The daily union., 1854-11-12
KNow-NOTHINGIsM LETTER FROM A METHODIST
CLERGYMAN.
From the Dubuque Miners Resis,erl

October Z, 1854
My VERY DEAR FRIEND; Before left Dubuque yourself
and several other gentlemen of various Christian churches
requested the publication of my delivered the
4h inst long habit of speaking extemporaneously has
made me careless OF the preservation of either
speeches which am called upon to make from time to
time Therefore, to give you my language transfer TO
paper my illusions TO civil and religious liberty would be
impossible But with every possible desire to be brief
shall give my opinions TO yourself in regard to the right Of
every worshpping God according the dictates of
ms oon conscience and just freely express my fears Of
and opposition to- every organization either secret open
which looks TO the abridgment of this great principle,
which is essential to the very existence of republican gov
ernmen and the uncorruped worship of the living God
You, sir, Catholic | Methodist Your faith
believe TO be the result of deliberate Judgment formed
after careful investigation Your convictions and devo
tons are conscientious. Just such faith and my
devotons and the faith and devotion of every Christ
ian everywhere | suppose you could not forsake your
religion and remain honest man; equally clear
that could not abandon my principle and retain for
moment my serespect and enjoy the approving smile of
my Holy Maker and Judge who kindly regards the inirm
tiles of his creatures and scrupulousy abhor preence
deceit Then, my dear friend, what to do2 On
the details of our respective religious creeds
agree Shall you therefore destroy me shall l, with
superior charity aud enlightened aih, seek your ami
hlaiion, because differ concerning matters which
but the wise and eternal God correctly deter
mine Is it injury to either of that the Other stand
ing upon his responsibility to the Supreme Judge of the
universe chooses to consult him alone and disregard the
opinions OF men, merely relating to things not OF this
world? 1t would insult your good aneiy
these inquiries in the negativeor you had anticipated
them all There is only answer which has been
elusive to every reasonable worshpper Of God Let
every be fully persuaded in his mind.r The
constitution of the land wisely providing for the political
agreement of mnarious religions sentiment has guar
antied to every man right to worship God according
to the dictates OF his conscience And for the very
first time in the history of modern civilization national
government has not only permitted but has encouraged
by her liberal legislation the growth of every sincerely
devoted body of Christians irrespective of their
formulas. 1t is with regret that attempt made in
various portions of the country create midnight
ships and star chambers for the avowed object of dsran
chising the Catholic population of the country and wagng
warfare Of all Others the most fearful and vindctivea
warfare against religion In the whole history Of the
world there has been time when such organ
izations the know-nothings left with shallow
preence for their combination at the present.
time when little has been threatened by any organized
! form of Christianity now.
In the first place. there is not majority of the United
States Ia communion with any church There is very
clear majority who not members of religious body
and this majority would resist to the death the least squn
ing encroachment upon their right of opinion In
the second place the government does not directly nd
rectly support by gifts fees any one denomination of
Chrstans and of course have preference in her
choice among them Moreover the numerical strength of
the communicanso of the several denominaonsis very
ly the same, and kept in by mutual wachfulness.
mutual forbearance continued since the organization of
government has created Christian fraternity of feel
ngs among conflicting opinions unknown before in the
history of Christianity,
The population of the United States was in 1850 o.
1898, and is about 26,oO0,OoO; of this number
about l6O0O00 Methodsts of every order 10000
are Bapsts
Who then that is not afflicted with superstitious
monomania offer reasonable preeuce for formida-
bic organization of elgous power in the United States
Indeed sir if there has been time when nfdelity
and contempt for all religion had ascendency that time
| is now.
But should time when religious intolerance
threatens the existence of free Institutions and resistance
to ecclesiastical power becomes necessary then know
nothngism, any other political organization,
ought receive the of any lover of free
government Secresy and hypocrisy the avore nsru
ments kings and despots No country long remain
free after its great principles abandoned and the gov
ernent itself becomes the spois Of the tricky skuking
politician conceive the know-nohing organization Of
this character why the organization at all in country
like ours where every has voice in the legislation
of the land Where privileged order is established
countenanced by law cannot conceive of single thing
affecting those gentlemen ctizen which does not in the
affect every other man in the country II their
designs Just and arouc, thef are surely sustained py
reason and 1 think the reasons which have con-
vinced them will also convince of the same things and
there can necessity for secresy in the prosecution OF
honorable purposes
But there are evils resulting from such associations
which ought not to be overlooked In republican gov
ernment the basis of security public confidence
Whatever strikes at public confidence strikes at republic
canism When the wing party beats the democratic party
upon an issue made public the defeated party gives up the
contest as honoraby settled In turn he openly gains for
his own party an equal triumph and the opposition as
quietly acquesce in their overthrow. 1t done openly
they saw how it was done, and satisfied
But in the success of secret political societies public
6dence IL undermined it gives way reign of terror
commences another organization, kHowsGethings,
are organized and they too may triumph, and the dis
mayed knownotbiDgs may not so tamely submit They,
in revenge apply the munitions of warfare Long
before the charter granted TO any of these organza
tons midnight deemed auspicious time for secret
depredaons and powerful means than the spark
of fire, the simpler modern invention appropriately
called ucer matches would be needed to assist In
resistance the superior trick of the victorious party
No less sacred citadel than the temple of worship and
family altar will be lighted up and lumine the earth with
their fires Aye sir already has this Internal work begun
under the auspices of this modern institution of reform
already have Catholic churches been burned the ground
or battered down by the hands of the awess irresponsible
mob pa,roned by those gracees demagogues VINO would
reform the world and maintain the super-cxceen charac
ter of Christian gentlemen, whilst they for most
crimes miuions heated by mad fanacsm the
and bases of the whole family Of man
,Ja,,