
happiness in childhood. In every case
there is natural instinct of inequality and
dissimilarity. The white man can never
feel truly at home save among white peo-
pie, the yellow man is just as dissatisfied
with any association except with people of
his own kind, and so is the African or
negro.
And though this instinct is primarily
social and matrimonial, it is also national.
A man cannot give his full allegiance to a
u
own. When we speak of origin we refer
to the three families commencing with the
three sons of Noah. ALL white races are
descended of Japheth, and whatever may
be the feudal and hereditary animosities
existing among them, their aversions are
merely cultivated and not instructive. An
American would have no objection to mar
Il ,r1s nhof41 Ia n
born and educated in this country, simply
because her parents were Spaniards. The
case would be quite different, however, if
these parents were Africans or Asiatics,
that is, descendants o. Ham or Shem. God
has in His wisdom made the distinction,
and nature says let it remain.
We repeat, then, that a man cannot we'll
give the full, loyal allegiance of his heart
and his aspirations to a nation of differ
emit original race from his own, but will
always feel like stray sheep in its fold.
Consequently lie is not fully fitted to citi-
zenship among such q people. He may re-
side with them for special purposes, and
claim the protection of their laws, but he
ought not to pretend to a hearty and thor
ough Identification with them and their
institutions. Thus an American could not,
in very good taste. become an actual citi-
zen of China, nor an African claim COM
plete equality in England, nor an Asiatic
assume citizenship in this country.
| Even if these different individuals should
be willing to form these relations, the ma
ton itself ought not to permit it. One Oh
two such instances would make no differ
ence, but if the principle were of genera
application it would become perilous ir
the extreme. No nation is safe without {
devoted patriotism among its people and
crisis arrives occasionally in the history o
every country where ruin would be inevi
table if that patriotism were not both in
tense and universal. Suppose white
nation containing negro citizens to the ex
tent of one-fourth of it's population. Car
we believe for moment that. these blacks
would or could entertain the same devoted
love and Jealous enthusiasm for the homo
and glory of the nation as the whites, o
would fight for it with as much of thei
stubborn ferocity as under an organization
of theif own exclusive choice and forma
tionq On the contrary, their fidelity would
be liable to be tempered with in various
ways, and could not be thoroughly relied
on. They might remain faithful, but i
would be as aliens, not as brothers. Why
| --:o 49, hao