Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-01-21

Il IL. EAanh holu Jnen addressed th(
meeting and said that if there was any
vitality in the ideas presented by Gen
Harding they would live long after Gen.
Harding was dead. He did not mean To
say anything against Gen. Harding per.
sonally, but against the idea of which be
was an exponent. This question should
not De made question Of races, and all
were interested in the Developments of the
CITY ana state. We came here tonight to
enter our solemn protest against his speech
and dispose Of it in toto. The speaker
then referred TO the settlement of the
United States by foreigners, etc., etc. etc
| Mr.. John B. Jeup followed and said that
ne took great interest in the proceedings
OF the meeting. He had been the editor
OF Democratic paper in Cincinnati and
hoped to live and die a Democrat. He
had been told that wholesale SANDER had
been made against citizens of foreicn de-
scent. 1t was the sacred duty of those
present to enter their solemn nrotaSt
against the insult thrown in their faces
lCheers. Gen. Harding's sweeping re-
marks against foreigners, proved him to
De man OF narrow views His senti-
ments seemed to receive a kind of silent
assent from the Farmers Club. We're the
msmbers of that club Comanches- or
where did they come from?
de calls us the scum of Europe. He
says we left Europe for Europe's benefit.
We say that we arrived in this land To helm
1t onward in development, and these lower
classes, as he calls them, have made this
land blossom as the rose. Gen. H. fears
that the influx of foreigners might dimin-
lsh the rights of his children; but he for
gets that there IS plenty of room in this
country. II this State was ever to assume
her proper position in this country II
would be through the assistance of for
signers.
On motion of Mr.. Ruhm committee If
five was appointed by the chair to draft re-
solutions expressing the sentiments of The
meeting, and the motion was so amended
as to increase the committee to twelve
The President announced the following
named gentlemen as members of the com.
mittee: John Ruhm, Adolph Nelson, P.
Walsh, S. Powers, NJ. W. Gilbert, F. Klein,
4. Rinaldi, NJ. Henderson, F. Reid, Mai.
Fuller, Pat Cleary, j. Seeman.
Col. O'Rourke next made some remarks.
He said that as one of the scum of Europe
he came here to enter his most solemn
protest. Such a country as the United
States was worth living for and worth diving
for. He referred to the bard of men that
drafted the Declaration OfIndependencean and
referred to the foreigners who were sieners
of that celebrated instrument. The speaker
also referred to distinguished Irishmen who
had been citizens of the United States.
among whom was Old Hickory, whose keel
was laid in the old world, but was launched
in America. He felt grieved that such men
as these should be called the dregs of En-
rope. He believed that Gen. Harding ex-
pressed the honest sentiments of his heart.
and his base SANDER was not opposed BY a
single member of the Farmers Club. He
would like to know on what principle Gen,
Harding could claim the lands of this
country in the West for his children.
The only claim he could see was
that Gen Harding was born in this country,
and that was only accidental He was glad
that the General had been so candid in the
expression of his views. The great Father
of America, Washington, transmitted q
letter to Ireland, complimenting Irismen
for their solicitude in regard to his welfare
and that of his country. The speaker then
read an extract from some remarks made
by Henry Clay, who stated that in every
battle the Irishmen had shared in all the
perils and fortunes of the conflict. At the
conclusion of his remarks Col. OR. was
loudly cheered.
Mr.. Tolbert Tanning next addressed the
meeting, stating that he was a native Ten
nesseean. For many years he was asso-
ciated in the editing of a State journal of
agriculture. Mr.. Tanning spoke at some
length, but we have room only for brief
report He said that he was present when
Gen. Harding addressed the Club, and he
| thought that Gen. Hardings views were
i'l-advised. He would not apologize for
the General, but he thought his position
had not been exactly understood, and that
in time Gen. Harding would somewhat
modify that position He then stated that
immigration was necessary to build up the
resources of the State, etc., etc.
Gen. H. b. Harrison was then called on
to address the meeting. He said that the
gentleman who uttered the sentiments to
which exception had been taken, however
honorable be might be, had uttered senti-
ments that justified the assembling of this
meeting. The speaker thanked Gen.
Harding for his utterances which the
speaker thought would result in the intro
duction Of capital and educated labor into
the Slate He spoke at some length on
the subject of immigration and kindred
topics.
RESOLUTIONS.
Mr.. Ruhm, chairman of the Committee
on Resolutions, then presented the follow
ing report and resolutions, which we're
adopted:
The citizens of European descent,
resident in Nashville and vicinity, descen-
dants of the most enlightened nations of
| the world, have read with feelings of regret
| the utterances of Gen. W. II. Harding at
| the meeting of the Farmers Club on Satur-
| day, the 18th day of January, on the sub
| ject of labor, education and immigration.
| In mass meeting assembled in the Capt. Of
of the State of our adoption, we declare
our earnest disapproval of the pernicious
doctrines advanced by the honorable
gentleman, who, by his position III
| society, by his wealth, by his pc.
litical influence, his thorough knowledge
of the character of his associates, is sup
| posed to be a representative man; who
| speaking the thoughts of all those VIII
| listened to him, and failed to utter ever
| the slightest dissent from his views. We
deeply deplore the fact that the daily
| American press of this city have not q
word of disapproval, not a particle of re-
| primand for the spirit of prejudice, sc
deliberately promulgated by the honorable
| gentleman.
While we respect liberty of speech, and
honor the moral courage of the gentleman
who so freely expressed his views, we claim
that same right of liberty of speech fol
| ourselves. We denounce as utterly de
| moralizing, and in antagonism with thu
spirit of the age, and of our institutions
the reasons given by the honorable gentle
man for his preferences in the choice o
his laborers. We regret, aye, we pity
those who, like Gen. Harding believe tina
the laborer, the honest man who earns hi
livelihood in the sweat of his brow, has NJ
right to, no claim on education. We con
denim the doctrine which would, from politi
cal reasons, employ only those as laborer
not independent enough to vote their FIRE,
sentiments in elections. We declare it al
q perversion of facts that the ''scum anC
lowest classes of Europe are poprlating
this country" that ''the immigrants leav,
Europe for Europe's benefit; :" that the in
hux of immigrants would have tendency
to degenerate the people of the State
would contaminate the natives so that they
would become ''penurious and skin
finted SET" Wefutterly deny that ''the
great West has been taken up and occu
pied by the scum of Europe" but we de
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