The record-union., 1891-03-16

declares that the Italian Minister at
Washington must move his Government
to call the Government of the United
States to account for the New Orleans af-
fair, and accompanies the demand by
threat that is in itself an insult: death
to those that allowed such butchery.
We never repent vendetta"
We are heartily sick of hyphenated
Americanism. The day is passing rapidly
when appeals to clannishness by nation
ality in this country is tolerable. We
have had too much of these foreign Amer
icanisms. The people are coming to
hear and read with contempt that is akin
to adherence of German-American po-
litical influence, of fIrish-Americanism as
factor in government, of Franco-Amer-
lean organization, of Scandinavian and
English and Italian American clubs for
political and similar purposes. Scarcely
less offensive is the disposition to speak
of the adopted citizens in given place as
constituting colonies; such, for instance,
as San Francisco contemporary referred
to when it yesterday spoke of ''the Ital-
ian-American colony in San Francisco"
some of the members Of which it pro-
ceeded to show have been our law-givers,
officials and the administrators of public
trusts.
6icfin of al In lic
country as political units, to be courted
or to be feared, is offensive and danger
Gus, and is stimulating among adopted
citizens the sentiment that this is a gov
ernment by foreign consent and toler
ance; spirit that degrades the value of
the oath of allegiance, and pauperZes the
sentiment of Americanisn-whic is to
say, patriotism. We can understand
that those of foreign nativity for the sake
of memories OF the spot of their birth,
may well enough engage in social unions,
and that between those who are aliens
still, there is strong bond of sympathy
that will draw them into close relations,
taking the form of organization. But in
the face of the demand of the Italian Jour-
mails of the East that Italians as such,
up the quarrel of the Sicilians of New
Orleans, and invoke the interposition of
foreign power, allegiance to which they
have foreswern, with demands for repara-
ton, is an insult that the American spirit
resents by protest against the claim Of
right by adopted citizens to even divide
the nomenclature of their allegiance,
much less to threaten the people with a
war Of classes.
LEco d' Italia, when it threatens the
American people with the Vengeance of
million Of Italians, means to include those
who were Italians, but who have taken
the oath of adhesion to the United States.
Are we to understand, then, that LEO
d Italia speaks by authority & for these
citizens? We are unwilling to believe
it, the expressions of Italians here
give the lie to it. bat if it
does reflect their sentiment or that
of any other class of adopted citizens,
then they have sworn allegiance to- the
American Government with reservation,
and this country is unfit for them. The
sooner we are rid Of hyphenated Ameri-
ism the better for the peace and safety
of our communities and the perpetuity of
American institutions.
LEO PItaIia is not, properly en-
titled "the echo of Italy," but 1t prob
ably testifies truthfully to the full meas
ure of its own loyalty to the Government
of the United States of America when it
winds up it's impassioned appeal to its
readers with the words, Remember we
are all Italians" If this sort OF thing is
to be cultivated, and the nations of the
old world appealed to effectively to inter-
fere in our domestic difficulties whenever
an adopted citizen is in difficulty in
America, we shall presently have Gov
ernment by consent from abroad. IT
vengeance upon their adopted coun-
try are realized, we may expect, when
ever the clannish disposition prompts,
to have the threat rung in our ears,
Remember we are all Hungarians,"
Remember we are all Englishmen,"
Remember we are all Germans"
Possibly some voice may be raised in the
midst OF this foreign Americanism to
protest feebly, but with not the less of
truthfulness. "We are all Americans
Whatever it is proper for the American
Government to do in this matter of the
New Orleans massacre, will bessdone. To
so much the administration at Washing
ton can be trusted. If any subject of
Italy has been ill-treated in this country,
or deprived of the protection Of the law,
the Government of the United States will
offer ample apology to the King of Italy.
But let not Italians, or any other people,
for an instant fancy that the American
people or the American Government are
to be frightened into any course of action
by the threat of clans or the invocation of
social or political vengeance.
AN EMPHATIC DENIAL,
A dispatch was received at this office on