Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-06-09

themselves to be blinded by a humbug, which men
across the Atlantic Ocean can see through. Why
Is it that the London Times has such fancy for
this new party, and speaks of it in such commen-
dabie terms? Will reasonable men suppose that
its editors would favor party who are disposed 10
prohibit foreign immigration? No, sirs, they see
at glance that this new party is fast destroying
the two old parties, and Matchmaking the abolition
party Also, do they not see that by exciting this
Catholic prejudice South it destroys all possibility
OF Cuba ever becoming part of the United Ststes2
This is why they favor the party, aud this is the
true secret of British friendship.
Now, fellow countrymen the secrecy, we come to
and of it will speak, in language bold and undis-
guished To you who have ioirel this thing, /
shall say nothing dsrespectful; for as before stated
know that it found not its origin with you, but
is OF foreign birth. ] know that you have been
actuated alone by motives, pure and patriotic, and
nave no right to iInpugn them; but at any rate,
WIN say that you have encouraged an ex-
ample by which the institutions of the south may
fall AS to those, fellow couutrymen, with whom
this thing did originate, 1 must impugn their mo-
tVes, and am honestly persuaded tonight that
their designs were reasonable. Therefore with
this belief l am constra ined to charge them with
being monsrchsts A grave and serious charge,
yet it is one that hope to be able reasonably 10
substantiate
Let US take up the history of past events; does il
not teach u.s. in language plain and unmstakable that
secret organizations the germs of all conspira-
cies, that 1t IS there, where it finds its origin that
it is there where the wicked 60 to accomplish
their design and when once headed by desperate
and ambitious men, they can WELD an influence
powerful within itself, and to their design govern
mems have fallen victims. Did not Republican
France, IN one night fall victim to secret societies
and slumbering patriots awoke next morning to
behold, sitting upon the throne, an Emperor Are
any OF you familiar with the history of the Il
luninati secret organization which existed in
100, with fiattering inducements held out to the
public. and with its many degrees-l, 2, 3, &C.
The true secret of which was never told until the
members had taken the last degree2 By that time
their faith to the order had been well tested, and
what was that secret? A destruction of the gor-
ernment and its religion
But, fellow-countrymen, how do the leaders of
ths-new party strike at our institutional LIST, By
persuadng you that electioneerng before the peo-
pie is wrong. and attempting to destroy it by Sc
crecy They tell you that it is an evil and curse
to the community; that it is degrading for gentle
man to 60 about and ask the people for their votes.
This is language hear, daily, uttered by the most
learned men OF your party. As for my own part,
fellow-countrymen, | hold electioneering before
the people to be one of the great safe guards of
repuhlicanism. Iregard it as being the very SOUL
spirit and genius of our Institutions; and when
you destroy it, you destroy the only means of
knowing the principles and capacity of the man
for whom you are called upon to vote, OF select
ing your choice, and elevating TO office good and
pure men; for it will all go by favoritism. More
over, know that there is not a man among you
who will put himself to the trouble to canvass the
merits, examine the past life, and inquire into the
principles of the candidates, who stay at home,
awaiting the people to go and elect them. This
| know you ii never do; consequently you cannot
know for whom you are voting. BUTT is the duty
OF those who propose to serve as public function
aries to come before the great tribunal of their
country and let their merits be canvassed; to tell
you who they are what their past lives have been,
and what they propose to do. For these reasons
hold electOneering before the people to be right,
in all republican governments. Yet, many of you
are being persuaded in secret that electioneering
is wrong, and that it is an evil. Thousands are
already persuaded-ot the fact, and when you are
called upon 10 surrender the power out of which
springs this evil can you consistently refuse TO do
it! Every man knows that electioneering is Pc
cuiar to our institutions-that it grows out of the
fact, simply that the people possess the power of
bestowDg office, and it is to the people, for Office,
we ought and must 60. And will men refuse to sur
render that power out of which grows this evil now!
Will they persist in retaining power, productive
of the evil which they seek to destroy? / pre-
sumo they will not. Then to whom will you sur
render it? to a secret council of an hundred, or
fifty. or of ten, some higher functionary, the
Governor, for instance-mqking all subordinate
officers dependent upon him, and thereby consol-
idating the government! Suppose each State
should do the same, consolidating the Federal
Government: what an alarming despotism would
erect its Hydra-head over us. This, through your
secret organizations could be done secretly quiet
", and in short space of time.
But, fellow-countrymen, how are these charges
answered by the leaders of this party! They
point to their platform, and ttiumphantly ask, do
we see anything of the kind there! No, sirs, they
dare not put them there. They know that il would
be sealing their fate. They know that it would
serve as a record, that in days to come, would
blast them. How frequently are these gentlemen
heard to say "Suppose our party are in the wrong,
we have majority, consequently we are safe. -
All, my deluded friends, "lay no. this hattering
JUNCTION to your souls" The federal party was
once in power, but how long did that majority
last! There is no majority that can be polled to-
day, that, ere twelve months shall roll around,
will not be oyerbalanced; and when this party
shall have begun to retrograde, the stain OF mon
archiss shall follow them, through their last days
and the eptaph upon the stone that marks their
last resting place shall be, "treason' In order,
have justice done them, will read to you their
platform.
Mr.. Haywood here read the platform, as pub
lished in the papers
This, fellow-countrymen, reads as patriotic as
fourth of July speech; but, unlike that. it has
sighted the American eagle. | do not know
for what cause, unless it is for the reason that,
unlike the bat and the owl, he refuses to fly at
night. Whilst admire the patriotic sentiments
of the platform, miscaled the American platform,
must say it is not free from objections. AS to
the extension of the naturalization laws to 81
years; at one time was in favor Of it, but from
an examination of the probable good that might
result from its change, found, that it would be
productive of greater evil than as it now stands.
In the first place, it will not purify corrupt Judges
who hold your elections-and upon whom rests
the responsibility of all Illegal voting! 1t will
not prevent riots, nor put down mobs. It will not
prevent emigration, except as to those pure and
honest foreigners, who admire our institutions,
and who can appreciate civil and religious free
dom, and who seek land where merits and ge-
MUS meet their reward. These men would be
unwilling to change one despotism for another
Whilst the most ignorant and degraded, who can
not appreciate freedom, who seek only to satisfy
their animal appetites, would flock to your shores
in thousands. And if there really existed any |
hanger, from foreign immigration, by the extern |
sion of the naturalization laws, instead of de- |
stroyiDg it you increase it. What would be the |
of this law! Foreigners who would |
,migrate to our country, from the age of 81 and |
upwards, and then be compelled to remain 81 |
years before they could be natnraliZed, would be |
o cd before they could exercise that franchise
a