The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1855-08-11

her self to be? Yet this il but faint pic-
ture Of tho actual warfare now Waeed
against the unresisting South, for superad-
|ded to allother horrors Of the servile IN
|yurrectiop v which the North IL constant.
|1y melting our slaves, are the nameless hor-
1Q Vhfch such = calamity would infict
q ong wives and our daughtsrs.
r. AAd now, fel1ow citizens, when the eloo-
my 69poek ~ public affairs should induce
you u t1ke COUNSEL with eacA other IN de-
vising m01Hs - avert dangers 10 oimminenk
what ere The pople Of Loui1jana doinee-
Are they uniting n cne great eosthefn
party upon some platform similar to that
|of Georgia on which Vese(h al stand To-
getl and meet with 6rmnI - the coming
shock? Are they Ike VS. anoh <on thS
tower, straining TIL anxiot Si|eos 70.
wards the quarter whence DAM b impends7
Not at NIL. ~, &.
The Wings of louisiana fgf loVe6fths Of
them have been scduccd into (ng an or.
|ganization which, although calling ibelf
the American party, hos no ds1n 70 the
name of a party at oil. It Is aimcfe asuo-
citation for the purpose Of in6iG iGclng, not
the measures by which the public gog1 is TO
be attained, but the men by whom TN oias
ces ore to be filed. OH what d wretched
fall from the proud traditions Of the ri
liant. Wings Of the oldcn timcI
: Althongh entirely unnecessary to fecapit
ulate the often urged objections against
this new organization, I will state succinc-
itly that | am opposed to- their psinciples;
Because they are anti.repubRean IN re-
fasing equal political rights to all Amer.
Iicans citizens; -
Because they violate the spirit, if not
the very letter Of the Constitution by the
prescription Of citizens on the ground Of
their religious belief
Because they are aretrogression towards
the errors of the dark ages in tending to.
wards union Of Church and State, = nm
ion equally dangerous to civil and religious
libcrtyy
Because they brclent issues addressed 70
the passions ana prejudiccs Of the people,
and thus tend to divert their attention
from those higher subjects over which It is
their duty to leep coascless watch;
Because, above oil, they infringe that
priceless privilege Of a freeman, the right
of independent personal action, guided by
independent personal judgment.
If not ono of all these objections, insu.
perablc in my opinion, existed against this
organizationy repeat that would refuse
to join body held together, not by the ties
Of ascommon belief in certain principles and
measures Of public policy, but simply by
their preference Of RepsseIues az the right class
Of men for office Mlders. Even if this pre-
ference were wise ind judicious, such an
association docs not deScrve the name ofa
party ilrEa republic7t lacks the essential
elements Of one; it is D baseless fabric un-
substantial and cphemcral.
It is impossible that such Of our fellow
lcitizcns as have still adhered to the Know
Nothingsafter the ignominious scenes at the
National Convention lately hsld in Phil
adclphia, can long remain deceived. Tho
Hight Of reason is already breaking ON them.
Every day adds to the proof that 80 far as
the North is concerned, the whole strength
of the party rest on two bases; one Of vio-
lent hostility to the South, the other of big.
|otcd intolerance towards Catholics. put
it to you as candid men, If the Northern
! Know Nothings were to refuse admission
! lntu thcirlodges Of all enemies to the South,
, and all unwilling to extend equal political
!, rights to Catholics, how many members Of
the party would femain? Not enough to
carry constablc's election in any ward
or district in Northern State.
j To speakofa party as national, the plat.
forms ofwhich are sectional, is to do vio-
lcncc to the received meaning Of language
and none can long remain deceived, except
the willing dupes. go.
Although the Democratic party is not
yet SO thoroughly disorganizcd as the Wing
party, it requires no political sagacity to
perceive that it cannot maintain itself as
a national, party. The. few truly national
Democrats who remain at the North have
been reduced to minority SO insignificant
that their struggles become more and more
faint, and their voice isnow scarcely heard
in the roar of the popular clamor for what
is called "Freesoil.' = The dissatisfaction
cngcndcred by the conduct of the present
] Administration has thoroughly dishearten-
ed the party which brought itinto power
They are unable longer to cope successful