The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1891-05-06
"AMERicA F0R AMERICANS"

In the light OF recent stirring
events, the Newman Advertiser is of
the opinion that the old spirit of
know-nothingism is in fair way to
be revived, land the most hopeful indi-
cation of this tendency is the fact |
that both of the great political par,
ties are disposed to favor it.
Addressing the Commercial Con-
gress which met at Kansas City, Mo-,
last week, Mr.. Wickliffe, of New Or.
leans, spoke as follows on the SUBJ
ject of foreign immigration:
1--WE have been told" he said,
"that this land is broad enough for
all, but submit that the countries
of the old world have made it the
dumping-ground for their pauper
and criminal classes, and believe
that | speak for the whole American
people when ] say that the tine has
come when this must stop. There is
enough room for all who wan to come
here to be one OF lis, but not foot of
ground for one of those paupers and
criminals from the old world. | may
feel deeply upon this subject. l have
lately come fresh from the most ter
rible object lesson, which too clearly
indicates the need of change in our
immigration laws.
II belive that this Congress ought
to declare that the National Congress
should prohibit the landing of immi-
a,-.o-.s Iuho n.o ,1ns ,,,:ll:--r,tv o., I~~~---~
good citizens. | think this law ought
to be put into such shape that no
man who has not, within a given
time, filed bis intention for citizen
ship, which is not altogether too short,
aud who ha, not within another given
time taken out what are known as his
second papers, ought to be shipped
back to the country from which he
came. Gentlemen, it took twenty
one years to make voter out OF each
one of you: it does not take twenty
one seconds to make voter out of
foreigner. Let no man step a foot
upon the soil of Columbia who cans
not bring true bill of moral cleanli>
ness.
II am, as some of you know, a
States right Democrat, but L believe
the power to make American citizens
ought to be taken from the State
courts and given to the general gov
eminent. Perhaps you do not realo
ize the need OF all this, but in looking
up the nationality Of those crimi>
mails whom the citizens of New Or
leans executed not long since, we
found that in the naturalization pa"
pers of one of those his certificate OF
coed moral character was certified to
by two of his fellow"crlminals. | be-
lieve that the scenes which we have
witnessed during the last few weeks
ought to be impossible. The raising
! of the glorious stars and stripes under
that of foreign flag. as it was done
in nv own state, and the Kidding OF
our flags by bullets, as was done re-
Gently in Pennsylvania, very clearly
indicates the need of change nj pol
icy as regards our immigration laws. y
Mr.. Wicklife was one Of the rings
leaders in the recent uprising in New
Orleans which resulted in the sum-
mary execution of eleven Italians, de-
tanned as prisoners on the charge OF
assassinating Chief of Police Hennessy,
and the fact that his remarks were
warmly applauded by the assembled
delegates, composed about equally OF
Democrats and Republicans, was of
| itself an incident of more than ordi'
nary significance.
Still more significant, however,
was the action OF the convention OF
the National Republican League in
Cincinnati on Wednesday last, when
the following resolution was present.
ed as part of the platform of the
convention:
"Recent events have made more
apparent than ever the necessity of
exercising the sovereign right in our
nation, as in all others,t to use discrim-
ination in the admission of foreigners
IS residents in this country. We
therefore recommend such changes in
our laws as will etfectually prohibit
the immigration of raupers aud Grim
inals, and of people so alien from us
in their ideas and habits of thought
that they cannot be assimilated in the
body polite"
We say the action of this conveD-
ton was OF special signifcane, because
it was the first public expression on
this subject to emanate from a purely
political body: and from the further
fact that in most ct the States repre-
sented in the convention the foreign
, element is a considerable force in pols
itics, in some instances holding the
balance Of power as between the two
dominant political parties. Yet it
shows that the American people, ir-