Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-02-28
NO. %.

| ---tney would increase among US lhSti psPoA
! forces, and they would accomplish indirectly
what they have so long sought in vain,the ex-
! cluson of the Bible from the school ROOM,
! and thus prevent larger portion of our youth
| from obtaining that education essential TO
full understanding of cur American institU--
! tons. Is there an American in this broad
land woulG accede to such propositions II
thought so, could never more hold UP my
head in pride of my native soil, but on my
| bended knees | would go down before the ge-
MUS of Freedom, and pray him to strike the
foul libel from our otherwise fair escutcheon,
and swear by Him who called this bright land
into being, that no traitor hand should ever
write it there again! Did the sons of the
Pilgrim Fathers dare TO grant such requests,
Old plymouth rock would speak, and the bat
| tie fields OF the Revolution give back their
blood -
During the reign OF Henry III, England was
infested with Catholic prelates, aIein by birth,
alein by language, and alein by feeling, who
sought to undermine the fundamental princi-
Piles of her Constitution. They wished to
substitute the Cannon for the Common law, and
never hesitated to express their abhorrence of
in opposition to their expressions, saving
''what did tie laws of England signify to them,
they minded them not.''s Their insideous and
frequent attempts to accomplish their design,
at length drew from the Parlament at Merton
that memorable response, which has come
down to through period OF nearly six CEN
tUries-'' NoIumUs ieges .lngiic asfsiare'-wE
WILL NOT CHANGE THE LAWS OF ENGLAND.-
The time has come for the Legislators of
America not to say sswe Will NOT change the
laws, . bat 10 s.ciange'' them, II such man
ner as to prevent the meddlesomeinterference
Of these strangers and aleins in the affairs of
our government, and 10 protect our republican
institutions. And the time has come for
American freeman to resolve that their liber-
ties shall not be ieopardized, and their institu
tions endangered by those acknowledging al
legiancc TO a foreign power, and cbeying the
commands of a foreign pontif.
The open and undisguiscd attacks that have
been made upon our republican system, and
the facility with which the Roman Catholic
vote has always been wheeled into line by that
Old political party which paid the highest
price, or best subServed its santi-republcan de-
signs, have already called into existence q
powerful organization, for the protection Of
oar American institutions, and the preserya-
tion of our religious freedom. We have no
sympathy for secret political action, believing
ii under ordinary circumstances, highly iniu-
dicious and dangerous in its tendencies; but
when we reflect that all the open opposition
of which Professionalism has beon capable for
centuries, has failed to stay the onward march
of JesuitiSm, m,-that it works in secret, thus
easily learning the designs of its adversaries,
and as easily counteracting them, we are ir-
led TO the conclusion that, TO battle
we must use its own weapons.
Embodying great principles, pregnant with
the future destiny of our country-this Amer
lean Organization has grown up and spread
abroad with almost fabulous rapidity, having
already administered a severe robuke to the
alien enemies Of our Country, and is stin
on from victory TO victory. Norris
it simply a meteor, destined 10 fash for
moment in the political sky, and then TO sink
beneath the horizon, in eternal darkness, icav-
ing no trace of its visit. 1t is more than a
mere thought-more than simple abstraction.
1t is the living, breathing, energized action of
those, who are looking alone to the permenan-
cy, the grandeur, and the welfare Of America,
with factions at home, or
phantoms abroad. Those who desire to
carry sstheir own hod, their own mortar,
and their own marble for the grand temple
they are rearing while they invite the
suffering and the oppressed of every cline,
kindred and tongue, to pass beneath its wide
arches, and repose in its shade.
Under their influence the prospect already
brightens, and we have reason to believe that
the God of our fathers, who guided the frail
May Flower to this distant shore, and who
said unto the winds cease and to the waves
sbe still'-yet looks down upon our land with
an eye that never slumbers, and protects it
with an arm that is never weary.
And now, my friends, in conclusion, it be-
comes us to remember that, though our eagles
eyrie is high, there are darts which can reach
it, aye, and hands too that will not fail to send
them that opposition to priestly intolerance
and oppression was the ruling passion of cur
Pilgrim sires, who framed this government,
and transmitted to US the fair inheritence, not
simply for present enjoyment, but as sacred
hcir-loonl, to be handed down unimpared to
generations, '''til the last syllable
of recorded time.'' Let us then to night, over
the common sepulchre of WASHINGTON, the
true Americans model, renew our vows of al
legiance to the Union and the Constitution
let US heed his oft repeated injunction to ssBE-
WARE OF Forcing INFLUENCE" and, ssplacing
h,{ ~ o,,arS we will eyer