The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-11-24
AN IMPORTANT SPEECH FROM JOHN
NJ CLAYTON
CHARACTER, PRISoIPLEs AND OBJECTS OF THE NATIVE
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AMERICAN PARTY.
Hon. John NJ. Clayton, at a recent mass
meeting in Delaware City made long and
eloquent speech in exposition and vindieatiOn
of the principles and objects of the Know
Nothings, of which we find the following
outline in the Delaware Journal, from which
we make some extraets:s
come here to-day, said Mr.. c.; for the pur-
pose of stating how far | was willing TO sus-
tain the new party organization, known by
the name Of the American party in this State.
On the 4th of last month, the Americans
met ut the Capitol of this State (Delaware)
and formed platform, upon which they or
gained their party. 1t is liberal and fair
II proclaims the principle of religious tolera-
tion in the words of the Constitution itself.
1t denies the right of aliens to vote without
naturalization, and proclaims the doctrine
that Americans should rule their own country.
Though Twas not present at the time the
resolutions OF the meeting were adopted, yet
they meet with my most hearty concurrence
and appreciation.
On these principles was willing to act,
and am willing to act, but I never was
member of what has been called the Native
American party, or the Know Nothing Socie-
ty as it is commonly called. | know there
are many eminent men in this country, for
whom have great respect, who are members
of each Of the latter. The present Governor
elect of Pennsylvania is universally believed
to be a member Of the Know Nothing Order,
and it is said owes his election in great de-
gree to their votes. A better man could not
in my opinion have been selected for the
| \ ,laA a.,N
is stated that the late President of the United
der. But do know that great number Of
the most intelligent and patriotic men of this
country have adopted the principles and join
ed 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 to for
eigners the right toyote on mere declaration
of intention.
Mr.. G. then reviewed the principles Of the
Delaware platform, which we have briefly
given above, and then said:
A party formed on these principles must
necessarily be thoroughly national, and not
sectional in its character II can have no
geographical divisions. No parallel of lati-
tude or longitude can divide it into discord-
| ant fragments. to form the elements Of future
separation and civil war. Ignoring the slave
ry question as proper element of party or
ganization, and as utterly untitled for party
combinations, it would refuse to test the suita-
bleness Of any man for public office, by the
whether he was for or against the mere ex-
tension OF Slavery in some Territory of the
| United States, always content to leave that,
as well as every other domestic question: to
the people of that Territory who alone ought
to have the right to decide it, as soon as suf-
| ficient numbers have settled there to form o
respectable commonwealth.
Non-intervention is the principle now pro-
fessed by the Der: ocratic party itself, but it
| is not the principle on which they have acted.
Their practice and professions have never
agreed on this subject. Mr.. G. then proceed
sovereignty claim of the Nebraska Bill, and
to review his course upon it. On this point
he said
81 did not vote for the repeal of the line in
the Nebraska act; and will not vote to re-
peal the repeating clause of that act, to dis
| turb 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 discussions of parties in
Delaware; disclaimed at length being can
didate for any office, and spoke of the proba-
bility 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 that party
had deserted him, and proceeded to cite a
number of instances in which they had as a
party abandoned the principles Of his past
| public life," and therefore, he would prefer
to stand outside of any party organization
whatever" and concluded by saying: 81 do
not expect the new party to agree with me in
everything. do not expect it to be either a
Wing or Democratic party. But if am to
act with it at all, it must stand by the princi-
pies to which have referred"