The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1855-08-28
Letter from the Hon. Daniel s. Dicsziis
SON on Know Nottingham.

The following letter. hrSt puDShed IN ne
FlorIdlan and Journal uc August 4, written in
June, 1855. ed. N. Y. Daily News.)
MY DEAR SIR: On my return to my residence
Il few days since, from professional engagement
abroad, | found your favor Of late da;e lnqnlrng
Tor my views touching the princ pies OF the Ameri-
can or Know Nothing organization. Before
found time 10 answer was hurried 10 this place
to Intend the Court of Appeals now in session,
where the business in which am engaged affords
lille time opportunity for correspondence.
vii, however, as | have concealments upon
, public questions borrow moment from my pres
sing duties to say quite hastily, that | have no
kroa Iedre cOuce, ming the Oder to which You al
Iude, except such as is acquired from publications
purporting to give inIOrm" ION upon TIE su'Jtcf'
and must therefore confine my sell to such points
as are embraced within this range. II Is g"nef-
ally unders: God and conceded 10 be secret sorIe-
y organization, desi gned TO act poiitIc1'ly IN
the contests Ct the day. o. this secret IeatUr' ]
entire y dlsapprOve, and am unable to understand
by what necessity, real or supposed, II was dIcta-
ted, upon what principle 1t can be JnsIliad.--
Free public discussion and open action on al! pub
lie affairs, essential to the heaIlh-nay, to The
very cXste nee OF our liberty and the day which
finds the public mind recOncled 10 the secret move
ments of political parties, will find US far on our
way 10 the slavery of deSpotism. II good men
may meet in secret for good purposes, we can have
assurance that bad men, under the same p aus.
bIe exterior, will no. secretly sap the foundations
of public virtue.
Whether am in favor of their platform upon
he question Of domestic Slavery must depend upon
what i, is or rather, whether they are in favor Of
NINE. Ii their platform is 10 be regarded incIud-
ing, uph"ldng or Jn>t1yIug such political monstro-
sites as The personal liberty b!i,' recently pas.
sed into law by the Massachusetts Legislature
over the veto Of Governor Gardner. hen | pro-
uoUuce 1t treason u the erpos dyc---!rrnson rank,
unbIuShing and MISUNDERSTANDING Of pub,c
pre- henslon and condign punishment. / upon this
sub'ct their platform conforms resolutions re-
Gently punished, Purportng to be the voice OF y
ma Iority Of the Convention assemhcd at PhiIadt-
rhla, il is in substance The same uron which |
have stood for years-upon which ! dc not enter
without counting the consequences, and which |
intend to renqush only with life. | have not
now these resolutions before me, but as | rccOi ,ect
them, | approve them in substance us sound ma
lIonaI doctrine. | ignore part Of the Federal
Constitution, either in theory or in practIc, to court
the popular caprices Of the moment, to gain public
station to minister to the necessities of mfr.
mites Of those in power. Nor can | disrrust tn"
sounGness Of principles approved upon full con-
sIdcration under high sense of duty, because
others may choose TO adopt and embrace them.
cannot believe that any good can be accom-
plIshed by making the birthplace test of fidelity
or merit 1t does not accord with, but is at war
with the genius OF our institutions. That abuses
have been practIced by appointment Of foreigners
to places OF rust before sufficiently fumIIIirr with
our COnstltuion, laws, and s':Cnl system, or to
Inch from circumstances, they were unSuitcd, is
probable. lhiS, however, Is IN some respects
common to native as we'll as naturaIlzcd citIznns,
and arises not from a defective system, but from
lis erroneous administrator. 1t is in both res
pecis The NATURAL result OF placing in the hands
the incompetent The dlsri1 Uon OF public patronage.
Upon :he subject Of nnturazed citizens have
been governed by considerations OF Justice and duty
and have designed TO observe the split Of my
gre,s engaged in Il seepe chase, 10 see v ho should
propose earliest give most, and luudcst, to
led suffering Ireland from the federal trcasur,'
lew years sInce. not finding any warrant for such
proceedings voted against II, aud let public cla-
NOR exhaust itself upon my head IN denunciai
" hen learned that the foreigner who had in good
iaIth declared bis Intentions o! q Zensip by set
Ting his toot upon foreign shore in case of ship
wreck, without any Intention OF Remaining abroad,
lost the Gcnt fit OF his proceedings. | introduced
and procured The passhg" OF IA bill to redress the
grievance. These principles have governed my
pubic conduct and now guide my opinions. The
Constitution, administered IN lis true spiIii, is, in
my Judgment, sufficient tor The protection Of all,
whether native naturaiizcd and Tor the redress
of ali POLITICAL wills whlch can be reached by hu-
man COVE rnnen'.
| have the honor 10 be-
Your friend and servant,
ID. S. DICKINSON.
Charles L. Dyke ESQ Editor FiOridIan <, iourn.l