Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-08-08
From the Rock Islander.
The New Persecution.

From the Rock Islander.
The New Persecution.
| Our readers well know with what intense
earnestness we have opposed the Know Moth
ingism. We regard it as by far the most
| dagerous party which has ever sprung up up
on American soil We feel assured that if
ever it gains extended and permanent power,
| the Star of this Union will set amidst the tu-
multi of civil strife. and perchance in a sea of
blood. Its influence is already most disas-
trous. A few days ago we met with a
staunch Protestant gentleman, residing in a
county in distant State. where the Catholic
and Protestant population is about equal He
described to US, the rending of the old ties of
| fraternity, which once bound all classes and
sects in common brotherhood, as most mourn
full. Friends are arrayed against friends, rel
atiyes against relatives, father against son,
| and brother against brother An atmosphere
of jealousy locates every locality. Men know
not whom they can trust. Catholics and
Protestants no longer greet each other as
friends, with warm and open hearts, but eye
each other with suspicion and painful distrust
The community is no longer one, il, feeling,
but is divided into two hostile camps 1t is
as if some moral Upas had cast its withering
shade over the land.
But we had not intended to speak of this.
We had wished to call the attention to the
| system of prescription which is in too many
localities practised by those members of the
new party whose hearts are most fully posses
sed BY the foul fend Of intolerance It is
that of assailing all who cannot bow the knee
to their Baal, and who stand up manfully in
defence of the good cause of Equal Rights
The Protestant who does so, is fortunate in
e L il - L.
freely denounced as unfit for, and unworthy
of membership in any Reformed Church
And he is still more fortunate, if he holds
any important station, if no effort is made to
deprive him of it, because of his opinions.
OF the former species of intolerance, exam
pies are fresh In our memory, and we doubt
not, in the memories of many of our readers.
OF the latter, there has lately occurred an in
stance so signal, and whose rebuke has been
effectual, that we shall here narrate it.
There are few who know much of the his
tory Of the great Methodist denomination of
the South, who have not heard of Dr. LONG
sTREET-a man now of hoary hair and failing
strength. he is one of the patriarchs. as he
has been one of the pionneers, Of the South
west-one of those who have made its moral
| wilderness to bloom and blossom as the rose.
Admired for his cloquencc and talents, beloy-
ed for his Christian charity, reyered for his
great services in the cause of the Redeemer,
he is now, the honored President of Missis-
sppi University.
When the Order, with its secret and un-
lawful oaths, and g cavern tactics" first rear
ed its horrid front in Mississippi, President
LoNGsTREEr felt it incumbent upon him to set
his face against it. Profoundly conversant
with political science, he felt that every acces-
sien of new man to country, is an Access
sion to its strength and its treasure. Cher
ishing the most ardent faith in, and love for
his fellow-men, he could not believe that those
who seek refuge in our Freedom, from Euro
pean Despotism, will ever aid in subverting
our glorious fabric of Union. A Minister,
he felt constrained to preach that the love
of Christ is not bounded by State lines, +" and
that all men are brethren, children of the
same Father, made of the Same clay. For
such sentiments as these it is now thought to
expel him from the place he honors and adorns.
He has written a touching and eloquent let
ter, vindicating himself Office, he says, has
no charms for him. Twice has he been upon
the point of resigning his high station-twice
has he, by earnest entreaty, been induced to.
retain it. Never will he hold it upon condi-
ton that he must treat Known Nothingism with
respect. We copy the concluding paragraph
of his letter.
Nations, like men, run mad at times, and
nothing but time and blood-letting can cure them.
Still, while there is hope, all good men should
strive to relieve them. My course is taken
carefully, thoughtfully, prayerfully taken am
no Catholic Put Methodism and Romanism
the field of fate argument, and will stake my all
upon the issue; but am not such a coward as to
fee the field of honorable warfare for savage am
bush fighting, or a fool as to believe that mans
r,l;o;on is to be reformed by harrassing his per-
son. Nor am Iquite so blind as not to see that
when the work of crushing churches is begun in
the country it is not going to stop with the over
throw of one. All Professionalism almost will be
against me-two thirds OF my own church, |
Judge, will be against me-the trustees will be
against me-the trustees will be alarmed for the
interest of the college, my colleagues of the facul-
ty will be uneasy, my best friends will be paned,
but have an abiding confidence that nothing
will be lost by my course in the end. 1t viii be
madness in men to withdraw their sons from the
able teaching of my colleagues for my fault-to
attack the college to inure me but these are Gays
of MAJ ness, and this is the way in which obnox-
ious professors are commonly attacked Be it so.
I have done my duty, and leave the consequent
ces with God. And here sign my name to what
I deem the best legacy that could leave to my
children "a record proof that neither place, nor
policy, temporal interest nor friendships, nor
church, nor threatening storms from every quar-
ter, could move their father for an instant from
principle. or owe him to silence when the cause
Of God and his country required him to speak.
AUGUSTUS B. LONGSTREET.
Noble old man! Well may those who shall
inherit his name be proud of him. Like Lu-
THEIRS. his words are g half battles for Free
dom. We rejoice that our broad land yet
bears such men upon her bosom. So long as
they live, the cause of Equal Rights can not
perish.