Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-11-22
Oy1Y, NEAR ONAEcocK, Va, !
September Is, 1854.

Dear SIR :-l now proceed to give you
The reasons for The options expressed
in my letter OF the Cd lust, as fully as my
leisure will permit:
l said that did not 'think that the pre-
ent state Of affairs in this country is such
as TO JUSTIFY The formation, by the people,
OF any SECRET POLITICAL society"
The laws OF the United SCates-Federal
and State laws-declare and defend the
liberties Of our people. They are free in
every sense; free in the sense of Mngua
Cnarta aud beyond Magma Charts; free
by the surprising franchise of Aneericaa
Charters, which makes them S0Dereign
and their Mills The sources Of Constitutions
and LaeO,. Ii the Archbishop might say
To KIM john
Let every Briton, as his mind, be free,
His person safe; his property secure;
His houss sacred as the fame OF heaven
WatchRy unseen, his open door,
FTasctiny The rcql7, The Spirit Of the La.ns;
lis. fsfe detsrm;aed by tde rides Of right;
HIS U0tsc enacted IN tie common 1oca
And gsaeral ss.8Ja3e Of Tie assembled realm,
No haHa moisibtetO torisc his d00m;
No ient2a starting a. ihs -m;tai5tl A,ur,
TO dyaw his cuTt4in, or 70 drag him do,on
To nr1asi0ny Of dssgair. Wide to the ,corlJ
Disclose the secrets ef the prison lcaiis,
Aui bid TIE groaaings o. hte dungeon strike
Tho public cur--InoioLa6Ee preserve
The slcred shield that coYcrs all the land,
The Heaven conferred palladium of the isle,
To Briton's sons, The judgment Of their peers,
On these great pillars freedom Of the mind,
Freedom Of SPEECH, and freedom Of The pen,
>FOreDer changing, yet toreUer sure,
The base Of BritOn TeSts.''
we may say that our American Char.
ters have more than confirmed these laws
of the Conlessor, and our people have Civ.
en- othem 'as free, as full, and as sove.
! reign consent as was ever given by
John to the Bishops aud the Barons, "a
Runnimede. the ield OF Freedom" te
which ii was said
'Britain's sons shall como,
Shall tread where heroes and where patriots trod
! TO worship as they walk ~
In this country, at this time, does any
man think ? Would he think aloud p
Would he speak any thing? Would h,
write any ;Aiug? His MUD is free, hi
person is safe, his property is secore, hi
|ONSS 10 blS SrHSt4SB Vie : plAIS VI Iuc laws l.
MS body-guard and his house-guard; th,
fate of one is .he fate of all measured b,
the same common rule of right; his voic,
is heard and lell in the general Suffrage o
freemen; his trial is in open court. con
ironted by witnesses aud accusers; hi
prison house has no secrets, and ne ha
the Judgment of his peers; and there i
nought TO make him afraid, So long as b.
) respects the rights of his equals in the ey
l OF The law. Would he Propaga Truth
! Truth is free to combat Error Would h
} propagate Error? Error itself may stall
abroad and do her mischief, and max
, night itself grow darker. provided Trut
; Is left free to ioliow-however slowly
with her torches to light up the wreck !
: Why. then, should any portion of the pee
pie desire TO retire in secret, an
: by seeset means to propagate a poll
t ical thought, or word, or deed, by stealth
1 Why band together. exclusive of other.
to do something which all may not kno
of. towards some political end? If it /
. good, Why not make the good knosOnF-