The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-21
NATIXISM.

disease of nativism. Old effcte commun
ties just clinging to sickly vitality, alway
r object strenuously to that new blood who's
INFUSION can alone infuse youth and vi.
or into their veins. Feeble people genera
Q ~ cry out against the rude jostling of ths
aggressive and strenuous life which come
OF free competition.
Natlvism is confession of weakness and
. inferlorlty. Powerful and self-relant com
munlties open all doors wide, and bid tn
best OF the outside millions come in ant
strive Tor the highest prizes. They wei
Know that their inherent powers are yastl,
increased and the Commonwealth wakes
strong with the worlds strength. In all
great States distinctions of birthplace are
rapidly merged in a mighty social growth.
The State is but the organized people
who dwell in it, and its powers and re-
sources will be as the whole number and
varied capacity of its people. To make
birthplace test of social or political
standing, is an absurdity which can onlv
be countenanced by weakly honest, or by
dishonest men. a 81 4S
There are those who, from birth, have
been shut out from light and knowledge;
who have no realizing sense of the relative
positions of individuals and communities
who really believe that themselves and
Their State are superior in all the elements
oil greatness. Such people are, of course.
intense believers in nativism.
There are others who seek to shut out
new comers from the benefits Of trade. and
who cry out for a preference to the native
.lrglnlan. Still, again, we have the politi-
cians, who, seeing limited number of
Offices and an unlimited number of appli-
cants for them, apply the test Of natiyism
to increase their chances.
Against nativism in social life, in trade.
III politics, we protest as the exhibition of n
cowardly, selfish, ignorint, and poverty /
stricken spirit. We protest against If |
more in behalfof Virginia than for ourselves
who We're born elsewhere. Because we
lnow that great and prosperous States
'annot be built up in such an atmosphere.
'nd we want to see Virginia attain to the
greatness God has made possible for her.
We conjure her and her sons to tramnle
his vile, frivolous and disgraceful thing un-
Ter their feet. Open the arena of industry
nd trade, education and politics to ali /
omers. Let your sons approve their chiv-
Try by ilinglng down the gauntlet to the
est, and if they yield for the moment to !
uperior skill, they will learn in the school / {
free competition, how to win victories t
rander than any that can ever crown
arrow exclusivism. r.
what we say is in the kindest possible h
'irt. we claim to be just as good Vir- il
man as any born upon her soil. We +
lme to her from clioice; asked nothing of y
y or her people; invested our money and q
IT toll and sweat in her soil, and have a
zen giaddened with renewed health and
e returns of seeing her old fields smile > >
lth orchards, vineyards and waving fields a.
fresh green meadow. % ci
We did not expect to get rich; we did tt
: come to get office, and our love of vir-
ma grows stronger each year. We know di
ousands of northern men like ourselves m
we claim for them and for ourselves
aaiity before the law and before the bar 10 10
public opinion. We hope to be useful y
our adopted State, and to realize the st,
ppiness which comes from duties well ne
ne. nt,s t M tn
u there are offices to bestow, let the gll
hest qualities of manhood decide their ;ns -.
towal. This shall be our rule, and we in
claim it as the only one that can COM
nd respect from individuals, States, or par TN
!. We are quite willing to join with any oe
ty in denouncing the appointment of un- ab
lclpled adyenturers to office, North or wa
lth. But we claim for Northern men a me
! upon their merits as men. s