The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1854-09-13
From the Washington Union.
WASHINGTON rs. THE KNOW.NOTH-
lNGS.-HlS LETTER.

Well and eloquently does the Cincinnati
Enquirer say: "Those midnight conspirators
and proscrip tonists who term themselves know
nnthings very appropriately, for they seem TO
be ignorant of the history II the country, often
speak with pretended veneration Of the name
and principles of the iIlustrious Washington.
than whom no man was ever more opposed 10
their tenets and manner Of carrying them out,
as his acts and writings show. The church.
burning proecriptionists are in favor Of not
allowing foreigners TO vote at all-whether
Catholics or Protestants-but Washington, -
President, approved the Law allowing them the
right Of suffrage in FIVE years. The midnight
conspirators are in favor ofa religious test for
office, but Washington, a. president OF tho
convention which made the constitution OF the
United States, signed his name to an instrument
which expressly forbids it. He even went fur
Their than that, and in an address to the Cath
olcs of the United States, written in December,
1887, acknowledges their services, and testifies
to their devotion to the cause Of Americas
liberty in the following language:
"As mankind become more liberal, they will
be more apt to allow that all those who con-
duct themselves as worthy members OF the
community are equally entitled TO the protec.
ton Of civil government. hope ever to see
America among the foremost nations in exam
Piles of Justice and iberslity: and presume
that your fellow citizens will not forget the
patriotic part which you took in the accom-
plishment of their revolution and the establish
ment of their government, or the important
assistance which they received from nation in
which the Roman Catholic religion 10 professed.
81 thank you, gentlemen, tor your kind con-
Germ for me. While my life and my health
shall contipue, in whatever situation may be,
it shall be my constant endeavor 10 Justify the
favorable sentiments you are pleased TO express
of my conduct; and may the members Of your
society in America, animated alone by the pure
spirit of Christianity, and still conducting them.
selves as the faithful subjects Of our free gos.
crnment, enjoy eoery temporal and spsr'fn6s
felicity.
GEORGE WASHINGTON"
How severely does the language we have
quoted above reflect upon the know nothing
conspirators of the present day! How different
in its spirit from t.eir fierce intolerance and
bigotry. Washington, bearing his testimony
that the Catholics had conducted themselves
I" as the faithful subjects Of our free govern
ment," says that all those who act as worthy
members Of the community are equally entitled
to it's protection Washington Furthermore
saws: 81 hope ever to see America among the
foremost nations in examples of justice and
Ilberalitv" But we have q secret society
among US doing all it can to fustfate the hopes,
in this reepect of the Father of his County.
When in connection with the above, we re-
the fact that Washington, in his Fare
well Address, warned his countrymen against
secret political societies, We
think all will agree with us in stignatizing
that know-nothing who appeals to Washington
as authority for bis conduct, eiiher gross ignos
ranus OF designing knave.