The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1854-08-04

- N"tioA VI tHuICH OuliulHSS anu all OutidYS Y
spiritual objects is left to the voliton OF the Gil
Zen. He can give or withhold The Iazv d
cognizes no sect or denomination, all are sqa
and equally protected How has it wosttad
we have as moral a nation as any upon Il
globe. We have as many professors OF religio
Tor our population. Our churches are more nun
erous and as we'll furnished as in any othe
country, and piety and religion nowhere hi
more reverence and respect than in the Unite
States.
Nlr. Jefferson, whose name is insepayabl
united and must 50 continue through time, wit
tree government-he who penned that. grea
deciaratlon-waS president OF the United State
the father OF the Democratic party, and tn
great apostle OF republicanism-he who spent
long and evehtiul life in the ardiious@service c
his country, when the weight of years presse
sorely upon his tottering frame, IN the quie
solitude OF his own Monticello, calmly review
ing bis own history, he selected three grea
achievements to carry his name 10 fosterity, an
directed this inscription upon the granite ODE
llsk that should mark the spot where he lies =
"Ihoma1 Jefferson, the author of the decIara
ton of independence, the author of the Statut
Of pinginin, establishing religious freedom
and the father of the University of Virginia.
Cheers.
He considered the establishment of religion.
freedom, an achievement wsrthy to be claSSec
by the side of the declaration of independence
He knew the enormties growing out of union
OF church and State. He knew that such a
junction was at war with personal liberty as
well as with true religion, and time has shown
that the State Prospers best independent OF re-
lglon, and religion prospeTS best independent
OF the State. We must keep them separate,
conhne each 10 its sphere, if our future is to
continue bright and prosperous as our past.
There has recently been some conmotion on
the political boards, growing out OF, it is said,
a new secret poIitico-religiouS association. i
fhnoW .bothiRg" OF its faith or its hopes
Cheering and laughter among the Democrats
1t is supposed that lis purpose is TO suppIant
the Catholic religion and to ostraclse every
person who was not born upon American soil,
and every one whose father was not born here.
Now this is different policy from the one our
fathers pursued; they insited here every foreign-
er TO our shoressaIadaP Pafrick Henry was indig-
nant Win 4 Asqs Proposed TO exclude such as
turned f5fieSsevpn and fled the country during
TIE revolution. 1t is assumed by this aSsoeia-
tton that the Priests Of the Catholic Church ex-
erciSe political influence oversfhpir members -
This may or may not be 50. / do not profess 10.
know. / have no atfniteS With The Catholc
Church. | was reared under the teachings of
the shorter caechSm and the Westminster CON
1ession of faith. There are not fifty Catholics
or one hundred naturalized or unlaturalized
foreigners IN my congressional district, and
hence my perfect exemption from my personal
or political considerations in forming Judgment
with reference to this new association.
Suppose il true that the priests NEEDLE in
politics, we all unite in condemling it, for we
think Church and State shouldbe kept separ
ate; but this new organization proceeds TO po-
litlco-religious association, secret, holding its
meetings candestineIy, to counteract the
priests. The end then is tg Justify the means,
but two wrongs will not mike one right The
''know NothingS" do th, very thing which
they complain ofthe priests for doing. | do
not perceive any difference between Catholic
Jesnitism and Protestant JeSuitism-both are
lntoletant. But in this country | protest in the
name OF our ancestors, who were all foreign
ers, IN the name of the Constitution, in The name
of liberty itself, against secret political organi
zaton which fears to ayow It's principles, which
'hrnkS from their discussion and which makes
It's members, by secret pledges, spies in every
household. There Is no excuse in this country
or secret political societies. Every measure
n the Federal and State Legislatures under
goes public scrutiny and debate. No citizen is
'r ought TO be afraid 10 avow his political senti-
nentS, and the secrecy which marks the pro-
;eedlngs OF this order shows that they do or say
which they are afraid or ashamed
= the world TO know. 1t is time that the eyes
ont''@'@ntry should be turned towards them,
MS personal diScountenanced until they
head ana heart' y S yiolaiive of the genius
Idence, than is furH' ent and will bear hit
jealous support extended. - i NOT srnplantrd
bors and those who knew h. ,,l,c,;onr ,oI;-
We do not doubt his triumphaL her rsdard-
But let us. felIow-cizenS, in adnractice
views presented for your consldera.oising the
last address, again ask your attention ,lard of
ment, to the aspect of the opposition to,ocra-
cratic nominees. The Wings as a paF the
no principles to bind them together: Where
State nor national policy on which TO ra has
One after another, in rapid succeSSlon,fce
measures of public policy have been rejecteA
the people and utterly abandoned by themsel
The operations of time aud experience ha
falsifed all their former dogmas. The Bank
the United States-the Bankrupt act-the dls
tributon of the proceeds ofthe sales of the put
lie ands-the tariff Of l842 or indeed any tai
| if avowedly for protection-have all becon,
'sobsol+te ideas -descendpd to sthe tomb
the CnpuletS" Hostility to territorial exten
sion in general, including the acquisition {
Louisiana and Texas-hostilitv to the Indepen
dent Treasury-the tariff Of 1S46--to the wa
with Mexico-to the acquisition Of California
/ to the liability Of stockholders in banks and col
porations generally, together with their terrifi
descriptions of the usurpations and tyranny {
the one man or qualified veto power, wit