Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-02-23
Kxow NOTTINGHAM AMONG TIE ROMANS.

KNOW N0THlNGIsM AMONG TIE ROMANS.
7hs Roman con-prstor, Catalina was it is fair to
presume, of the first 10 to tie oaths aud
the p,edg 9 the cIandesiine ceilings and midnight
,abals, which the lavofiie .xreden,s OF the !
present scret and prosnptye political party N"t |
only did he plot the overthrow II the Stale, but
he resolved in order the more fatally 10 accomplish
this that Rome should be Delayed in the blood OF
her most eminent sons. In these DAYS, however, !
there were not wanting patriots ard statesmen
who resisted, exposed and punished these horrO'e
rites snd these inhumsn Vaccination; and although
the arch traitor attempted by stimulating his st,
cret purposes, and by assuming an air oil iiJu[eu
inro ence to battle the memorable scrutiny oil ms
patriotic opponents, yet he could not escape 'ue
elnonencl aud vigilance Of such fathers OF Ihe re-
public As Cicero of Arpnum, and Marcus rof'iu'
Cato Night after night saw the consplrators as
sembled No one was admitted into the recesses
of their debasing orgies until he had given hlmsen
M. body and soul, to their obligations and Their
objects. The oath was taken and then sealed u
draught Of blood How far this secret order ex'
tended, and what designs it nourished can best be
described by extracting from the great orations Oh
Cicero against Catalina:
rReview with me- no ", the transactions oil the
night before last, so shalt thou understand that
watch far more vigilanty for the safety than thou
for the destruction of the State say that on tiat
former night thou ddst go to the street of theScythe
makers; | will speak plainly, to the house oil mar
Gus Lsecca that thou didst there meet many oil my
associates in crime and madness. Will thou care
to deny it? Why SO silent? If thou deniest, VIII
prove i'll For l see some of those here-here I'D
the Senate-who were with you. OH ye MINOR
tai Gods In what region Of the earth DO we hVef
of what republic are we citizens2 Herel they are
here in the midst of us, Conscript Fathers; here III
this council, the most sacred, the most solemn Oh
the universal world, men are planning the siaugh-
ter of myself the slaughter OF you all, planning iie
ruin of this city, and therein the ruin OF the world
/, the consul see these men, and ask their opinion
on State matters. How vast therefore, IN the
house of Laecca, on that night oh, Catalnel thou
ddst allot the districts of Italy; thou ddst deter
mine whittier each of thy followers should set forth;
! thou didst choose whom thou wouldst lead along
| with thee whom leave behind; thou dldst assign
the wards of the city for confsgration; thou ddst
assert that ere long thou wouldst go forth in per-
son; thou saidst there was but one cause why thou
shouldst yet delay little, and that was because
! was alive"
We need scarcely point out the portions of this
| extract witch bear upon the present secret order
| in this repubic-a republic which bids fair to out
strip Rome in comforting real advantages upon the
human race That order does not it is true, select
| citizens for murder, nor set apart cities Tor flames
| But it marks out its victims for Acknowledgement
1t dooms those who were born on another soil. II
hunts down those who profess particular creed
| Thus though it does not take life, it robs both
adopted citizen and native born Catholic of that
which makes life dear in such land as this Pre-.
csely as Cataline and his coconspirators took par
among those whom they had secretly pointed out
for assassination do the members of this new order
mingle with and pretend to adhere to other organi
cations. In word, they arrange scheme IN prl
vate and then go out and meet their prescribed fe
! low-ctizens with SMILE They even deny the
outrage they have sworn to consummate. They
swear to man that they are not identified with al
order which they had previously sworn to God t
maintain and to obey. If the Roman order was
more cruel and barbarous one than its American
imitation the latter is no less reckless, reVengeul
and prolific in carrying out its own shameful un
| dertRkingS.
How many Catalines have we in this new order
| Thaddeus Stevens of Pennsylvania, whose who'll
career in public life is too familiar that we should
recaptula.e it; John P. Hale, of New Hampshire
who is committed to undying war upon the constl
tuition of his country-these are fitting chiefs c
-Nothingism, and fitting copies of deprave'
| original
Catalina was full of professions Of patriotism, an
| full of ardent attachment for Romel He was s.
devoted to his country that he wanted to kill Of
her reverend and devoted sons, so that he nigh
have her to himself alone. His speech before tn
great battle, as preserved by Sallust invokes M
troops to fight against his country by appeals in he
favoll Remember" he said, rye carry wealth
honor, glory, moreover liberty and youT country
Cato and Cicero, whose names have come down
the present day clothed in immortal renown, wer
among the worn out politicians that Catalina at
horred. He sought to build up new party on IN
basis of secret order, to exnel the best citizen
from the positions they adorned, and to fill tn
highest places with horde of inexperienced an
abandoned men. We need not pursue the .ubjeC
to the irresistible conclusions and comparison
which must suggest themselves to all minds
| Hush HMM