The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1854-07-28
GREENyILLE,s IS G: FRIDAY MORNING, JULY @ 1854
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Gus, and as well furnished as in any other
country; and piety and religion nowhere has
more reverence and respect than in the Uni !
Mr.. jefferson, whose name is inseparablg
united, and mustso continue through time
with free government--he who penned that
great Declaration-was President of the
United States--the father of the democrats
party and the great apostle of republican
ism--he who spent long and eyentful life
in the arduous service O, his country, when
tottering frame in the quiet solitude eya Of hs hs
own Monticello, calmly reviewing his own
hlstory-he selected three great achieve
ments to carry his name to posterity, and di-
rected this inscription upon the granite obe-
lisk that should mark the spot where heiies.
Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declar,
alton of Independence, HE author ofthe STAT
ute Of Virginia ESTABLISHING rel;gSous free.
don, and the father of the University ofVirpin-
ia Cheers. He considered the establishment
OF religious freedom an achievement worthy
to be classed by the side ofthe Declaration
of Independence. He knew the enormities
growing out of a union of Church and State,
He knew that such !. junction was at war
with personal liberty as well as with true
religion, and time has shown that the State
prospers best independent of religion. and re-
ligion prospers best independent Of the State.
We must keep them separate confine each
to its sphere, if our future is to continue
bright and prosperous as our past.
There has recently been some comrnotion
on the political boards, growing out of it is
said, n new secret politico-religious associa-
ton. "knoso nothing" of its faith or its
hopes. Cheering and laughter among the
democrats. ~
1t is supposed that its purpose is to sut,.
plant the Catholic religion and to ostracise
every person who was not born upon Amer
lean soil, and every one whose father was not
born here. Now, this is different policy
from the one our fathers pursued; they in
vited here every foreigner to our shores, and
Patrick Henry was indignant when it was
proposed to exclude such as turned tories
even and fled the country during the revolu-
ton. 1t Is assumed by this association that
the priests of the Catholic church exercise.
political influence over their members This
may or may not be so. / do not profess to E
know. have no aftinitites with the Catbo-
lie church. was reared under the teachings
OF the shorter catechism and the WestmiI-
ster confession Of faith. There are not fiftv
Catholics or one hundred naturalized or un-s
naturalized foreigners in my congressional
district, and hence my perfect exemption
from any personal or political considerations
in forming judgement with reference TO
this new association. Suppose it true that
the priests meddle in politics, we all unite in
condemning it, for we think Church and
State should be kept separate; but this new
organization proceeds to "a politico .elgious
association, secret, holding its meetings Clan!
destiuey, to counteract the priests The end,
then, is to justify the means but two wrongs
will not make one right. The "know-noth-
ings" do the very thing which they complain
OF the priests for doing. do no perceive
and difference between Catholic Jesuitism
and Protestant Jesuitism-both are intoler-
ant But in this country / protest in the
name OF the constitution, in the name of lib
erty itself, against secret political organiza-
ton which fears to avow its principles, which
shrinks from their discus sion, and which make
Its members, by secret pledge, species in every
household. There is no excuse in this coun-
try for secret political societies. Every mea-
sure in the federal and State legislature un-
dergoes public scrutiny and debate No cit
izen is or ought to be afraid to avow his pol
tlcai sentiments, and the secrecy which marks
1
the proceedings of this order shows that they
do or say something which they are afraid
or ashamed for the world to know. It's
time that the eyes of the country should be
turned towards them, and their schemes dis
countenanced until they cast off the veil. 1t
is violative of the genius and spirit of our gov
ernment and will bear bitter fruits for our
country if it is not supplanted.
1t is said that their forces in election
political elections-where all 90 together,
regardless of principle and consistency
practise guerrilla war; fighting on the side
promising the best pay. Ifthis be true, what
! IS their standard of moralitye call the at
tention Of my democratic friends, however,
to the fact, that in all the municipal elections
that have observed where the "know-noth-
ings" have triumped, it has always been a
aohig elected, where the Office was one of
any importance or real value
Let not democrats, then, be deluded int
the organization, or they will find themselves
embraced in the arms of whiggery, native
Americanisn, and all the other isms that in
fest the land Cheers.
There can be but two great parties in the