Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-04-07
DECLINED THE DISTINCTION.
Characteristic Reply or Quincy NC
Neil TO an InvItation 10 Join the
ainnd Of r"AnoMnOthIngIs

CnaracteristIe Reply or Quincy Nc
Neil TO an Invitation 10 Join the
Band OF IA
In reply to a circular invitation TO orr
ganize in this vicinity camp of the
'Patriotic Order, Sons Of America,
Quincy Mcneil yesterday penued the
following letter, addressing it to j Mar
shall Davis, district president mt at large for
Illinois, located at Chicago. and in whose
hand writing the letter received by Quincy
was written:
Rock ISLAND, m, April 8, 1881
| received yours of yesterday, and IN an
swer thereto will say that the platform
and principles of "PatriotIc Sons OF
America" smells to me pretty much the
| same as the old fraud called 'Know~
Notbiug, into lodge of which was
once I'm 1850 induced to make aps
| plication for membership. objected
then. and object now, to any discrim-
ination against any persOn who happened
to be born in a fc.eign country. When
| arrived at the door of the old Know
Nothing lodge was required tn pledge
myself mot TO vote for any foreigner. un-
less the American interest was promoted
| thereby" and mot to vote for Catholic
under any circumstances. replied
| that any person, born in foreign coun.
try, who came here to enjoy the benetits
of the liberty which we do and behaved
himself as a citizen should, should have
my respect that l hold TO no religion,
but that the constitution allows all relig~
ions that teach morality. OF course |
went no further and will not encourage
your falsely called patriotism now. In
your platform of principles. you sny:
Next TO the love for the Creator, we be
lieve that patriotism is the highest and
noblest affection of the human soul
And you claim that because you are born
in America, you are better than you
would have been had you been born any
where else. Perhaps you are right; you
couldn't have been born worse, or held
worse principles if you had emanated in
Tophet. Were you in the great war of
the rebellion? If you were, you fought
alongside of German, English, French
Swede, Irish and other foreign born citi-
zens, who offered up their lives just as
much entitled TO all the privileges which
you and enjoy.
You say that one object of your order
is to prevent foreigners from coming
here, buying land in large quantities and
refusing to become citizens. Are not the
two great political parties also of the
same mind. and cannot that measure be
left to their craftsmanship with as much
reason of success rs to be advocated by a
clique of mutual admirationists? think
it can. And see no principle adYOcat-
ed by your platform which may not be
left to the politics of the country.
You say that you are opposed TO nlhl
ism, communism. socialism, etc. SO is
every law-abiding citizen. native or for
eign, and the courts will attend to this
gentry
No, si", will not aid you in your at
tempt to create class distinction under
the guise of patriotism There are too
many secret societies now for the good of
the country and the world But | think
the "patriotic" motive governing you is
the $50 fee for a charter to each camp
you can organize. Not God speed" to
your efforts in this direction, but the
contrary. Respectfully yours,
Quincy Mcneil.