WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1856
391
Constitution. These were the influences that created it. It was produced also, by the court, previously paid by political parties, to influences extraneous to our nativity. It became a saying in presidential elections, "whoever gets the Catholic vote, or the foreign vote will be elected." 'court was made by both the Demo- cratic and Whig parties to these influences. I do not exempt either of these parties from this charge. They made court for the purpose of securing these political influences, in order to be elevated to power, and with every success these influences were increased in political power, and to this extent our standing mo1·ally and politically, as a free people, was impaired. It became necessary to arrest these deleterious influences, and it was the design of the American party to attain this object, and make us Americans kind and beneficent in our feelings. The American party has no disposition to interfere with, or proscribe those' who emigrate to our country; but if we have the power, we ought to use it discreetly in according to them privileges which they formerly had not in the countries of their birth. One of the most sensible anecdotes I ever heard was said to have occurred in the country in which I reside. Four gentlemen were running for the Legislature, two on each side-two Ameri- cans, and two modern Democrats. One of the Democrats went to a German who lived there and talked to him about temperance. The German thought that it would be a good thing if men could be kept from getting drunk, and felt inclined to vote for those who would sustain that view. At last said the candidate, "You are a foreigner, and these Americans go against foreigners holding office, or voting at elections." "Ah," says the German, "Well, I shall vote for those men." "Why?" said the candidate. "Well," said the German, "the Americans first had this country; they made the Constitution; they made the laws, and they understand them. If they make good laws, we Germans who have come here, get the benefit of them. If they make bad laws, they have to stand the bad laws. We get everything we want, and whatever we make in this country. If a person comes here he does not understand yo·ur language; he does not understand anything about the country; he cannot make your laws. But when he comes here, he can get the benefit of them, and that is all he ought to have. I never want a German who does not understand the language of this country, who does not know its Constitution and laws, to come here from Germany and make laws for me, for I came away from Germany to get rid of bad laws there, and I do not want the Germans to make the laws for me here."
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