Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-05-24

next Congress- and the chief reason assigned is,
that it is supposed large number Of your political
friends have gone into the secret order called know
nothings Many of your friends desire to know if
this rumor be true. 1t is considered an important
period in our national affairs, and your retiring at
this time would be felt as loss by those who
have relied on you through so many trying scenes.
What are your opinions and views of this new
party, called know nothings? Knowing your will
Engness TO give your opinions on all matters of,
puplic concern, am induced to make the inquiry,
aud request permission to publish your reply. =
Yours truly, THos. w. THOMAS
CRAwFoRDvILDE Ga, 9th May 1855.
DEAR SIR Your letter of the 9Th inst was rel
ceived some days ago and should have been
swered earlier, but for my absence from home.
The rumor you mention, in relation to my candi-
dacy for reelection to Congress, is true. / have
stated, and repeated on various occasions, that l
was moi, and did not expect to be, a canddate-the
same now say TO you. The reason OF this decla-
ration on my part, was the fact, that large num-
Der of our old political friends seemed to be en-
tering into new combinations with objects, |
purposes and principles of which wasnot informed
and never could be, according to the rule of their
action and the opinions l entertain. Hence my
conclusion that they had no further use for me as
their Representative; for / presumed they knew
enough of me to be assured if they had any secret
aims or objects to accomplish that they could
get my consent even if they desired it, to become
6 dumb instrument to execute such purpose.
certainly never did, and never SHALL go before the
people as candidate for their suffrsges with my
principles in my pocket. 1t has been the pride of
my life, heretofore, not only to make known fully
and freely my sentiments upon all questions Of
public policy, but in viudication of those senti-
ments thus avowed, to meet any antagonists ar
rsyed against them in open and manly strife
E,..a 20 a,1n and e
action, by which have up to this time been gov
erned, shall never depart. But you ask me what
are my opinions and views OF this new party called
know nothings, with q request that you be per-
mitted to publish them Ny opinions and views,
thus solicited, shall be given most cheerfuly, and
as fully and clearly as my time, under the pressure
Of business, will allow. You can do with them as
you please publish them not as you like.
They are the views of private citizen. / at
present to all intents and purposes whatsoever,
literally one of the people hold no Office nor seek
any, and as one of the people shall speak to you
and them on this, and on all occasions with that
frankness and independence which 1t becomes free
man to bear towards his fellows. And 10 giving my
views of know nothingsm, l ought perhaps, 10
premise by saying and saying most truly, that
really "know nothing about the principles aims
or objects of the party 1 am about TO speak Of
they all kept secret-they are held in the dark
being communicated and made known only to
the initiated and not TO these until after being rst
duly pledged and sworn. This. to me, is a very
great objection to the whole organization. All
political principles, which sought to be carried
out in Legislation by any body or set of men in
republic in my opinion, ought 20 be openly avowed
and publicly proclaimed. Truth never shuns the
light or shrinks from investigation-or at least it
oughtnever to do H. Hiding places or secret coyerts
are natural resorts for error. 1t is, therefore, q
circumstance quite sufficient to excite suspicion
against the truth to see it pursuing such course
And in republics, where discussion and full inVes-
tigstion by virtuous and intelligent people is al
lowed there never can be any Just grounds to fear
any danger from the greatest errors either in
religion politics. All question:, therefore, re-
latng to the government of free people, ought
to be made known, clearly understood, fully dis
cussed, and Understandings acted upon. Indeed,
do not believe that a Republican Government
can last long, where this is not the case. In my
opinion, no man is fit to represent a free people
who has any private or secret Objects or aims that
he does not openly avow, or who is not ready and
willing, at all times when required or asked, can
didly and trasthtupy to proclaim to the assembled
multitude, not only his principles, but his views
and sentiments upon all questions that may come
before him in his representative capacity. Ii was
on this basis that Representative Government was
founded and on this alone it be maintained in
purity and safety. And if any secret party shall
the Government in all its departments and func- |
tons under the baneful influence of its control and
power, political ruin will inevitably ensue. No |
truth In politics can be more easily and firmly es- |
tablished either by reason or from history upon |
principle or authority, than this These are nv /
opinions candidly expressed 4 -H--~
20 ] know that many good men and true in Geor- 7
gia differ with me in this particusr--thousauds of |
them, 1 doubt not, have joined this secret order
with good intentions Some ofthem have told NE /
So and | do not question their motives And I
thousands more WILL perhaps, do it with the same |
intentions and motives. Should it be short lived |
affair, no harm will, may come of it. But let it
succeed-let it carry all the elections, State and !
Federal--et the natural and inevitable laws of its
own organism be once fully deyeloped-and the
country will go by the board 1t will go as France
did The first Jacooin Club was organized in 4
Paris on the 9th Nov, 1889, under the alIuring
name of "the Friends of the Constitution" quite
as specious as that we now hear OF Americans
shall rule America" Many of the best men and
trnest patriots IN Paris Joined it-and thousands
of the same sort of joined the affiliated clubs
afterwards little dreaming of the deadly iangs of
that viper they were nurturing in their bosoms.-
Many of these very men afterwards went to the
Gulotine by orders passed secretly in these very
clubs All legislation was settled in the clubs
members of the National Assembly and Conven-
ton, all Of them, or most Of them, were men,
bers OF the clubs, Tor they could not otherwise
be elected. And after the question was settled
in the clubs, the members next day went to the
nominal Halls of Legislation nothing but trembling
TO register the edicts of the "order"
though 1t were 10 behead Monarch or to cause
the blood OF the best Of their own number to
Bow beneath the stroke of the axe. Is history
of no use? Or do our people vaiuly IMAGINE |
that Americans would not do as the French did
under like circumstances? as thy servant dog
that he should do this thing" said the naughty
,elfconfdent Hazeel Yet he did al that q |
,ad been told that he would DO. "Let him that !
bipLeth he standeth take heed lest he fall" H.
nan nature is the same compound of weak frail-
les and erring passions everywhere. Of these
hubs in France, an elegant writer has said:
From all other scOurges which had afflicted
mankind. in every age and in every nation, there
sd been some temporary refuge, some shelter I'M
il the storm might pass. During the heathenism
# antiquity and the barbarism ofthe middle ages,
he temple of god or the shrine OF saint, al.
orded refuge from despotc fury or popular rage.
}ut French Jscobins, whether native or adopted, G