Speech and Resolutions Concerning Philadelphia Riots1Jump to section
PUBLIC MEETING.
At a meeting holden in the city of Springfield, on the evening of the 12th June; on motion of E. D. BAKER, Esq, DAVID J. BAKER, Esq. of Kaskaskia, was unanimously chosen to side over this meeting; and on motion of Dr. HENRY, BENJ F. JAMES, Esq of Tremont, was chosen Secretary.
The object of the meeting being stated by ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Esq. of Springfield,---to be a desire, that the subject of the recent Philadelphia riots, as connected with, and promoted by the whig party, should be fairly discussed, and understood by the citizens of this State and country. On his motion, the following Preamble and Resolutions were submitted for the action of the meeting---supporting them by able and forcible arguments:
WHEREAS, There seems to be a determined effort making, by the so called democratic party, to charge the blame of the late riots in Philadelphia, upon the Whigs; and to ascribe that blame to a supposed hostility of the Whig party in general to foreigners and Catholics; and, WHEREAS, truth, and justice to ourselves, demand that we should repel the charge; therefore,
Resolved, That in admitting the foreigner to the rights of citizenship, he should be put to some reasonable test of his fidelity to our country and its institutions; and that he should first dwell among us a reasonable time to become generally acquainted with the nature of those institutions; and that, consistent with these requisites, naturalization laws, should be so framed, as to render admission to