The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-02-17
WHO Is AMERICAN?
Veritas Expresses Well Timed
Views on Patriotism

The question of the adoption of the
constitutional government of the
United States to the wants of the peo-
pie. cannot (truthfully) be disputed. 1t
is, therefore, reasonable to believe that
large majority of the people of the
United States, are still in favor Of
maintaining the principles of Democ-
racy, or the government by the people,
as being the best adapted to the peace
and we'll being of mankind. The ques-
ton under consideration is not the
declarations of any party, but rather the
direct influence of what might be
termed the national element in our
national affairs. Speaking in the strict
sense of the word. no man Is truly an
American who will not maintain the
letter and spirit of our institutions at
the sacrifice of party and party interest,
and going a step further, no man can
be considered an American patriot who
would not defend the Constitut ton and
laws, even at the sacrifice of his in
terest. When the honor of the nation
and the institutions of the country
are in danger, the man or set of men
who stand as defenders, and we may
say champions, of the nation. Not only
leave all that are dear to them on earth
but also place their lives upon the altar.
This is an evidence OF true patriotism.
Let US take another view and ask il
what is termed public opinion can in
any way be recognised as patriotism
Public opinlon (as rufe) is either the
outgrowth of political and religious
education, or ARISES from indifference
l and frequently from absolute neglect ia
be we'll informed. When the force and
power of the representatives. of ths peo-
pie are used for the advancement OF
political and sectional interest it creates
national division and decay. The price
, OF liberty is said to be eternal vigilence
which can only be maintained BY {,
knowledge OF the law, and will tt
defsnd the right. The want of a knowl
edge of divine law aud a will to b,
good and true, have made the Christian
system reproach and oyword anon,
millions. There is no force either Ii
politics or religion when mes agree Il
l disagree.
During the last fifty years, there ha
been q growing inclination to discus
, the national customs and prejudi ;es o
men from all nations, and who will sa,
That the foreign element has not pro
6 duced very much Of the division
! throughout this country? We know
r that this declaration will be opposed
b. men who claim that our government
. I'd national institutions were founde,
for the achievement of liberty an,
!, Z ateruity, for the whole world, we ar
r not discussing this question We II
Q considering the cause of disafection to
t wards national affairs. and force tina
+ is destl Dying the vitality of the natioI
r which should be maintained agains
e every influence. 1t is useless to den
: the fact that the foreign vote of thi
Q nation is playing into the hands an
d interests OF men who are secretly OF
K pose ] to liberty and the mutual intere:
e of the people, and this is not the leas
d evil. The very com bination, that 81
e sustained by the suffrage of the foreig
d population, the combinations that al
being established in every section {
the country, are quickening the laten
passions of men to the performances {
acts that should be unknown anon
O free peop'o. Is there . remedy2 Ye,
but it Will never be found In the sense
% less movement Of the laboring ciasse
= of this nation. If the money that ha
! been lost in strikes and other ways hs
/ found center, the principle and com
pound interest for the last ten wear
70 would have been sufficient to bankrup
= the nation. What fools We mortal
q be-" This government must exist b
n the maintenance of constitutional Law
n or it must follow the footsteps of a
other nations and be governed b
physical force. There never can be
half way house between constitution,
. liberty and monarchy, any more tina
there can be half way house betWee
schism in religion and the eternal Ia,
q of God. What now remains to be don
B by the national or Democratic elemer
q of the country is to rise and become ed
ucators OF the people. If we can affor
{, to maintain an army of ministers an
u pay 10 them millions of dollars q yea,
n we certainly, as lovers of the race, ca
afford to pay millions more to educat
" the people to proper understandin
:. of our national institutions. We maiI
20 tain that no man cen be Christian VIII
does not recognize the law OF love fl
his neighbor, which is the spirit an
y genious of our national iustitut tom
" The religion of Christ ana his brigl
a examples lead the mind TO recogni.
ID our constitutional government as bein
supreme. The constitution and Law
TX are no restraint upon our rights. The
* are our guides to the attainment
IN American manhood, as God and II
ID laws are our guide to the attsinnent