The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-07-02
The American Alliance"


one phase Of bigotry, having at the same
time q double aspect. It is primarily
bigotry Of race. Self conceit very often
blinds race of people to its own defects,
blinds it to the merits of another race, and
ends by convincing it that it 10 better and
wiser than the other. This 10 as truly bigotry
as that narrow and perverted spiritual vi
sion which can see no error in a false reli-
gion or which approves the true religion
under q false view of its meaning.
We conceive it to be nothing but bigotry
when any branch Of the white race assumes
to be inherently superior to any other.
We do not admit it to be bigotry when it
10 claimed that there lie superiority Of race
- between the white, the yellow and the
black divisions Of the human family. God
himself, a. announced in the Old Tesla
ment, established radical differences be-
tween the three branches of Noah's family,
descending respectively from shem, Ham,
and Japhet. 1t may, therefore, we'll be that
these differences involve superiority some
where. But to imagine that q radical differ
ence exists among different branches of ia
phet's descendants is a fallacy that can only
arise from inordinate vanity and pigheaded
attachment to ones own narrow views. 1t 10
clearly bigotry.
Know Nothingism is an assumption of
vast superiority on the part of American
natives over just the sort Of men that their
own an cestors are-new-comers from Eu-
rope. They claim that these foreigners are
ignorant; but think of the millions Of white
natives who can neither read nor right.
They say that the foreigners are easily in
huenced by demsgogues to support candi-
dates, who are q disgrace to the country as
officials. The fact is that foreigners do not
all vote one way, but, conceding majority
of them to be Democrats, they can hardly
be held responsible for the moral monsters
who have polluted the high places Of Amer
lean craftsmanship during the rule of Re-
publicanism. Common sense ought to see
this, and the blindness which ignores it can
be considered nothing bnt the most narrow,
absurd, ridiculous bigotry.
There is another aspect, however, to the
Know-Nothing bigotry, and that is it's re-
ligious side. The following extract, taken
from a recent number of the New York Ma
the whole principle. especially in it's pre-
sent manifestation through the so called
" American Alliances:
The American Alliance" has issued call
for "Nstional Conference" at Philadelphia
on the 4th of July, for the purpose OF acting
upon nominations for President and Vice Preei-
dent OF the United States, upon the principles
advocated by the American Alliance" and to
recommend the substitution of popular vote
for President for the present Electoral College.
The Alliance is in favor of such legislation as
may be necessary for "putting q check upon
| the Wholesale manufacture Of citizenship from
the foreign material that Aocks to our land )"
declares that the Ignorance and raWness OF the
foreign voter make him an easy prey to schem-
ing politicians; that by his aid the halls Of
Congress and State Legislatures have been dis
| graced," and seats secured by unfit persons,
| whose proper place would often have been
| "entircly different institutions" The Alliance
| recommends that only Americans born be
elected to oGacial positions Of high trust and
responsibility: fsvors the Bib'e in the public
| schools, and declares that the time hes come
for an American balance of power" in this
country. This call has, like ali other attempts
to rouse native American and anti-CathoiC
furor, fallen fat, the reason being, as We take
it, that the public sees very clearly through the
pretence that the disorder and corruption
against which we are now struggling come
from the foreign population or the Pope. The
most imposing rascals the country has produced
men like Tweed, Fisk, Gould, or Ben. Butler
who have done more to corrupt the politics o.
the country than all the Popes put together
are not foreigners, but naCive-American citizens
and some of the worst of them come from part
, of the country where American traditions ant
, blood have been leass mixed with any foreigI
strain. II q list were made of the nsmes o
persons whose success in politics hes been fol
, lowed by most Distress humiliation and sham
n on the part of the public, and by most loss c
the oountry'a good name, the greater part of
= would be found TO be made mp of native Amer
Q cane, who began their career under the Unfit
4 enoe of the Bibles in the Schools" and who's
y supporters in all their wickedness have bee
l. Jealous Protestants and stern denouncers
= the baleful influence of the foreign vote. II "
" must choose between the Boss and the Pope, Il
: US by all means have the Pope.
To think of choosing the Ath of July fl
such a manifestation What progress
"a a century! One hundred years ago all me
q were declared to be born free and equa
IS now We are discovering that it is only nj
n tiyea " no ara free and email. Discrimin