Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-19
ga Disclaimer.0

S~SSN~- -
ga Disclaimer"
The Washington Union Of Sunday morning
contained al article upon tho claim Of the
heirs Of Baron de Kalb, in which the editor
dashed off in " highfalutinn style, assailing the
Know-N othings, and claiming for the Pierce
and Forney Democracy, the credit and honor
Of properly apprecisting the services Of those
heroes Of the Revolution who were Of foreign
birth. The article altogether was one Of the
most impudent and groundless assaults ever
made upon any party, and conveyed impress
sions wholly false and unwarranted, as well
against the opponents az the advocates Of the
bill, for the relief Of the heirs Of the hero and
martyr In our country's cause.
We saw plainly, and knew well, that the pit
iful assault made by the Union In the article
referred to, would lead to an explanation"
with its own friends. We knew, too that
many--aye, rery maTy-members~ Of the
House Of Representatives, who are friendly to
the principles Of the American party, voted in
favor Of the relief asked by De Kalb's heirs,
and we do not believe one member Of tho House,
who sympathises with our party, voted against
that measure II now turns out, upon the
Unions own showing, that tho opponents Of
the Dc Kalb bin are the enemies Of our doc
trinesli
wo copy the following from the Washington
Union Of this morning, to wit:
"Tnx DE- KALB CASA DIscLAMER.--In pre-
pairing the article in Sundays Washington Union
on the debate in the House of Representatives upon
the claim Of Baron DeKalb, it was far, very far,
from our intention to leave any impression that
those who opposed that claim in the House were
sctuated by the narrow dogmas Of the prevalent
sscret political society. On The contrary, We have
r,sson 10 know that both Mr.. Nilsson and Mr.. Let
cher are decidedly averse TO the creed of that
ganization, and Mr.. Simmons took the pains ex-
ptcitly and emphatically to denounce II. Mr.. Let
cher deserves especial credit for his activity and
vigilance In aiding to correct important error In
the amount claimed, by which q large sum was
slved to the government
In the above disclaimer" the Washington
Union, as completely stultiaes itself as If it had
denied publishing tho article in question. If
the Union did not mean to leave the impress
sion cited in the disclaimer, what did 10 meant
1t is as obvious as the mondays sun, that the
Uaion did mean to intimate that the " Ameri-
can party" were opposed TO recognising the
claims Of foreign patriots and their heirs, and
that the Pierce and Forncy party were in favor
ofsuch measures. =
The Union meant that and it meant moth
ing else, as any man Of common sense win say,
on perusing It's article Of Sunday, and yet the
fact now appears, from the Union's disclaimer,
that the open opponents Of the measure were
the profsssed opponents Of American princi-
plesl Tho onion intimated, and meant to
intimate, that the opposition to such claims as
that of De Kalb's heirs, proceeded from |" the
narrow dogmas Of the prevalent secret politi-
cal society" But when it is found that some
Of its own friends were in the category Of OPP
ponents TO that measure, and that none Of the
friends Of American principles opposed the
bin, It rstraets It's misrepresentation az TO it,
.rrisnds, by saying, it was far, rery far, from
our intention to misrepresent you, we only
iltended to misrsprcsent the intoleranf, in
.fmous, dscsitfui, fraudulent, sudacious, and
treacAsrous Know- Nothingsr'
Such conduct is Of piece with the usual
course Of the Washington Union, and sur
prises no one who is familiar with Forneyism,
In this connection we may remark upon the
fact, that the Union has deliberately opposed
the course (though very MILDLY taken by Sen
ator Adams on the question Of naturalization,
and sought to use the arguments Of Mr.. Jcffer.
son against the positions taken by that Scna-
tor, and has not yet $50 far as wc have SEEM
done Senator Adams the justice 70 publish the
able aud lucid speech which he delivered in
defence Of his proposition We ask II this be
not. dishonorable course to pursue towards
that distinguished Democratic Senatorf
There is no difficulty in showing almost any
man to DO in the wrong, II bis propositions As
stated, are not presented, and II the arguments
which he advances in their support are wholly
suppressed Why has not the Union pre-
sentcd Senator Adamss speech TO its readers
Does 1t fear the effect Of it upon their minds
Does the editor Of the Union, Jesuit-like, think
It safer to tell the people ghdt they may be-
iiers, than to permit them to read and Judge
for themsclvcsf Such ia tho inference fairly
deducible from its failure to publish the speech
Of Senator Adams
But the Union miscslculatos its power to
palm upon the intelligent people Of this coun-
try its opinions, CT calhedra, as the truc doc
trines upon which free government should be
conducted. The speeches Of Senator Adams
and others, who have independently and man
fully come forward TO aid In rcscuing our in
sdiutions from the grasp Of a foreign Hierarchy
Oh the one hasd, and from the concentrating
and disastrous influences Of dsmagogaism on
the other, win be read and pondsred upon by
the masses Of the people, and thus an intslli-
gent public opinion viii be formed, which, IN