Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-08-11
IrnK THk tHGrIKfk.
.t,..I, ENnN' NnTHi\ES

SIN or ClHUl ! a S'N"i
<sry a Quarter OF n NH oil The whole depends oil
the rilr-grOUvc.
lroK rIIk kNtrIkFk.i
THE KNOW-NOIlliNGS.
l. :, with no little surprisr that have heard Of Il
Know Nothing organization II "nur cItH.
Ii society were endangered III e: lcr It's nlort.s ar
It's m,r,l,rs, if n disregard ind Ill obedience IN law
rendered either person OF property 'usccirc--or II the
| political workings Of our GOVERN INT were !rnuGht
with dangers. which secret politics ii societies alone
r,uII urry.u,, ;ncre might be suI pal,a;!on or cX-
cusc for such associations. Eu, +" :ar H. ! have been
uhir 10 iud.r, the grievances unlel which! the Know
No;lin.- lahnr ar" entirely imaginary. ana for that
reason have cracludrd that some thoughts upon ST.
rrct pulf;ca! associations, Wit. u special reference 10
the know-No;hin@s. would neither be unlseard !or
di.rcgard"d.
No Government: That opportunities freedom has
ever existed, "g ever cNI-t. without parties, nor is
il desirable thu; I. Ici.!t. l. i II necessary consc-
quencc OF freedom of thought and Of action. But
when | speak " parties, ] do E"; mean Any number
who secretly strive for ANY snriid or sinister "hlrc.,
but ] mean citizcls united upon great principles op,'-
~ avowcG, having, unir: the fundamental ln# 81 Tie
land, the common good OK al, Il. ;lcir end and aim.--
Patriotism should mite il, consistency and justice
chara2;crizr it, action. Such parties mrr the rurcSt
safcgtmds of ,"rncc. The greatest promoters ri iTo~-
pcr;tv and civilization. and Ia" best prcservativ,H "l
civil liberty.
Such arc what | have been lyL:l: :" consider the
rharGrtrrislics If partica. How. Lt mt ask, Will they
m.asurr with ihr standard =: k~n"w-N"th!Ae orCnnl-
zai;".-' Secret political 6 'cjc,:cs Away carry with
them the GERM ni tyranny. II !, Inherent III our ma
.urc L. p,,r,uc wiki ,a:u,.;M"s> whatever "" believe
IL be- q! great importance, whether il II IN the art.
politics or religion. TIL, ,"rAcsiHc>s "Aposca H. IL III:
error OF pursuing III" object. 4" ih"'xclil>i"n u! "i!i'rc
equally IMPORTANT. The liability I" err l. ihr!ri,sc'.
both ly the power We pps>,>S. Il. 10y IL" opposition
We NEE; willi-ihc one stimulates our ci!"rgirs. III"
o;hrr Lends meGuE OF action. II among Individual
this is true, It j. s:ill NOR" applirnh!ri" secret political
societies, where members, combining their energies
and powers, countcnanrc each ether and expose them
10 Onr-eidcdlrss III all then aC;iol. lhcy ;irr"-ai" 10
themselves Il >piri, oi cNcluslvrnrs<, and OF supposed
suprrioritv-dn indirect injury +" others hi promoting
ONLY the member, al! their So, iciv. rC@arGirs: 81 "ll@hl
but tirr fact ii il- membership. Another liability 4"
err l. IN Ia. fact THAI. IL Tho s"g.tiy become" moro
compact, is inenh,rN arr aP: :" ln2h id'li"r t' VIVA,
il The ini.r"st 80 :lc Sncic:v ihuI =! liz rut'HirN. lri
II. look To- hI-iurN Iur the CiI.ri- al -CCi,! political So
cir;;,-. Ia France they had the .lnc"him Clab, whI"h
was formed originally !"r III, I.r"t,,iirI -; th" in'm'
brIE, hut hCcan" ultimately l!"N "rl'i'l i"r 1t. dire
-ard of law nnl IL oppression NJ the citizens. In
Scnllsnd aud Switzerland societies 81 similar d"srrip-
tiuna were formed. which H!Ways tended 1" rrlafh CIV
iliza;i"u a4d G.stroy prosperity. If " society," "ifl's"
simple an object a. hat Of temperance, II ihuuSht 10
tavr led in some INSTANCES TO direct oppression, Is 1t
10, sefr Ia say that oil secret political societies upon
pledges, should meet no c0un;cH2Ecc from uiy lover
Of his country Is il not rather the anty "i every
one who dcsirrs the pcrmancnce OF or insti'Et!"hstn
irJwm down every appearance "t blgotry, faction anu
funntiCism
| have thus far examined the subject il relation
merely 10 secret societies. will now examine, 70
far as The action of Tho Kn"w.N"tiiings will enable Us
Ia judge, III" principle :lia; ar'natc tlirIIl. hey .hrc'
frs. n determinations IL '\"iu'ir every foreigner from
all offices Of irus; ~ profit: src"nd, 10 pm; down the
Catholic religion.
In the Declaration oi independence one of the
Charge against tho Kin. Of England, wa- that h.
missed laws "urcvculiuy the migration 81 foreigners
t,i,hrr." In that dav i: WIS not considered improper
10 receive the assistance Of La Fayctt", Montgomery
or koskiasko. In consequence III the generous ma
we received. a. well n in view "t the true pri:irili"s
If governmental ,oliry. law were enacted which
maGr this the land, where IN" compressed "i MI com
.rirs. the martyrs Of every r?t''!, the innocent vlct!iil
If dc>pu,jc arrogance ar -up"rstlii"''s frenzy ini"h'
here find refuS.. Hi, Industry 'ncouraGrd, his party
respected. his ambition animated: with 10 Restraint
bur ;hosr !ay,s. which are In" same to all and no dir
iiuc,iun bur iha; which ls merit may originate. -
At later day II Guligtin held the highest offices "nr
! constitution would nli":v, AMI w" have !c; Ia learn
that nrv trust wa. betrayed tia! wa c"Aiid"d IL
him.
There are Il few of the noble names q, foreigners
that figure in tie past hirt"ry "f our r"l,nry. But
WHY need | 90 into III" pest I"G examples al as LOFTY IN
t,lI.ct and true devotion Ia IN" wcliu:c ot our country
Us ever We're displayed bv native born citizens! Who.
at this time. with Il ~cltirnlry That commands respect
and Il singlcness Of purpose to our country welfare
tina. challenges admiration Represents Is M me ,nur'
Of Madrid J \ native of France. W no, AZ ms time
in IN, midst Of AbOli.;uIistS. r0nIba:5 thtir thilhiic
sclpncs. with n disintrres:rrnrss TINT no Suuthcrncr
should tail 70 commend, md exhibits in his journal n
knowledge nf our institutions that i. not SURPASSED by
any of the acknowledging party /! An cH'ir,i IRISH
maut And lei every NirClTlnii LOOK INTO his own
ncishborlrool. nad VIM surpaTsrs in strict integrity
/ public spirit and al the virtues ihnt ;d"rn private
life, ;hr resident na;urail2cd citizens! l r'iIi i"'iii
in my uwn county 10 many whom J AN proud % car
iri,l.,i.. /, is but the natural consequence al those
wise laws enacted by our .nrcia;IcIH, that such mcI
should come a:nuns lis. In the multIiud"s tlint como
over, no donh; t!cr" H:"nHnr VIII" are nor" inc kiid
have mentioned bu! ! hav" never unprecedented dail'
.-. -,. ,,,s ta, w. pd ~ f+.l.N .Enntnnnlfv
Whether natives or foreigners, person: I" whom tn"
penal laws bring NJ :rrr"ts, nor a" always cih'lGii'
III drtcrring from crime. But, suppose thnt the foreign
population are the only vi"!ators al the laws III our
r"au;ry, is toe method the know-Nnthin"s propose
ihr iu-; AMI proper remedy II nur naturalization
laws arc not n sufficient protection. nmcnd 'irm.-
Com" ont openly, state publicly vOnr grievance, and
let the good sense u! IA" l1"ll' correct anil Hmrh"-
rate yuiW grievance. Hut Gn not, III !!e iaGinc Of JUS
tir,.. hold on. induce ucu! ln ;i. foreigner to come 10
our land: i" not Show him y"ar Eiutuir book where
he sr"S that. after he Incomes a citizen. lie is entitled
to the rights and privileges NJ natives, and yet, nj the
same time, secretly and iIsidiru>ly deprive him ri his
rights. But why, in tic nasno OF common scnsc,
should the nccidrnt Of Il mans birth hc any %disquaii-
tica;iom il be has shown himself patriotic i'll his
actinm-. lov,l III li, feelings, end il possessed ui tho
requisite qualification. better than L uutivc, and COLI
ours III sentiment with our pllr,Iplcs. why object 10
him OIL account OF his birth As well might ] object
I" Il man brcaus, he wHs nni bora in the sam" Month
that gave Ms. birth. rs the sa!nr country. We hu, =
~ mach cum,ro! over one rs the uihcr. View il a. we
will. il l. huf another ramc for Ill Justice and opnr"s-
sion.
But; y"mr acton cNclr,!,s not ni,y al foreigners, hut
all Catholic. fr,ln offices ri governments. | Tin n-i-
Their 4 foreigner nor n Catholic. NJ very soul sick
enc Ut the Thought u, the i.huurHn precautions IT,
tictcd by Catholics III punt ages Oh account o. rcli-
zion. lirGrci H. | h,,. h,ru amongst good old-ta-
sa'ooci M"'b"ii>'- az! D!pt.:., az ny p~rrjudiccf
ucc a"a!uSt the ta;l"li: r.tr!. iu: i. that amy rca-
.cu wGy "u"'hiuc -! GA co.,. oIl e.! E1.arcihi'
Ain | &. t." todd 'fiHr IL :I.:i: =! . I iri, i'm Is ! ma:.
ter o"rr wl:rh a. IL s'rh rc..r". la. ~" can alter
ii a. Circumstances r..".., i!,.s NM sui time
svETur>, !Gi: :!U ;rHc lir:ii"i holds Iii !a;h as his
lie. nuG would snuHrr hr deprived al tie ore than
recan; the Other. All history has shown, thai. 10
mater wha; filth man riHy profess. il irinp"ra! pow
sr he given ~ il, h. becomes a. once u prosecutor of
those who do not think ~ he thinks, or nc. "a he adj
vises. Even those first settlers Of this country who
fed 10 erliuv quietly their religious belief, form no
exceptions 10 this rule. And what 10 you propose
from office! Would YOU have him 10 aid III the de-
fence OF Your country, in filling your treasury, and in
sharrin- Vol. burdens. and II; the same time rNr!rd"
him from your privileges +! IN" matter What his ni'r-
il, no matter what his claims, ~ matter what hi ser.
vices, is he 10 be noIpinally n citizen, but really a
slave" | cannot inrbcar quoting from a distinguish
himself. Speaking Of Catholics, he says:
"Suppose he sends lis son. the hope OF his pride
and the wealth of bis heart, into the army; the child
justices his parental en.icipations; Ee is moral IL bis
hab!.s be Is s:ric; il bis discipline, hc is daring III
the field. md temperate OF the board and patient in
tho camp. III" first Ill the charge; the Last in the re-
| trest Np,ft, - D, Il to aot,.x-. nod . Inod en- ~piI. aud