Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-21

GHoRes II. fErros, Fredericksburg, Va. .a
J. G. MoRGAs. New Orleans. ga ,.s
SAsusL q. FLAao, State q Massachusetts.
y. CLouaH, State OF Rhode Island.
y. 8. YouNa, Stanton, Va.
u A. DusNEoros, for Prince George. Charles, ST.
MAry's, and Calvert counties, Maryland.
+. r. Warren, Esq, Of Maryland, is general agent
to get subscribers on any route he may travel.
eY Subscribers in Baltimore who do not
receive their papers regularly, win please send
to w. L. Williams's Office, Temperance Temple,
Gay street.
The Oaths and Principles OF the Know
NOthings. @
Under this head the Washington Union
republishes, Gt says,) from the Cincinnati En-
quircr, an abstract Of the oaths and principles
Of the order commonly called Know Moth
ings' and recalls the attention of its readers to
the "startlin5 Developments" contained in that
abstract, and adds;
Tho utter falsity Of the assertion so frequently
and unhlushingly put forth by very large number
Of the KnowN Nothing organs, that tho order waged
no against for their religious belief win
be perceived by glance ut the oath which is
taken by candidates for the second degree. "
We have first Of all to remark, that the
Washington Union is as entirely ignorant of
the oaths taken by the order Of Know Moth
ings, Us it is Of the principles which govern
the inhabitants Of tho moon. We remember
perfectly well, that something like the abstract
now rcpublishod in the Union, made its ap-
pcarance in tho Pennsylvania last October
But neither tho publication of the abstract
in the Cincinnati Enquirer, nor in the Pennsyl-
vanian, nor in the Union, affords any proof Of
the gcnuinencss Of the matters therein con-
tanned
But, even upon the hypothesis that the abb
stract contains true copy of the oaths and
other proceedings Of the order, is 1t not per-
fectly ridiculous to talk about tho /" startling
developments" it contains, and equally false to
represent that the abstract Of oaths and princi-
pies furnishes the slightest proof that " the
order wages war against men on account Of
their religious belief"
In order TO decide these questions intelli-
gently, we win here copy from the Union the
form Of the oath which II is alleged il admin
istered to the candidates for the second de-
gree, to wit:
I" And Furthermore promise and swear that ]
VIII always conform 10 the viii Of the majority of
the members of this order in the selection Of can
didates TO ll every Office Of honor, profit, or trust
within the gift Of the people provided such cand
dates shall have been born Of American parents
on American soil and shall have been educated in
American institutions and that will use all the
influence may possess, to elect all such candidates
whom ] may know to be opposed to all foreign inhu-
ancc Popery Jesuitism, and Catholicism, without
ANY hesitation on my part whatever"
What startling Development" Is found In
the above extracts Why IL true, II is simply
an obligation to conform to the Democratic
doctrine, recognised by all political conven-
tons, that the uiu Of a majority shall govern
in the selection Of candidates, to which is gu
peradded propiso, that such candidates shall
be natire-born citizens, educated under Ameri-
can institutions, and shall be opposed to foreign
influence, Popery, Jcsuitism, and Catholicism
What American-bom citizen is "startled' by
the conditions Of the above obligatione None
Is there one American-born citizen so base,
so low, so lost TO patriotism, 30 unmindful Of
the teachings Of Washington and Jefferson,
that he would hesitate for one instant TO prom
Use or 10 spedr, that he would vote for those
candidates only, who arc opposed 10 foreign
influence foreign Popery, foreign Jesuitism,
or foreign Catholicism Listen TO the warn
ings Of the fathers Of our republic:
Against the insidious wiles Of foreign inHu-
euce--1 copjure you TO believe me, feow-citsens--
tho jealousy Of people ought 70 be constant
y awake since history and experience prove,
that foreign influence Is one Of the most baneful
foes OF arepublican government ~ Washington.
bos,a we NAV And oor,n xa.sna L., c,t,,-n n
shielding ourselves from foreign influence, polti-
cal, commercial, or In whatever form IL may be
attempted. can scarcely withhold myself from
iolning In the wish of Silas Dean that there
were an ocean Of fro between this and the Old
World n-Te6trson. ..
viii our oountrymsn follow the joint advice
ofthe "Father efhs Country and Of the
"Fathsr Of Democracy or win they blindly
follow the dcceitful invitations Of modern dem
agognesf e
Is the last farewell advice Of him, "who was
FIRST in war, FIRST in peace, and first in the
hearts Of his oountrymcn,r OF less .import---of
loss value, OF less consideration, than the
reasonable invocations of "highcr law hypo-
critcsf Are the warnings Of the great apostle
Of Democracy the sage Of Monticello of
the philosophic Jefferson, TO be set at nanght,
disregarded, and superseded by the twsddle Of
pcnsioncd hirclings and amateur pimpsf Let
adtire-6orn americans aa~per
But how, or where does the Union discover
evidence that our order roges par upon men
FOR their retigiou bslieff"
Why, forsooth, the American party win sus.
tain candidates who are "opposcd to foreign
influence, Popcry, Jcsuitism, and Catholicism
Wen, be Il SO. The right Of suffrage is an In
dividual and personal right, TO be exercised
freely by the voter, according TO his own plea
sure. II he casts his ballot for A, does he
therefore "nage oar upon b 2 II Metho.
dist casts his vote for Methodist. does he
"@age ~arr upon Presbytcrisnsf II Pro
tcstant resolves or srea,s never 10 vote for
Catholic, does he therefore rage nor" upon