The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1855-06-09
Deeu Laid Scheme.


Tho Know Nothings are attempting 20 40 'na',
without law which the Consultation most plainly ana
cmphatIcally declares shall not be done. by their
secret organisation oaths, and councils they have
Get ON foot plan to govern the country not In obc
dIeuce to public opinion under the law, but BY man
aeement chicancry, and deception independent Oft
They are seeking by combination, under pretcnce OF
reforming the evils Of foreign emigration and Cath
ole influence in this country, to effect by Indirect
means, that which they know full well, they never
can accomplish BY fair, manly, and open discussion
a the bar Of public scrutiny In violation Of the
painest provisions Of the Constitution and the clear
es ctstc Of reason jnstice and sound national pol
10y, they seek TO degrade our naturalzed citizens
On acc cunt Of their place Of birth, and to dsfran
chiss those who profess the Catholic faith on account
Of their religion.
Our national government Is formed BY the people
being united in their state capacities Under writ
ten constitution creating It, and defining the extent
Of It's powers All this is open to the world. 1t
was established BY public opinion upon full nvesga-
ton after the most open, candid and elaborate dis
cussion Of it, various provisions. A sound public
opinion based upon virtue TRUTH and morality alone
can sustain II. The government never was intended
by its founders, to be upheld In any other way It
cannot exist and be perpetuated without this whole
some influence. h f41N tt'
The Know Nothings are seeking to unite, by Sc
cret political machinery, this same people, In such
way as to nutralxe public opinion, and thereby ac-
complish ends, not of the majority Of the people,
but Of the ambitious few, who have control Of the
councils and seeking to gain place and power for
themselves, regardless Of the means, by which 1t
Is to be obtained or the danger to which the coun-
Try may be exposed They know full we'll that If the
people are left free and untramelled in the exercise
Of the elective franchise the constitution and laws
provide they shall be- their chance Of success in car
rying out their plans will be hopeless. They can
never succeed. f.a t
Under fair promises, and specious arguments, ma
ny unsuspectng citizens have been induced to join
the know nothings thinking they were doing good
thing. Having gone in, they have heard but one
SIDE and are probably confirmed in their first i'm
pressions, whereas II they could have had oppor
tunty to hear both the Sides upon the question they
would and act differently. To sign away I'M
der OF cir birth right, the right to vote as free
mem not comprehend as intended by those
WHO to entrap them, or meant by themselves.
No many who are the most active and jealous
in Id lhcing others into the lodges, are, laborng
under the same delusion and would argue strenuous
" that such was not the fact yet It Is nevertheless
true. The very design and tendency of Know Moth
ingsm is to transfer the political power of the mass
es into the hands Of irresponsible few, who con-
troll the know nothing organization. 1t binds under
solemn obligation, those who join, to perpetual
cy, no matter how reasonable may be the measures
proposed Nothing is ever to be divulgcd, not even
the name Of the order.
Let us look into its machinery. II has sot up aI
government Of Its own, within our government, and
independent Of It. II has Constitution and laws
officers, Legislative. executive, and judicial. 1t pre-
scribes penalties tries offences, and nfcts punish
ments. 1t has power even to try its own members.
II has grand council, for the Union subordinate
council In each state and territory and lodges in
every county, village and neighborhood throughout
the United States. The lodges work under dispen-
saton from the state councils and the state councils
under dispensation from the "Grand Council of
North America" In regular graduation. With the
grand council resides supreme power, and the COM
mands and orders, are imperative upon all the men,
bers, lodges, and councils. throughout the union.
Measures Of Government, Of the gravest charac-
ter, will be projected in secret by the absolute au-
thority of this grand council carried into effect
without ever being discussed in public, or approved
by the people, should their attempt to get hold of the
reins Of the government prove successful. 1t will
soon draw to itself all the powers of the state and
the people will be, but mere instruments in their
hands to register Its edcts. This Is no idle dream,
q fair deduction, drawn from careful examinations,
Of the know nothing constitution, oahs, and ritual
recently published In Virginia, aud which is admit
ted to be genuine. People of Louisiana, are you
willing that such result shall be brought about
with your consent? Are you willing to supersede
the best government devised by man. for an in
visible, irresponsible oligarchy, God forbid.
Presto Change.
We hear no talk Of Wings, or the Whgparty since
the know nothings made their advent in our midst
Presto change has been their watchword and chang