CATHOLICS—THE AMERICAN PARTY.
------
ELLINGTON, March, 1855.
Mr. Editor:— There is evidently a great
wrong connected with the movements of our
political affairs, towards our foreign-born pop
ulation. The object of this so called "Am
erican" Party, seems to be, to oust from of
fice, and to deprive of political rights and
privileges, all who have had the misfortune
to be born beyond the precincts of the Uni
ted States. It is no evidence, because a man
was born in this country, that he is true to
American principles; nor, does it argue that
he is necessarily false and traitorous to re
publican principles, because of being born in
a foreign land. It should be remembered
that the traitor ARNOLD was born in Connec
ticut, and the noble LAFAYETTE, in France.

Foreigners come to this country from
choice; they adopt this as their home be
cause they prefer a Republican Governent
to a Monarchy; they have built our Rail
roads, dug our canals, and contributed in
various ways to the general prosperity of
our country. They pay taxes for the sup
port of our Government. The American
Party now propose to pass laws to prevent
them from voting for twenty-one years after
coming to this country. The success of this
movement will place them (the foreigners)
in a similar position to that of our Fathers,
previous to the war with the Great Britian, viz:
"taxation without representation." To tax
any class of citizens for the support of Gov
ernment, wherein they can hold no office,
nor have no voice in its control, is not only
unjust but subversive of true Republicanism
and contrary to the genius and avowed prin
ciples or our Government.

Who are the true Native Americans of this
country? The aboriginees,—"the red men
of the forest" were the rightful owners of the
soil, and the true native Americans, ourselves
and ancestors being interlopers. For us
then to attempt to strike down the rights and
privileges of those who came here at a later
period, is assuming an authority which sa
vors too much of despotism. Such author
ity is founded upon a kind of brute force,
the like of which the master exercises over
his slave, and the tyrant and despot over
their subjects.

What kind of American principles were
those put forth to defeat the re-election of WIL
LIAM H. SEWARD to the United States Sen
ate? What kind of Democracy was that which
sought to proscribe,—burn in effigy, and an
nihilate, if possibly, those members of our
Legislature who voted for Mr. Seward's re
election? If the Abolitionists and Free Soil
ers who have engaged in this movement, can
indorse such principles, and sanction such
proceedings, they must be pretty well pre
pared to swallow and digest the despotism
of Slavery, the Nebraska Bill Fugitive Law,
and all.

An other course adopted by this pseudo
American Party, to gain adherents to "Sam"
is, to excite the fears of the public with re
ference to the Catholics; in consequence of
which some have become very much alarm
ed, and have been led to believe that there
are several millions of Catholics armed with
terrible instruments of death, ready to pounce
upon, and subjugate this country whenever
the Pope shall command!

How stupid the people of this country
have been, to cherish in their midst, for over
two hundred years, this monster, Catholi
cism, and that too without any fear of the
awful consequence which according to the
prophetic ken of the High Priests of the
"Know Nothing" Order are about to be
poured out upon us. "Young America,"
should certainly be rewarded with a [leather?]
model, if not with thy pieces of pewter,
for sounding the alarm and wanting the peo
ple of their danger.

But what are the dangers—what the facts
in the case? The last U. S. census (1850)
shows that of the free inhabitants of the
United States 17,737,505 were natives of its
soil, and that 2,210,800 were born in foreign
countries. The persons of foreign birth
formed about 11 per cent of the whole free
population, about one third of which are
from Ireland, the rest from Germany, France,
England, Scotland and Wales. No one will
pretend that all the foreign born population
in this country are "incompetent, ignorant
and debased." No one will deny but there
are many among them qualified in every re
spect to be good citizens. If but one quar
ter of them are good citizens, they neutralize
the votes and influence of another quarter,
leaving but half the foreign born population
to be counted bad or dangerous, and their
ratio to the native population at the present
time as only about 1 to 20. This is the po
litical danger. What of the Religious?

The census does not give the number of
members belonging to the various religious
denominations; but it gives the number of
churches belonging to each denomination,
and the number of persons each church will
accommodate, as well as the value of church
property. In all there are 36,011 churches,
capable of accommodating 13,849,896 mem
bers; valuation of this church property is
[illegible]. Of these churches the Roman
Catholics have 1,112 or about 1 in 33; accom
dation for 620,950, which indicates 1 Catholic
to about 23 Protestants. Their church
property being valued at less than one tenth
of that belonging to other denominations --
Where is the cause for alarm?

This zealous American Party, would also
make us believe that there is great danger
and much cause for alarm, because of the
peculiarly subtle and proselyting spirit of
the Roman Catholic hierarchy. But facts
will dispel this subterfuge. This same kind
of danger has existed during the three and
a half centuries since the discovery of this
country. Catholic Missionaries were the
earliest explorers of almost the whole coun
try. Many of the first churches, schools and
trading posts were established by them. They have been permitted to flourish, since
the first settlement of this country, without
being checked, or subjected to any legal re
striction; and yet they have not gained the
ascendency either in Church or State, and
probably never will.

And furthermore, the Catholic Bishops de
plore the loss from their church in this coun
try, of over two millions, within the last
twenty years. Hence, the only danger under
the circumstances, is, that these modern Je
suits, belonging to the secret con
claves will not be elected to office, unless
they keep up a continual hue-and-cry con
cerning Catholics in this country. If I mis
take but the Sachems of this order, will, in
less than five years bow low to catch the
"sweet Irish brogue," and lower still to get
the votes of those from the "Emerald Isle,"
to assist them in obtaining the spoils of office.
But we shall see.

Yours for the Right
A.S. BROWN