American statesmen recognized early in our history that ours was not a readymade nation. but a "nation to be" whose character was to be shaped by the impress made upon it by the various elenents constituting its growing population. It was also recognized that Saul could not at once turn into Paul. that the newcomer could not change his traits overnight. It is probably true that the AngloSaxon isless free from racial or national prejudices than the cosmopolitan Germana strange phenomenon. for they come from the same cradleyet such was the tolerance of our older statesmen that they never regarded the love of the immigrant for the old country as in any wise irreconcilable with his allegiance to the.new. And why? Because reverence for the mother never detracts from love for the bride. and. furthermore. because that reverence is a natural impulse which can no more be regulated or controlled than can the throbs of the human heart. We can educate an immigrant in our way of thinking. induce him to adopt our customs and make a good American citizen of him. but we can not change his heart to the extent of eradicating his regard for his native land. Along with freedom of thought and conscience we must grant him the liberty of placing his sympathies and affections where lie pleases. It is a natural right which no law can limit and no government can deny him as long as our own country is not involved.
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immigrant