The true Democrat., 1854-10-18
From the Cincinnati Enquirer Old Federalism Revived in Know Nothingism-A Striking Parallel.

Old Federalism Revived in Know
 Nothingism-A Striking Parallel.
 The veterans in political strife who can re- member the partisan contests who signalized the close of the last and the commencement of the present century, who participated in the canvass which resulted in the election of Thomas lief ferson to the presidential chair, must be struck with the similarity of the political issues now and then involved in public controversy After the lapse of half century, the democracy are called upon to combat the same principles and measures which old federalism, for brief period. foisted upon the country. In 1798 the high toned black-cockade adherents of Adams and Hamilton were completely in the ascendency in all branches of the government They ruled the country with an iron sway. It was emphati- cally "reign of teTor' for the democracy.- NJ liberal republican measure could find its way to the statute-book, and such as had been put there under Gen. Washington were erased from it. Animated by bitter hostility to for elgners because when they landed here they generally attached themselves to the liberal party, the naturalization laws were extended to fourteen years. An alien law was passed, en- towering the President to order from the coun- try any foreigner he might judge 10 be unfavo-
 
 ment
 In order to render these measures more effec- tive, and as their necessary accompaniment. a statute was made punishing every person with fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court who should print and publish anything disrespectful of the President and other high officers of the governments Such were the features of federalism in 1798. The democra- cy were aroused at these alarming encroach- ments upon popular liberty, which threatened its total subversion, and rallied enthusiastically around the standard of Jefferson as presiden- tial candidate to succeed Mir. Adams. The contest that followed was a memorable one in the history of this government. The federal lsts made desperate struggle. They endeav- ored to arouse the demon of religious bgotry and intolerance against Mir. Jefferson, by repre- senting him as an infdel. So successful were they ill this, that after lie was chosen it is a well-known fact that pious federal women in New England concealed their Bibles because they thought MT. Jeitcrson would order them to be burned.
 The first fruits of the democratic Jefferson ian triumph were change in the naturalization laws from fourteen to five years and the repeal Of the alien and sedtion statutes The success was decisive one, and for fifty years but little has been heard of those measures upon which was put the seal of reproduction. Federalism has undergone many forms and changes since then-has been known by dozen different ohases-but has never dared to bring into pro- mlnent notice the measures 1t advocated during the presidency of the elder Adams; until in 1854, to the astonishment of the whole country, secret organization has sprung up, whose members are principally federal whigs, which proposes to tasten again upon the country the high-handed anti-republican policy of 1798, and thus again place ln peril the principles of civil and religious freedom
 The know-nothing whigs now desire an entire repeal of the naturalization laws, being in this particular more ultra than their predecessors of John Adams notorety, who were willing for eigners should enjoy the rights of suffrage when they had been here fourteen years Being hos tile to emgrants coming to this country of free dom, proclalmlng they are curse to 1t, the Bunt-
 line consplrators are in favor of even more strin- gent alien law than that passed in 1799. They also are opposed to freedom of speech, and from the mob violence which they have used in Chi cago New Albany, and oaher places to prevent the utterlng of sentiments unpalatable to them, there is every reason to believe, if intrusted with power, they would re-enact the old sedi- ton statute. Besides the adoption of these old federal principles of J ohm Adams administra- tion, the Buntlinites have incorporated into their creed other tenets so hateful to the friends of freedom, that not even the adherents of Adams and Hamilton dare urge them upon the coun- try-we allude to their disfranchsement of all naturaized citizens from holding office, and the establishment by them of religious test as the first step toward union of church and State and the commencement of persecution for conscience sake. These ideas; borrowed from the worst despotsm in Europe-the product of the dark ages-it is sought to render popular in the only free and enlightened republic upon earth. From the parellel we have drawn be- tween old federalism and know-nothing whig- gery, it will be seen that they are essentially the same thing. In their tactics and mode of warfare there is also a striking resemblance.- Old federalism tried its best to identify demo- cracy with irreligion and infdelity, and know nottingham, as that did not succeed, accuses it of proclivity to Catholicism. The aim of both was to excite against the only party that con- tends manfully for the principle of religious toleratlon the prejudice and bigotry of ecclesi- astical sects.
 | As the people were told in 1900 that if the democracy triumphed Bibles were to be burned, so they are now informed that the organization is in league with the Pope of Rome to destroy the liberties of the country. Canit be possible that story at once so foolish and so false will be credited by single human being inhabiting the territory between Maine and California; Will not the democracy, initiating their glorious ancestry of the days of Jefferson, once more rally in their strength and put down the Bunt- line enemies of civil and religious hberty?-- The same odious measures against which our fathers contended during the reign of terror' in 1798 are again subjects of discussion. It has been great many years since the democratic masses had the same powerful incentives for action. The fundamental principles of their faith, upon which the government has hitherto been administered, are attacked But we fear not the result The Buntlinites will give way when their lines are charged by the democracy, always victorious in contest for principle.- Their midnight club-rooms will be closed; their dens broken up; their inmates dispersed. Civil and religious liberty has too many friends in the land of Washington and Jefferson-who will contend for it, even by taking up arms, if ne- cessary-to allow it to be destroyed by a secret