Presidential Candidates:: Containing Sketches, Biographical, Personal and Political, of Prominent Candidates for the Presidency in 1860Bartlett, D. W. (David W.)
History
Presidential Candidates:: Containing Sketches, Biographical, Personal and Political, of Prominent Candidates for the Presidency in 1860
Bartlett, D. W. (David W.)
Statesmen -- United States; United States -- Biography
"Sir, the American movement is not based upon bigotry, intolerance
or proscription. If there is anything of bigotry, intolerance or
proscription in the American movement--if there is any disposition
to oppress or degrade the Briton, the Scot, the Celt, the German
or any one of another clime or race, or to deny to them the
fullest protection of just and equal laws, it is time such
criminal fanaticism was sternly rebuked by the intelligent
patriotism of the State and country. I deeply deplore, sir, the
adoption of the twenty-one years amendment. It will weaken the
American movement at home and in other States, especially in the
West, and tend to defeat any modification whatever of the
naturalization laws. I warn gentlemen, who desire the correction
of the evils growing out of the abuses of the naturalization laws,
against the adoption of extreme opinions; I tell you, gentlemen of
the council, that this intense nativism kills--yes, sir, it kills
and is killing us, and unless it is speedily abandoned, will
defeat all the needed reforms the movement was inaugurated to
secure, and overwhelm us all in dishonor. Every attempt, by
whomsoever made, to interpolate into the American movement,
anything inconsistent with the theory of our democratic
institutions--anything inconsistent with the idea that 'all men
are created equal'--anything contrary to the commands of God's
Holy Word that 'the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto
you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as
thyself,'--is doing that which will baffle the wise policy which
tries to reform existing evils and to guard against future
abuses."
General Wilson engaged with his accustomed industry and energy in the
practical business, and in the exciting debates of the memorable
session of 1855-6. In February, he made a speech on the affairs of
Kansas, replete with facts not then familiar to the country. This
speech went through three editions, and nearly 200,000 copies were
circulated through the free States. In April, General Wilson made a
speech in favor of receiving the petition of the Topeka Legislature
for admission into the Union, and on this occasion in reply to the
taunts of Mr. Douglas about "Amalgamationists," he said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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