The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-03-18
CONGRESSIO'N Al.
SPEECH OF HON. THOMAS RUFFIN


the frst time since have had seat upon this hoor with
the view Of submitting Few remarks. | do not propose
to discuss the question Immediately before the committee
and shall avail myself Of the privilege accorded me %
consider another question. Since have been member Of
this House IL has acted upon many important questions.
Being 10th tespass upon the time Of the House have
conened my self hy giving silent upon all OF them
These questions which had heretofore entered more
less into the political discussions OF our country ana
upon them opinions not unknown TO my consti,
Since the of the present session Of
Congress have heard discussions in this hall upon qnes
tons which thought have been settled long
alude particularly those great questions OF reli
gious liberation and naturalization.
had thought that the question OF religious liberation
seed by the constitution Of theeounry and that Amer
lean citizens had always proudly boased that here every
had the right TO worship Almighty God according TO
the dictates Of bis conscience and that this right was
not only guaranteed By the fundamental law Of the land
but was regarded inherent and inaienabc
And, Mr. Chairman, had thought that the nqtnraza-
ton laws passed under the administration OF Jefferson
amended and perfected by subsequent legislation had given
general satisfaction to the country with the exception Of
small faction Throughout the country discussion these
questions has been revived of late.
To keep pace with the spirit OF the times early in the
present session honorable gentlemen were struggling to
get the floor bring them before the House for lis consd
Grafton. &saa e.#
The honorable gentleman from Tennessee Mr.. TAy-
Lon more fortunate than his competitors succeeded in
his efforts and having obtained the floor, introduced
bill proposing alteration of the naturalization laws.
Sir that gentleman responsible for the introduction at
the subject here il he prefers it, he entitled to the dis
ncushed honor of having been the first introduce this
And again. sir, not long since series of resolutions inn
bodying certain principles in relation to these questions
was offered by the honorable gentleman from Pennsy-
vania mir WlrTE called upon to vote for the sus
pension of the rules TO enable the House to consider those
resolutions and it is not out OF place here hat should
give the which influenced me IN giving the vote
which gave that occasion These generally known
as the ant-know-nothng resolutions.
can conceive of evil either real or imaginary exist
ing or supposed exist in this country which will justify
American the formation OF secret oah-bound
cal societies They may do for the desposm Of Russia
they may do for Austria but there certainly be no
cessity for such in our land
No sir in our country where every has the right
speak, print and publish whatever he may tit only
being liable for the abuse of that privilege and where
the language Of an old revolutionary writer he press
CLOVIS with freedoms sacred zeal here sir there can be
necessity for resorting to Institutions of this kind with
view of controlling the legislation Of the country Those
who framed government wisely provided the of
altering such laws needed amendment. They open
repeal alteration but sir this be done through
the baotbox in the sunlight of broad day Our institu
tons depend for their the virtue intelligence
and patriotism of the people and when the time in
which they will desert the usual mode do away with the
open action of day and resort to these secret bas to in
fuence the legislation Of the country them in my opinion
the days of the republic numbered He has read his
tory with but little profit who has not observed that in
every country where the people have lost their liberties
they have brought such misfortune upon themselves.
When they have become demoralzed, and ready for a
change then the turslo OF the times has given birth TO
adventurer who boldly usurps their liberties,
the management of their affairs and concentrates all po
rul power in himself Learning lessons of wisdom from
the records of the past let escape the calam
ties that have befaen other republican governments
What master-spirit devised this organization do not
know that this is question Of any great Importance
do think that the author is entitled any great credit
for originality ! do not undertake TO say whether it is
taken from the forms and ceremonies adopted by Catne
and his eo-consrators at Rome whether it like unto
the societies formed in certain districts of England pro-
ect labor against capital whether prob
able it has for prototype the order of religious Jesuts
depicted in the "Wanderng jew, ana that the federal
treasury is the Renepont inheritance which it is using
appliances and secret machinery to get possession Of
! forcbly struck with the similarity between the
orders the religious Jesits and the know -nothngs
in the speech Of the honorable gentleman from Alabama
mr. SMITH, and am sorry that he is not present this
evening From his graphic description in his defence of
the knownothng order that it makes of the
same appliances to accomplish its objects the religious
Jeuits which he set out to denonnce In ono po
ton Of his speech he says that the knownohings form
ed for the purpose OF mixing against religions Jesuts
Both seem to be the same in organization Each is after
power and spos Each Is enshrOuded in the garh of mys-
terry One hides its niquities under the cloak of religion
the other under exalted devotion country Each
teaches the practice of falsehood craft and deceit Each
binds its members by mighty oath, the violation of
which they assume to punish. The claims devout
piety; the other intense patriotism.
The gentleman from Alabama says that "when You fight
the devil you have the right to fight him with fire. That
seems 70 be, in fact acknowledgment his part
that the new order was taken from the other But
win this principle hold good Fight the devil with fire
perpeate evil to obvae the consequences Of another
one-commit one fraud to nullify another The gentle
man is distinguished lawyer and would ask him
whether he would consider il right forged bond
with forged release The principle. is the That
was said to have been practice time quite
among the British lawyers in the East Indies 1t has
been introduced into this country and that never
viii be- IL is unsound in morals. 1t is sentmeu. unfit
to be proclaimed in the presence of the representatives
the people here in this hall
He also says in the of his speech that these re-
gious Jesus organized by thwaed military aspirans
after the Reformation would ask whether this order of
political Jesus Of which the gentleman is champion upon
this floor organized after the great political
luton which swept federalism of power in 1882 Until
this power ground down. until democracy in the
ascendency never heard Of any such order this
But 10 go with the sime The gentleman saws that
these religious Jesuts taught ingratiae themselves
into the confidence of of power and influence or to
use his language ito cultivate their friendship probe
their designs and communicate their secrets How stands
the order that he defends Is it not well known gem
emen this floor who candidates in the late cleo
tons for Congress that these knownothngs formed this
an pretended TO be their friends went into convention
pretending to be democrats assisted in making the nom
nations drew their and all their plans from them
after nghtia skulkcd nothing lodges and
communicated those secrets This is notorious fact and
cannot be denied say that 1t is beneath the dignity Of
american gentlemen and honorable such
means IN midnight lodges for any purpose DO not
know thst they make it boast in Pennsy vana that in
the gubernatoria election there they took the distinguish
ed democratic candidate Governor Bgler one county
70 another and his pretended friends Of lodge handed
hin over al may use the expresson the tender
OF hs protested friends of another lodge who would take
him IN special charge and in the language of the gentle
man from Alabama cultivate his friendship probe his
designs and communicate hia secrets Sir this indicated
degree OF proficiency in Jesutsm that would have glad
dcned the heart and raised CHASTITY smile even on the
eouutpnance oil old Rodin himself fI.auohter