Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-12-07
Know NOthingIsm---An Import ant
Speech fFOmJOhn VI. CIRytOn---ChnT-
aeter, Principles and object Of the
Mathematician Party

acteF, Principles and Object vf Tn
NaIiVeAmerican Party
Hon. John M. Clayton, at a recent mass
meeting in Delaware eitv, made long aud elo
quent speech in exposition and vindicatiOn Of
the Principles and Objects Of the Know Moth
ingS, Of which we GDd the following outline in
the Delaware Journal, from which we make
some extracts:
came here o.day, said Mr.. c., for the pur.
pose Of stating how far l was willing to sustain
the new party organisation, known by the
name Of the American party in this State.
4 On the 4th Of last month, the Americans met
at the Capitol ofthis State Delaware and for,
med platform, upon which they have organ
lied their new party. 1t is liberal and fair
1t prOclaims the principle Of religious tolera~
ton in the words Of the Constitution itself. Il
denies the right of aliens to vote without natu-
ralizatiOn, and proclaims he doctrine that
Americans should rule their own country
Though was not present at the time the reso-
lutions Of the meeting were adopted, yet they
meet with my most hearty concurrence and
appreciation.
On these principles was willing to &C! and
am yet willing to act, but never was men,
Der of what has been called the Native Amer
ican party, or of the Know Nothing Society as
it is commonly called. know there are many
eminent men in this country, for whom l have
great respect, who are members of each of the
latter. The present Governor elect of Pennsyl
sania is universally believed to be member of
the Know-NOthing Order, and it is said owes
his election in great degree to their votes,-I
A better man could not in my opinion have
been selected for the Office. know not upon
what authority, it is stated that the late Presi
dent of the United States is member of the
Know Nothing Order, But do know that a
great number of the most intelligent and palri-
otic men ofthis country have adopted the prin-
ciples and joined the society of this secret party
Here Mr., G. reviewed his past political course
at some length, and showed that he had always
been opposed to granting foreigners the right
to vote on mere edeclaration of intention.
Mr.. @. then reviewed the principles of the
Delaware platform, which he had briefly given
above, and then said:
A patty formed on these principles must me-
cessarily be thrOughly national, and not Sec
tional in its character. 1t can have no good
geographical divis ions. No parallel of latitude
or 10 ongitude can divide it into dscordant frag-
men Is, to form the elements of future separa-
tion and civil war. Ignoring the Slavery ques
ton as proper element of party organization,
and as utterly untitled for party combinations,
it would refuse to test the suitableness of any
man for pubic office, by the whether he was
for or against the mere extension of Slavery in
some Territory of the United States, always
content to leave that, as we'll as every other
domestic question, to the people of that Terri
tory, who alone ought to have the right to de-
eide it, as soon as sufficient numbers have set
tied there to form arespectable commonwealth. |
Non. intervention is the principle now professed
by the Democratic party itself, but it is not the
principle on which they have acted. Their
practice and their professions have never agreed
on this subject. Mr.. c. then proceeded to
show the fallacy of the alleged popular sover-
eighty claim of the Nebraska Bill, and to review
his course upon it. On this point he said:
i did not vote for the repeal of the line in
the Nebraska act, and will not vote to repeal
the repeating clause in that act, to disturb the
subject again. Let it rest
He spoke of Kozta and Kossuth as having
excited more sympathy with the dOminant
party here than any American possibly could
do, alluded to the dissentions ofparties in
Delaware, dis claimed, at length beng candi'
date for any office, and spoke Of the probability
OF his resigning his seat in the Senate, before
the close of the long term before him. He then
reiterated his long attachment to the Wing
party, but, declared that party had deserted
him, and proceeded 10 cite number of instan~
ces in which they had as party, abandoned
the principles ofhis past public life,' and there
fore, he would prefer to stand outside of any
party organization whatever and concluded I
by saying; 4 do not expect the new party to
agree with me in everything, ! do not expect
tito be either Wing or Democratic Party.
But if am to act with it at all, 1t must sand
by the principles to which have referred Q
TIE ARcr1c.-The following eloquent extract +
IS from sermon preached in Brooklyn by t
Rev. Henry Ward BeecLer on the loss of the '
Artic; =
Oh, what burial was therel Not as when :
one isIborne form his home. among weeping b
throngs. and gently carried to the green fields (