Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-23


pay Mr. hammond merely for his trouble in distri.
butng them, for Krss Krngle never takes anything
himself for these things 3ssd \
iasa& FOR THE AMERICAN ORGAN.
RALEIGH, N. c., Dec. IL, 1854
Mr. DEAR Sir: I received your very kind and
welcome letter nearly two weeks ago, and should
have answered il long since, but that continued in
disposition has prevented my doing 30 till the pres
ent tune. ntt "a a.i3 aaft Il
sA@ ~ e5s@ a~ se
You ask me If ! have yet read the letter Of Mr..
Wise Interference to the Know-Nothing move
ment? have readi il. Ny respect for Mr.. Wise
personally growing out Of the kind relations Of the
past together with my appreciation Of his talents,
his reputation and Ills manlincss Of character In
duced me to read his letter carefully and delbc-
rately. And have risen from second perusal Of
il with the conviction that he has entirely failed to
hit the target at which no has been firing. His
Governor Of Virginia and addressed to the editors
Of public journal Of extensive circulation, eyi-
IDENTIFY for publication can be viewed in no other
light than asa proa9nciamento against the So
called order Of Know Nothings,o not only IN vir-
ginia, but throughout the Union sa
As such, it comes within the scope Of every
ones right Of animadversion who believes that the
principles Of that order as far as they are under
stood, are in accordance with the free and conser
vative tendencies Of our institutions The letter
is written in Mr.. Wises usually forcible and ener-
getic stylemany portions of 1t arc not only strong
but eloquent and beautiful--but yet the premises
on which he attempts to build bis arguments are
for the most part, mere truisms which no one win
controvert; and which have about as little connex-
ion with his conclusions, as has :" the Sermon on
the Mount" lN
Mr.. Wise commences with long quotation from
King John, descriptive of the blessings secured to
Englishmen by Magma Charta; and by way of
showing that our institutions have conferred OH
the people of this country still greater blessings
he goes on to speak of the quiet and undisturbed
enjoyment Of all the privileges Of freemen, Of
which we are in possession This is his premise
and he will find no one to controvert the truth of
his position. But his conclusion. Is that there.
fore there is no necessity for any secret organza-
ton for political ends, 4h
Nov, Il there is any legitimate connexion be-
tween his premise and his conclusion, his obicc-
ton would equally apply to an open as well to a
secret organization. For the gist Of his position
is, that there being no evil to remedy, any such
organization, with view to political results is fac
tious As to whether we are in the quiet and
undisturbed enjoyment of all our rights and priv
ileges as American citizcns-whethcr these rights
are menaced by any impending daDgcr-is mat
ter Of opinion on which honest and patriotic men
may differ Mr.. Wise has assupied the negative
and thus begs the question, which, even IL It were
yielded, does not warrant his conclusion. Sc far
from Il, It initiates against it. Suppose we do en-
JOY all those blessings Of speech, free.
dom Of person. freedom Of conscience &c-is that
q reason why we should rest securely, without
alarm or apprehension for the futuree
If our free institutions secure to us such price
less blessings, is not that reason why we
should be more vigilant in guarding them, more
sensitive at even the remotest prospect of danger
Does not Mr.. Wise know, does not every reader of
history every observer Of the tendencies Of human
nature, and the bias of human government know
that the liberties Of man cannot be so guarded by
constitutions, or hedged around by human de-
vice, but that they subject TO the insdious ap-
proaches of despotc powery Docs he not know
that the liberties of every free people have been
undermined by slow and gradual approaches, by
failure ontherp guBrd against the first incpient
assaults upon their rightsf Else, what meaning
is there In that oftquotcd maxim attributed to Mr..
jefferson, that "the price Of liberty is eternal W.
GLANCE !" Many years Of Mr.. Wiscs past Life afford
an illustration Of the truth Of that maxim For
years his eloquent and warning voice was heard
In the national Capitol, calling upon his coun-
trymen to come 10 the rescue OF violated Con-
stituuon; appealing 70 them, In language TO which
have often listened In rapt admiration, TO assert
their violated nghts
Because Mr. Wise Is so fortunate as to have had all
his fears Of danger to our freedom removable
cause he no longer sees the need of meeting in
nocturnal council for the purpose Of devising the
means OF combating successfully those whom he
deemed to be the enemies Of constitutional liberty
Is thst any reason why he should find fault with those
who stl continue to think there is cause to appre-
bend danger from other quartersp Let Mr.. Wise re-
collect that AMONG the other blessings secured 10 us
in this land Of freedom, s the right peacesbly to
assemble together TO consult upon grievances--i
whether real or imaginary, is a matter Of opinion
which every one must and has right 10 decide for
himself land to devise the method OF redress, pro
yided that method Of redress contemphtes nothing
forbidden by the constitution and the laws
But Mr.. Wise objects to this organization, be-
cause IL Is a secret one.
do not understand his objection In this regard
TO apply TO the rightas the privilege OF ffeernen
under the constitution and the law--to meet and
deliberate In secret. Upon what ground, then,
can he base his objection, except as a matter Of
taste3 II Ia true, amoralist might argue this ques
tion, and object TO secret organizations as OF evil
example, and Of improper tendency; but presume
Mr. Wise win readily admit that great fundamental
piihSipicn vi kuftfHultHt, huu quchtfUnr VI niBn
national policy, the only legitimate subjects Of
controversy bet'ceen puries and that when states
man or politician turns moral lecturer, he Is likely
TO be laughed at as having mistaken his calling.
I repeat that as TO whether the members OF vol
uutary association shall meet in public or private,
whether for moral, social, or political ends, is
mere matter OF taste, of policy, Of consideration
for themselves alone Suppose, In times Of ex-
element they choose TO meet IN secret IN order to
prevent tumults, riots vioence-then II rs the part
Of wisdom TO do so Suppose they have 10 coun-
teract the schemes and designs OF willy and in
sdous foe then Il is the part Of policy 70 meet in
secret
Suppose the timid and the dependant, who APP
prove Of the principles Of association, are over
awed by threats Of vengeance under exposure
then to meet in secret sthc part Of safety. Con
cert and combination are the great elements Of
human strength. To make that concert and com
bination effective, IL may be necessary that men
should know each other--esch Others feelings,
purposes, determinations--if that knowledge can
be best attained by secret association, who can
rigbtfully complain, provided his privileges as a
citizen are not thereby molestedf The early Chris
tans met N secret for the purpose Of celebrating
their observsnccs and Of administering their sacra-