Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-03
RACE DISTINCTIONS.
Sensible and Timely Suggestions in Re.
gard to a Great and Grow.
ing Evil
In Our Political System" When YOu
Are In Rome, Do as the
Romans Do"
Dallas TEX Herald

An election is on the taps in the Taxing
District OF Memphis, Tennessee, and we no.
tice style of canvsssing now INDUCED in to
an .immoderate extent in that unfortunate
city that cannot be but huTtful there, as it
has been elsewhere in this country of late
years, and deserves at the hands of the pres
more than a mere passing notice. 1t is moth
ing more nor less than the Irish and anti
Irish cry. In Ohio and some other sections
we accustomed TO hear extensively, at
election times German cry, and candidates
are chosen and issues moulded TO catch the
attention and command the support of this
or that particular race or class of citizens,
and most frequently all other questions are
swallowed up in what may be simply and
truthfully stated conflict between races.
How bitterly has this war for the foreign or
Irish or Catholic vote been waged in New
York city the whole Union knows too well,
and it is not going too far to remark here
that this narrow-minded, prejudiced and
uupatriotic practice has been the
fruitful source of many of our
political and social tlunders, to say nothing
Of the obstacles thrown in our way to COM
piete AmerlcauiZing and unifying OF sentl-
ment throughout the entire extent of the
Federal republic. If foreign immigrant is
worth anything to us it is as citizen, not as
an Englishman, or Swede, or an italian, or
what not, but an American. Ii such does
not come among US with the pure and I'M
conditional purpose of adopting our man
Hers, studying and upbolding our institu-
tions, becoming inoculated with American
ideas, and doing, in word, while in Rome
as the Romans do" he is rarely contented
or very patriotic citizen, and rule dis
contented and Indifferent citizens do not add
much 10 the general or collective force or
efficiency of governments subjects. twill
undoubtedly be noticed everywhere in these
American States that the most influential
and successful, the most patriotic and
happy foreigners are those who have
apparently discarded the peculiar race
tenets or customs of earlier days and be-
come thorough Americans. A real citizen,
other qualifications being equal, is the man
who knows no other laws, other govern
ment, no other manners but those which sur
round him and alone call for his study and
admiration. Such man in this nation is a
citizen, whether born in Massachusetts, of
Puritan parentage, or in Scandinavia, where
he once held Office. Under our very generous
way of looking at things and the liberal
frame of our statutes he has ceased TO be
Puritan or a cavalier, Turk or 8 hoosier,
and has been forever absorbed into the body
polite as an American citizen simply and
purely. There is not an intelligent person
in the United States but that admits this
fact upon its bare rehearsal, and TO engage
in conduct seemingly, often, indeed, expressly
negatiying the idea In times of political ex-
element, is to do the most unpatriotic and
unwise thing imaginable. Aside from keep
ing alive race prejudices and producing the
most varied and necessarily disastrous con-
hicts of opinion where only harmony would
insure progress and needed reform, relig-
ion is dragged in and we are compelled,
whether it BE- pleasant to US or no, to mani
fest a lively and direct interest in affairs
IL s
Siberia or bearing pointedly on Mr.. Glad
stones administration of the English govern
ment, but really no further affecting our
genuine interests than the existence of the
man ia the moon. We want only American
questions agitated here or such as are of con-
sequence TO us, and the only differences we
ought or want to see are differences between
US as citizens OF the United States, regardless
of birth or s. ction. These Memphis politi-
clans are doing their city a severe injury by
appeals to any national prejudices, and we
are perhaps concentrating attention on the
subject of all others in the canvass the least
significant And so with all other men,
whether politician or farmer, foreigner
or native born, hereto or Christian,
who gives countenance to any race
contest We trust that as that bitter
feud heretofore dividing the various
sections of the Union has about finally
dropped cut of our politics, this other I'M
pleasant and equally if not more dangerous
disposition to draw distinct lines between
the many nationalities now domiciled in
America, may be relegated to its merited OBJ
livion. And we desire to see the matter
treated hereafter in such spirit and with
sufficient extension and elaboration to insure
a more national and healthier tone with ref
erence to it. Notwithstanding the late elm
ination of May vexed views from the cam
paigns of the future, they will be certainly
in some resp cts very bitter, and it is TO be
most sincerely hoped that this prolific source
of discomfort known as race-pre iudice or
race-parties, or'race-issues may not be lugged
into them to further complicate affairs.