The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-11-16
THE NATIONAL ERA WASHINGTON D. c. NOVEMBER l6 1854.


this, and we should war against such an organi-
cation, politically with as much zeal as we do
against the Slave Power.
| AS to the rest of what our correspondent
says, he win find the answer to it in general
statement of our views in regard to his favorite
| Party. We have no time or inclination for
side issues or partial discussion.
Secret political associations in all countries
are dangerous, and constantly liable to fatal
| abuses. Under despotic Governments, they are
iustfabe only by the necessities of revolution /;
in free countries, they are inexcusable, because
the organic Law, by securing free discussion,
free assembling and free suffrage, has made
every proper provision for redress of grievances.
Political organizations exacting from their
members, pledges under oath or affirmation, to
| obey the will of a majority of the membership,
| are enemies to private morals and public safety:
for, should they require what the individual be-
| lieves to be wrong or illegal, he must either
violate his oath or commit crime. No man
has right to place himself in a position where,
| to avoid the commission of one immortality, he
must commit another.
A political organization founded on the prin-
ciple of excluding Catholics from office, although
these may deny the right of the Pope to interfere
| with their temporal relations, institutes sec
tartan test in politics. in violation of the spirit of
| the Constitution of the United States, of the
| plain letter Of the Constitutions of particular
States, of the great Principle of Religious Tole-
ration, and of the spirit of Christianity, which
never sought to propagate itself by human pains
or penalties Such an organization is just as
| wrong as would be political Party founded on
the principle of excluding Protestants from
office.
A political organization, established on the
principle Of excluding all foreign-born citizens
from Office, is inherently Liberal, opposed to the
sacred doctrine of equal rights among men, and
therefore, anti Democratic. To say nothing of
its inexpediency it is unjust, because it pro-
poses to inAct wrong upon large class of
citizens, intelligent, honest, and competent, who
contribute their fair proportion to the labor,
capital, and power, of the country.
A political organization which ignores the
Question of Slavery, overlooks all the solemn
issues connected with IT, entertains no princi
pies, no aims, no policy, in relation to it, or its
aggressions, has no title to the respect or con-
fidence of the People, especially of sincere
Anti-Slavery men. No Anti-Slavery man can
assume its obligations, without at least endan-
gering his fidelity to the Anti-Slavery cause.
Has not this always been our position in rela-
t;o,, tba Wbio o,d namOoratic rartinc
What is there in the new party to make the
reasoning inappicable? If we misrepresent
the Know Nothing Party on this point, let our
correspondent prove our error. If his party
has taken any ground on the subject Of Sla-
very, let him say so and let him tell us what
it is. Give us your platform. State distinctly
what your party believes and proposes in
regard to Slavery and the Slave Power. We
say, it ignores the whole subject and no Know
Nothing can deny it. In Massachusetts,, it
puts up in one place Free-Soiler for Congress,
in another, a Hunker. In Pennsylvania, it
the same time, for a Nebraska Canal Commits
sioner In New York, it votes against the
Temperance and Anti-Nebraska candidate for
Governor and helps the Liquor men, the Ad-
ministration men, and the Silver Grays, by run
ming a Silver Gray its gubernatoral candi
date. In some districts of that State it may
have helped Anti-Nebraska candidates for
Congress; in one district, it seems, it defeated
Fenton, one of the very best Democratic repre-
sentatives in Congress- who steadily resisted
every Administration influence to seduce him
into the support of the Nebraska iniquity
All this proves what we have asserted-that
the organization has no principle on the sub
ject Of Slavery. Some point to the West, and
tell us there it has helped the Anti-Slavery
movement. Aye, it has helped it this year,
and next year may hinder it.
For ourselves, we worship no strange gods
We affiliate with no political organization,
which rejects the issues identified with Slavery,
or refuses to make them paramount Our views
in regard to secret political associations, sec
tartan tests in politics, religious liberation,
and liberal policy to naturazed citizens, were
formed long since-settled upon principle We
urged them when something was to be gained
by them to the Anti-Slayery cause: we shall
not abandon or compromise them now when
it is thought by some that this cause, and the
Era too, may be injured by them. The prin-
ciplcs of the Anti-Savery movement are at
war with all oppression, whether of mind or
body, whether attempted by priests or laymen,
by the Church of Rome Or false Protestant
ism, by kingly despots or unkingly slavchold-
crs-at war with all prescription on account
of religion or race. Whatever others may do
by these Principles we abide, and these Princi
pies We follow, whithersoever they may lend
us.