M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-07-20


masses OF persons in view TO the Gem
mon rights Of citizenship. IL is on,
thing TO allow specific privilegeato in
dividuSl foreigners residing on our soil
for specific purposes; hnt il is sltvge,
her another, to dislrsnghise in part, an,
by principle designed TO be perma
nent, immense masses Of men ALREADY
permanently a part OF the pOpula ation
aud So recognized. We insist. there,
fore, that the whole movement mus
retrGce ITS progress. or 60 forward i
is unwise 10 the extreme to leave al
their power for mischief in their hands,
resulting in part from their simple ex
is:ence in the country as part Of il,
population, aud in part from the privi.
leges which ere still to be left them
and then eXaspente them to use IL. BY
attempting to reduce their full political
Equality with citizens Of other birth
aud religious opinions.
We object, in the last place, and with
deep severity Of conviction. to the prin.
ciples of organization adopted BY the
American or Know Nothing party. and
to some Of the particular features which
they have embodied in their order. II
ever any principle was al war with the
very foundation Of the American Rspub.
lie, il is principle Of secret. oath
bound oTgs uiration Of political parties.
II is unnecessary, dangerous. hostile TO
the fundamental maxims Of republican
liberty, and. in its existing aspect, de.
monliEing in high degree. II strikes
a blow at that great fundament maxim
or the government-the intelligence Of
the people-an essential element Of re-.
publican liberty, What matters il, how
much intelligence the people may have
if political men will conceal from the m
ihe elements upon which to employ that
intelligence, in the foundation of 40
opinion and the adoption Of policy
The duties of man are correlative. III
il is the duty Of the people to require
knowledge Of any party claiming their
sulfrages, before they endorse them, itI
is the duty Of that party TO give it. No
party has the right to retire into the
darn, bind itself to secrecy under oath
unfold what they please and conceal
what they please from the people nor
have the people the shadow Of q moral
right TO give :heir sanctioa TO that. Of
the prophecy of which they are aOt in.
formed.
Moreover. !his prineiple of oIganiza
.ion will prove utterly subveSsive Of the
Constitution Of the United States. bv
placing the legislation of Congress in
the hands Of an irresponsible association
of its members; in a body totally un.
known TO theConstitution. distinct from
Congress itself, existing within, but in
dependent OF, and independent Of all
responsibility 20, any public or recog
missed law. The Congressional Council
itself at war with the Constitution, will
be under the control Of the National
Council and the result will be, tha
the Co ngress OF the Uuited States will
become. under the full success of Know
Nothing principles. a mere registry Of
DEGREES TO body in the heart of the
country, unknown 10 the Constitution
existing, no one can tell where-aim.
ing at, no one can tell what. II is
principle OF party erganiza tion, which,
by demanding the unlimited submission
Of the minority to the majority, ami.
hilates the balance-power OF q PsIlia.
mentary opposition.and all the sdvanta.
ges thai belong TO it. 1t e1tinguishes
the personal independe nee of the voter
destroys the jurisdiction of conscience
over the political conduct, and makes
i: a condition 70 the preservation of his
integrity, i! voter should happen TO
Seruple measure ora man proposed byI
The Order, that he absolutely abandon
the party altogether.
Lastly: if this principle Of secrecy
and obligation under oath is legitimate
for one party, il is Legitimate Tor all !;
every party may adopt il; the "Ssg
NIGHTS" clubs Of the foreigners Of the
West are wholly justified: and the whole
political destinies Of the county may
be controlled by secret, oath. bound or.
ganiEatious-a hybrid mixture of Ma.
sonry and = political caucus, with all
good in either spoiled by the conjuuc.
ton. Can any nan in this nation con
template such q prospect-ths legiti.
mate result Of the priacipIe Of organ,.
za:ion adopted by The Know Nothing
party without emotions Of alarm a.
mounting to terori 1t isa principle.
legitimate in a condition Of society
where the lives Of men are dependent
upon the fidelity Of their political as.
sOciates it is utterly abo miable in any
other. Yet the accomplished writer in
the Critic, for May. would place such
a principle, in point Of political mora
lity. on the same footing with the vote
by ballot.
We have only to add, that IL the
Nationality. the Federal Union and the
Pro testant Civilization of this countr-
are dependent upon the conservatism OF
this new political combination its past
acts indicate most fearfully that gloo.
my times are ahead.
Late from California.