The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-05-23

49,
Can any honest or honorable man take tho os,ns
q. make The plsdgss required by the rev erde,I-
Yes many speh doubt not have slfssdy done 90.
They do not visw thoss esths or pledges 10 the light
that do or they could nol tsks tnsm ra vrsian
arrees TO vote as be IL directed Bet they Te eniy
binding, It IL ssid, while be -entDusss member ne
ON rang Of robbers on tn. same principle, and ony
RIB tail chose to stop The tnns isssi Ssor
cd erey to be dons- The Obligation u aee
Imes an obligation and complies with II, OF vetne
at an election sgsinst the dictates OF MS own
ment and conseisnce. e politically ,.''u hs.
should such men ever govern virginia sue wiz 70
come the slave of slaves ,,n., r.
But can this withdrawal bs made ad iitifum -
T not by certain ne u ssostssy
and dessrtion which 70 De 90 leIoie ss
to prevent Withdrawals from the Dsmocratie nnsN
or may no: consist with the doctrine. of shs
religion. 1t msy be that solemn sffirmsiicn IN me
presence of Godn 10 do not to do esItain aet
not fall within the interdct which declares tno.
shalt not take ii name ofthe Lord thy Sod vsin
although then there should DO no manner OF necef.
H M :Ssh su the DONE
Noshus oath: 70 hi. s.. si. for
called 'The Obligation Of the third degree Sup
posing it in every other point uuexceptionabls bow
any vrsnan swear that he will not vote tor any
one fll any Office of political character known
or believed to be 10 favor Of dissoiution Of the
UnioBl Dear the Union ought to be to Us eli e.
ss..n. & Dove not every candid
man admit that It may be administered 90 violated
urier the rule of Northern Know Nothings-sueh
rins for defending the consi:utionsi rights Of the
south-as to become an unbearsble tyranny Ard
We in to be ruled ~ IN "a. on
deadliest fossl--by men who In effect call God to
witness that they viii vote againss every msn who
should prefer dissolution Of the Union to unmit-
gated tvranpyl
Look at the oath also, lin wha. is called the first
degree "before Aimiehty God. that those who are
admitted will nspey, under any eircgDst11ees mentfon
the name of any person present, enough it should
be requested may suppose, in the course OF adi.
to be in sxIsteuce that they are willing to vote for
native born citizens for ell Offices Of honor or trust
In the gift Of the peopls to the exclusion Of aU for.
loug a. they are connected with that ganzation,
not regularly disnissed from L. they viii In all things
@th ass vii Of s msy Ssn
pressed in 8 lawful manner, though 1t aay conflict
With their oa5. por.oaa preferences, 20 long ss 1t does
stitu,ons the Constitution of the United States or
that OF the State in which they reside, and binding
them under the penalty Of hssing their names p.s..
az being unfit to be entrusted In any business, I'M
worthy the confidence OF all good men, and persons
at when the finger of scorn should ever be pointed.
This il quoted from what 10 affirmed to be genuine
document. | should Aops for the honor OF old Viz
ginia at least that it il not Is Democratic disci-
than thisl sss.
Remember. fellow citixens that these ara the acts
and prir ciples OF men who now seek to govern the
State ear 10 mind that there IL moral IL not
legal obligation on every etis IN to give his vote for
country and then ask yourselves how is 1t that good
and honest can be so deluded az to come under
the solemn obligations said to be administered In the
dark concaves of the Know Nothings4
II their oaths and their acts only CONCERNED them
seyes-like those of the Masons or the Odd Fellows
mi oh esira Gaturh tn h q
feet us all We, the people, have some interest in
the question. how and BY whom we are to be- gov
right to withdraw themselves in a corner aud
pledge themselves by oaths in advance to vote on
any other objects or for any other persons than such
as in their own conscisnces and judgments they
think hest calculated to sobserve the common inter.
ests. Such oaths, in moral view at least. are pr
hibted and by obligations to the same effect, stipu
\. ted nv the most solemn covenant could not be en-
forced IN q court OF justice.
II will not do to say this 10 "a great move soenf"
IA gigantic movement" Unfortunately there hsN
be On 100 many instances of gigantic movements
set on foe., too, with the very purest motives
which have eventuated in subverting the best rights
and Interests of mankind. Large communities. as
we'll as individuals often act under strange delI.
sions The French Revolution was of these
gigantic movemsn.sain its origin possibly. .: pure
Know Nothings of spsin-wss great movement
The pspai power-now SO dreaded BY The american
party Of Virginia doubtless succeeded many great
movements
Before the dark procs edings Of the new order
ware disclosed, were told there to be no pro-
,esa 10 ,Ss th. Fourth Ha.
1t been preserved in prsetice1 The exclusion of all
naturalzed citizens, and OF all nstveborn Catholics.
from office, Is said to be prescription If this
clu.on be right in itself why not sanction it by law
Why not incorporate it in our Bill Of Ri ghts? Nay
If the Know Nothings PREVAIL will they not. bound
az sy to do all in their power to promote the
ects of the order strike out the 10Th article of
the Bill OF Rights and the act of Religious tolera
ton, and insert their own dosmas among the fun
darn mt "a DrircipleQ of government
Exclusion from Office, they say. 10 no punish
Would they be willing 1t should be applied to Know
Nothinsa Do they not know that to deprive large
bodies Of of all hope of acquiring well merired
dtlncion by serving their country. is gaded by all
hon rable men srieveus penalty Do they not
pressing the practices Of dusiling in Virginia, than
any ether ever before devised-than death itself a.
it not, in respect to Catholics the direct applisa-
dishonored cast9-driving them peIhsps to become
enemies Of the State, or what 10 worse. religious
served, keep out OF office only the as aud
sncere tn sv bar to the admission of the
unconscientious and unprincipled. Are men of
WHOSE Doctrines are to produce these inevitabls
sults Alre sdy fresh seeds of bitter hatred have
os and ds.n political parsa .na
igcus sect and prescription psrsoral ontrases and
bIoodshsd the first fruits. The cry Of mo pope
and echsed through the land Placards are stuck up
at the corners of our streets, ITO hell with the
Pope 40 hell " tn the Gath olcs-" Yes, In Virgis
MAJ Here, In Richmond Liza the middle OF the 18th
century And yet msn in his sober Senses has
any more fear, here in Virginia, of the Pope or the
Catholics, than of the Mormons the man in the
moon.
The Know Nothings were to put down proscrp.
tion. Well. when was more uamit gated proscrip.
ton ever witnessed, than that practced by them Ia
our late municipal elections, when officers elected
for many years before whose fathf services ere
not disputed. hurled from Off under the re-
entess edcts of their secret councils And for WHAT
For other offence SO far as can learn, but that
they would not join the new order ard sell their
corsciencss for the bribe of Office
But Ii Is said. this is only what was always done by
the Democratic party. Grant this to be so. Pre-
scription was one of the evils the new order was
pledged to correct. They have corrected IL with
Vengeance Oris it that according their creed De.
mocratic prescription only. is sin-and Know No
thing prescription great virtue.
similar defence is set mp for the osths by which
the new ordar binds Its members. The pledges of
the Democracy 10 obey their eeucuses Is said 70 be
equally a. bad. Well. grant this. Does moi the OBJ
legation of the Know Nothln "a obey their cou ncis
cinched by solemn osth In the presence of God
aud witnesses trammel freedom of conscierce, As
much the express or Implied promises of the old
parties, Wing or Democratic, to fellow the COM
mands of King Caucu.7 Have the Know Nofbin
rsformers other mission than to practice ell the
abuses they denounce?
But, fellow citizens will trouble ycu no farther