The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-05-12
SECRET POLITICAL ASSOCIATIONS

The leading objection urged by the Foreign
or Anti-Amcrican party to the American
organization is their secret meetings. Many
say they are as good Native Americans as we,
but they can't tolerate secret societies that
they believe in publishing their principles to
the world; and that if the American party
would come out openly and boldly, they would
join them. Many who talk thus are and have
been members Of the Democratic party-a
party who have ever been celebrated for their
secret caucuses-and doubtless themselves have
often been participants in that kind of meet
ings. They know, too, full well, that their
success on many occasions may be traced to
the indoor work.
We make these remarks PREDATORY to the
following article from the Picayune, to which
we invite attention
The feature Of the new American party's or
gnni2ation which seems to trouble the leaders
and organs Of the old parties most grieyousiy,
is its secret element the fact that, in its i'll
cipiercy as a party, it was found expelient to
take the precaution Of ascertaining who were
Will aLlN WIZ WCIc dSbiliSl tIc louLuGIS VI tHc
party and its principles, before declaring to the
world all that the world were Of course desir-
Gus To know. Upon this one string there has
been a good deal Of Iarping, and great has been
The effect to prejudice the new party in the esti-
nation of. the people, by playing the SAINT
monotone on every occasion and every oppor-
tunity.
The result, Judging from the daily record Of
the progress Of that ubiquitous parsonage,
" San" throughout the United States, does not
appear to have been very successful for these
modern Paganinis of the press. They have
piped to the people, who have not danced to
their turn. And in the..mean time this terri
bic secret clement, so much complained of, has
been rapidly disappearing, until it is now as
pain as " the principles OF 49, what it is these
trucuicnt know-Nothings are after and mean
to do, are in fact doing, aud how and by what
means.
In abstaining thus fur from coming out with
all this, the American party processes to have
been induced by considerations of the greatest
weight having i'll view the successful pursuit
Of its object considerations that have been ap-
proved by its deliberate Judgment as altogether
proper and just. Conscious o! the rcctitude Of
lis purposes, it tells us. and Of its Importance
TO the welfare OF the country, it scrup!ed not
to incur the hazard of that ccnsrre which it
had reason to eSlectirom its opposers, to whom
The fact Of its secresy has afforded such an az
gument Of defamation. 1t had, moreover, to
ace the yet greater difficulty, at the outset, of
abiding the reproof of many whom it knew to
be friendly to lis objects, but who could not
concnr Ill The enaeavor 10 promote them by Il
secret organization.
The Twelfth Council of the Fifteenth Ward
Of the cityot Newyork have put forth a declar-
a.ior. Of JAe pcmciples and objects Of this great
and increasing panty, in the course Of which
riey argue this question OF the eypcdiency OF
secrecy in 'he iHcipiency Of such an orgariza-
don, with great c~learEesS and force. They APP
.oal to thoSe who properly estimate the over
wnn.ming power # the old party combinations,
in crushing the early growth of an element they
might think adverse to their cxistence-who
understood the influence Of inveterate party
discipline in ~persuading the weak. in overaping