Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-08-02
Senator ToOmbs' Opinions.

Vi AnoW 1SOtnln6S:
My first objection to the new pa
ty is one Independent of its primo
pies. | am opposed to it itbecause it
a secret political society. Society h
a right to know the men, and the po
icy of the men, who seek to direct i
affairs and control its destiny. Pul
iicity is the lifa-blood of representG
tive republic. Without it public lii
erty must soon perish, and no ncce;
Isity short of that which would iustif
revolution can justify the surrender Q
this great security of popular govern
iment. All party associations are con
stantly liable to be used by the Gun
ming, the unprincipled, and enterpri
sing members for the promotion Q.
personal objects rather than the pub
lic interests, and it needs no argu-
ment to prove that secrecy greatly
increases this tendency and facilitates
the accomplishment of such unwor-
thy ends. Secrecy is the natural
Towering of fraud, the natural ally of
error, and the enemy of truth. The
'patriots who framed our constitution
gave it a fatal blow by provisions
which secure the freedom of speech
and the liberty of the press.
This objection to the new party de-
rives additional force from the obi
CATION which is said to be imposed up
on the applicant for admission, that he
viii carry out its DEGREES whether his
Judgment approves them. or not. If
this be true, it is a surrender of the
dearest rights of fr9emen, and is a
crime against society. 40
My next objection to the Amer
can party is, that it proposes, in some
WY, to invale the rights of con-
science, or to call menin question for
the free exercise thereof. am op-
posed to all religious tests Of every !
sort and for every purpose. Our
constitution protects us against the |
putting Of such tests upon the statute !
book, but the. principle is founded ON
ruth and justice, and ought to be
he rule OF the individual action as
veil as of the public conduct of eve
y citizen. Centuries of iunavailing
persecution taught onr fathers the fol-
y, as well as the wickedness, of at
empting to control mems consciences
~ penal statutes or civil disabilities;
hey, therefore, put the sting of disa-
'ility into the temptation to disgrace
nr statute-book with this sort of
egislaton. We will defeat their no.
le- objects, in part at least, by en-
citing a.diilerent rule in the exercise
f political rights. +,
It is charged that the Roman Cath
lie polity is cruel, intolerant, and
espotic. The charge is not wholly
nfounded. fit be true, it is great
Z to be condemned and deplored;
nd, above all things, we should avoid q
their vices, and thereby I
lstly subjecting ourselves to this :
reat condemnation. We can nei-
Ter conquer nor eradicate the vices
RomaIlism, whatever they may be, L
initiating them or by persecution |
ct us.rather oppose her cruelty with j
lnkness, her intolerance with free a
Iteration, Gn substance as well as n
rm,) her despotism with freedom, /
Id then we may reasonably look for .
llerent and better results. The mo-. L
ent that the simple yet sublime a
uth got itself acknowledged by our o
,yernment, that the citizen is a
spensible to the State for his civil "
nduct, but to God only for his re- n
,ious faith, the unholy bonds which P
lita the Church to the State were n
oxen, persecution for conscience p
l1e became impossible here, and re-
,ious tolerance entered upon its Ca
er of universal dominion. Its first a
eat triumph was to strike the fet- h'
rs from the consciences of Irish Ro- ql
IN Catholics. It has begun a simi- til
: work for the Protestants in Spain m
d Sardinia, and for the Greek in Z.
Irkey; and it will go on ''conquering ha
d to conquer" until the demon Of tn
secution-blind, deaf and stu th
l-shall have no more abiding th
zee upon the face of the earth. to
The naturalization laws are greatly
of by the American party. r.
hink them founded on just princi. pc
s, and are, in the main, wise and ell,
ID laws, To natura.ize an inteili- te,