The weekly American banner. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1855-18??, 1855-06-15

= sysA&s4s*Ek III IdtleE UQf6 H41t n
bitterness than become his age and calllnc, s.
8 IT. style does not BY any means sustain he ii
9 nifty Of his station; yet we admire the sarle
independence which VIII which he avdws 1
unpopular opinions. Fron he tone Of b. 4
!, ter i seems that he has been long and comm
ally harrassed by editors, and we will take e,
not to contribute to his annoyance, y 40 al
thing calculated to diminish, bis usefulness. u
feel no disposition to persecute or yex o,he,
because they honestly differ from our opinion
and no one can read President Loncstroet,s Ii
ter without perceiving that his views, l,owevf
Z erroneous, are honestly entertained. In rhe e,
comments wiiichwe have to make, we feel n
apprehension that we viii be thought unkind .
Idiscourteous.
President Longstreet remarks. "H teac1
that unlawful promises are not binding; I shal
be charged with jnstifying the exposure 0
Know Nothing secrets" In this, we tlust, h,
Is mistaken; and we, at least, will never join ii
such an accusation. 1t is certainly his duty t,
teach this truth, but to teach also the great inn
propriety to make such promises-of placing
ourself in situation in which one is compelled
either to do what is unlawful. or to violate q
promise. And one other thing he should teach
IN order that the whole truth may be received
that promises of secrecy are not unlawful, bu,
are binping, whetqer made 10 Know Nothinps.
Odd Fellows, Masons, or Sons of Temperance.
"In all fairness" says President Lonnstreet.
mo man should assail another in a matter i'm
Volving character private or official, upon vague
rumor." We endorse the sentiment. and add
that no man ought to assail party on the
ground that he only knows that he knows MOTH
ing about them. How can he boldly assert
what ne does Of the Know Nothings! It is
mere conjecture and is moulded by prejudice.
We do not say his conjectures are not true. for
we do not know; but our coniectures are far
different Why should this party be particular
iy reproached because it embraces both Metho-
dist preachers and demagogues, when every DO
lltical party is amenable to the same CHARGE,
As well might we rsproach the church because
1t embraces men of earnest piety and designing
hypocrates; as well denounce the Apostles of
Christ because with the talent of Peter, the in
tegritv Of James, the purity Of John. was asso
cated also the treachery of Judas Iscariot. If
the Know Nothing party agathers within its
pale men of dignity, talent and piety, preachers
and teachers, and with them the most deprayed.
abandoned, desperate, God-defying sinners up
on EARTH" is it therefore any worse than the
wing and Democratic parties, The party which
VIII conine itself to men of dignity, talent, and
Piety, and admit none other in its ranks. cannot
hope to gain the ascendency, we are sorry to
believe. But the fact which President Long
street admits, that the order gathers such men
within its pale, should have tendency to mod.
crate his abuse. He views the order THROUGH
the glass of strong political prejudice, but men
oil dignity, talent and piety having entered with
IN the mystic circle, find none of the horrors
which alright the Imagination of President
Longstrcet. They remain in the party and
nearby cooperate in its movements Then
there connot be nyihing so shocking in the
after all
President Longstreet says he is mot such a
coward as to fee the feldof honorable warfare
Tor savage ambush fighting; or such fool as to
believe that mans religion is to be reformed
by haressing his person." Nor is he aouite So
blind as not to see that when the work of crush
ing churches is begun in the country, it is not
going to stop with the overthrow Of one.' Now
we have seen for many months, an open avowaI
and able defence, of the Know Nothing princi-
Pies. Their meetings and proceedings have
been secret, but their views and purposes have
been freely discussed And we must confess
hat we are yet $50 blind as not to have dis
covered any intention on the part of the Know
Nothings to reform any mans religion ebv
his person. or to begin ''the work of
rushing churches" All that President LONG,
treet intimates on this subject is well answered
the following extract from the Lexington i
Ky.) Observer and Reporter, in reply to the
barge that the American party proposed a
hange of the Federal Constitution in order to
make religion test of political qualification.
That paper remarks X
"Such is not our understanding of the views
hey hold upon the subject. If the expose of
ne principles they hold upon this subject be
rue, they are opposed to putting Roman Cath /.
lies in office. just as Wings have been opposed
, putting Democrats in Office, and Democr
putting Wings in Office. The right of the 5
eople to vote tor whom they please is Clear J
nd unquestionable, and the fact that men NAV '
OF see proper to cast their votes for any par
cular class of persons, is a totally different
ing from desire on their part to change !.
&c Federal Constitution so as to make that J
Lass mel glbte to office. The America party :
ertainlY have no intention to ro hevnnd fhis |