The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-23


A late depIorable event in New Orleans,
and the reforms in American methods of
administering justice suggested by that
event, have been pretty fully, and it is be-
lieved sufficiently, discussed in these
columns. To the fullest extent this dis
cussion has been from a strictly American
point of view, having no reference to the
previous nationality of the victims or of
those who took part in the popular up
rising. This is the spirit in which the
American press and people, however
variant their views, have discussed the
sad affair.
But most unfortunately and most omi-
nously this is not the spirit with which it
has been treated by large bodies of citizens
or residents Of the United States Of italian
birth or lineage, and by many newspapers
of this country published in that language.
What others have treated as mere incl
dcnt-the nationality of the victims
they have treated as the only point wor-
thy of their consideration. They have
seen fit to hold public meetings, deliver
infammatory addresses, pass resolutions
and illuminate exciting editorials, not as
American citizens, not distinctively as
champions Of Law and order in the alb
stract, but as Italians, and on the sole
ground that the victims of the massacre
were Of that lineage.
Worse than all, and most ominous of all,
at more than one of these public demon
efv hw rst - he Tnsf al
States, communications have been formu-
lated, addressed to the Prims Minister Of
Italy, urging his government to make
reclamation on the United States for the
deeds done by the populace of New
Orleansl By such communications, and
by the speeches that have been made, no
less than by tae editorials which have
been published, it has been in some cases
clearly expressed, and in all plainly inn
piled, that not a. American citizens, but
as Italians, they are incensed and sympa-
thize, and the dispatch to Minister Rudini
implies that to Italy rather than to the
United States they are disposed to appeal.
This is very serious matter; the most
serious of its kind with which our govern
ment has ever been confronted. American
citizens, meeting as such in large numbers
in an American city, urge foreign gov
eminent to make demand upon ours the
refusal to comply with which might mean
war. The demand being made at their
instance, if war should result from refusal
to comply with it, with which side in the
contest would II be most reasonable to ex-
pect those who invoked the demand to
sympathize? One principal speaker, who
was enthusiastically applauded at an i'm
mense mass-mceting. and who is described
as "a merchant and representative Ital-
ian, has answered that question so far as
he is concerned in his opening remark, 81
am an American citizen, with the blood of
an Italian and the heart of Sandman"
1t goes without saying that this man and
those similarly situated who feel as he de-
clares he does have grossly misapprehend-
ed what 1t is to be an American citizen or
the implications of the step they took in
becoming such. Properly considered. in
seeking and securing equality with natural
born citizens as to the advantages of citi-
zenship-and these they certainly and
fully enjoy-they incurred an obligation
to be the equals of the native born also in
the oneness of their fidelity to this country
in their citizenship.
Nobody claims that this country is per-
feet. All admit that evils exist All al
NIT that some of these are so formidable
and so strongly intrenched that it will re-
quire the united and the patient efforts of
all who condemn and deplore to overcome
them. But only as Americans, and to the
American government or to the intelli-
gence and integrity of the American peo-
ple-not to any foreign power or foreign
feeling-must We appeal for their correc-
ton.
And TO secure this end-in which alone
| lies safety for the future-if there should
be frequent repetitions of the manifesto.
tons witnessed recently, il may become a
necessary act of self-preservation to devise
some means by which, when it is made
| clear that citizenship has been fraudu-
| lently and on false pretense obtained, it
| may be revoked. Fraud vitiates any con-
| tract.