The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-08-03
VOX POPULI.
The New York Riots AgRin-A Sensible
HieM of The SlIrh

View of the Subject.
MY Dear FrseneGn-The real point to be taken
into consideration has been overlooked by
most OF those W no have written or spoken upou
the recent disturbances in New York, Our
country Is being rapidly filled up by persons
coming from every quarter of the globe, We
have Englshmen and Irishmen, G Germans and
frenchinen. Swedes and Poles, Russians and
Ghineso Africans and Japanese, Spaniards and
Italians, Norwegians and Danes Coming from
men should stin feel an attachment to their
native fands-that they should still take d deep
tienaities-that they should still Be more or
less intuonced by their old national prejudices
and predictions.
"C9ittn non amman TnutGut oua trans mare
ctuTTnt." Freely translated, this means cross
German, though a citizen of the United
States, naturally felt an interest in his native
steady progress to victory during the late war.
Just as naturally did Frenchmen grieve over
land, and hope that ere long better fate
would befall it. In like manner, II (Which God
forbid another war should enkndls its devour-
ing flames and hurry Great Britain and Prussia
into struggle, Englishmen would rejoice over
native land. whereas a German would watch
win eagerness every movement of the PrqSsian
armies and his spirit would rise and fall with
the side on which they were borne to victory.
This sympathy man feels for the land Of his
that place is should not be forgotten. Though
coming from different quarters of the world,
we are all here citizens of the United States.
Upon this soil we are free and we are equal.
The Russian and the Pole upon the Same
level-a high and ennobling level. To prince
and peasant coming from abroad the title Of
American citizen is proud and valued one
The Prussian has no more rights here than q
Frenchman each of them, however bitter the
strife between their father lands, is an ATneri-
can citizen entitled to the same rights and priv
iieges and possessed of an equal claim to their
Being, therefore, equal and citizens Of one
country, breathing the same pure air of fres-
dom, treading upon the same soil and enjoying
happiness having the same basis and secured
by the same Duiwarks, it should be their aim to
suffer all old-vorld prejudces and animosittes
to be as completely laid aside as if the waves of
the ocean they crossed when coming hither had
been for them the waters OF forgetfuluess of all
but the ties OF love and universal brotherhood.
So, also. should it be the aim of our govern
ment, whether municipal, state, or general, to
discountenance and, if attempted, put down
every man1festation or national feelings that
may be offensive to any, even the least, of our
citizens Otherwise the peace of the country
will be endangered and its unity and conse-
quent prosperity he put in Peril.
Aside, therefore, of the bad taste shown in
rejoicing over the defeat of the noble country
that first stretched out Il helping hand to our
nation in its birth-throes, it was at variance
with the harmony to be desired and cherished
tfons of the victory of the Prussans when there
are in our midst so many who felt sorrowinz
there but one citizen of French descent, the
violence done to his feelings would be serious
and lasting In its consequences.
With equal injustice to the feelings of
Irish-boru citizen, and with equal peril to the
peace OF our country, is any celebration at
tended that has for its object to commemorate
what he regards as deep and abiding wrong to
N
pants in the celebration be citizens or not, the
event they commemorate was but one link OF
heavy CALLING chain that weighs upon the
dOTn-trodden victims of treachery and ba rbar-
ism. Such aH event could be recalled to him by
an Irishman only with feelings of sorrow for
his country and OF hatred for her oppressor.-
To stir up and keep alive such feelings is to
and TO lead to deeds from which disorder, strife,
and bloodshed may ensue- What right, then,
consistent with the unity, peace and happiness
or our nation, can any Englishman have to
o1er s1ch an insult to citizen OF the United
States? 1t is Idle TO appeal to the parades OF
Fcnians, for these are just as objectionable,
and they would be tolerated only because it
suited the interests of men in high places to
alarm rival government. No citizen has
right to hurt or trample upon the feelings of
another citizen.
For this reason every right-minded citizen
should and will applaud those who would pre-
vent any such national celebration, whether in
If the law does not exist it ought to exist, as it
is the natural aud essary consequence of
the relations in which we stand-fOreign
vescitizens-towards one another and towards
our only real and most free and happy land. 1t
should be the effort of rulers. it certainly
is the spirit of our country, to cement most
closely and firmly the elements of which our
nation is composed and to exclude anything
that would mar the symmetry or lessen the
strength of the noble structure the beauty and
power? of which win the admiration and COM
mand the respect of men in every cline and
land. Whatever our hearts may feel, let our
words and actions never show that any
thing but Americans, save to love our fellow
mon, be they white or black, red yellow
from Europe or Asia, for beyond our bounda-
ries live our fellow mon, within our borders
fellow citizens as well. CIvIS AMERICASUs.