, 1855-04-28
KnOM-NOthiagisnl.

]
the state of New York, on the subject o.
the usurpations Of slavery, delivered in the
senate, February 23d,-the bill being un
der consideration "To protect officers o.
the United States,"-will be found to con
tain some well-aimed, and rather severe
blows to the secret organization OF know
nothings, which will be found well worthy
Of peruSal
." am not allowed, sir, TO reach the msr
: its of this question without nlluding to a
body Of men who sport in the public gas
under a name which hardly know how to
repeat in the presence Of so grave and rev
erend an assemblage as this--the know,
nothings. They are said to have tontrived
their disguise with so much ingenuity, that
one who is not q novitiate cannot deny a
| knowledge of their ceremonies and princi'
pies, without implying his communion and
membership with them. Nevertheless, |
must reply TO the senator from Illinois,
{ Mr.. Douglass, who charges me, among
Others, with such an afiliation, that / have
no knowledge of that body Of men, other
than what is afforded me by the .publiea-
tOns of the day, Thus informed | under
stand the know-nothingS TO be a secret So
ciety or order, consisting Of two or three
grades, colleagued and mutually sworn to
elect individuals Of their own order, or at
least persons maintaining the principles
which that order entertains, TO all Offices Of
trust aud profit in the United States. Those
principles understand to be, in general,
the same which, before the organization Of
the know-nothings, passed under the name
of native Americanism. sir, have no
connection with that order. am under
no responsibility for its doings, and have
not the least sympathy with its principles
or sentiments. belong to one voluntary
association Of men, which has to do with
spiritual affairs 1t is the christian church
that branch Of it, all-imperlect though |
think it is, which, according 10 my notions,
most nearly retains, in their purity, the in
structions Of the gospel. That association
is an open one, which performs all its rites,
and gives oil its Instructions with publicity,
and invites every man, in The language OF
its divine founder, to come in and partake
Of the privileges with which he invested it,
and of the blessings which he promises l
belong to one temporal society Of men, and
that is the political party which, according
to my notions, embodies most fully and
most truly, although, confess, as in the
other case, very inadequately, the princi.
pies of the declaration Of independence and
of the constitution OF the United States.
This association also, Of which have last
spoken, is on open one. All its transac
tions are conducted in the broad daylight
and it invites all citizens, and oil men who
become subjects of the power Of this gov
crnment, Of whatever cline or race or coloI
they may be, to enter into its ranks, tC
participate in its labOrs, and to cooperate
in maintaining good government and ad
vancing the cause of human nature. ThesC
two associations, the one spiritual aud the
other temporal, are the only voluntary as
sociations to which now belong, or evel
have belonged since became a man; and
unless am bereft of reason, they are thu
only associations Of men to which l shal
ever suffer myself 10 belong. Secret soci
cites, sir Before l would place my righ
hand between the hands Of other men, in
secret lodge, order, class, or council, ant
bending my knee before them, eGter int,
combination with them for ahy object, per
sonal or political, good or bad, | woul'
pray to God that that hand and that kne
might be paralyzed, and that ] might be
come on object of pity and even of tn
, mockery ot my follow-men. Swear, sir !
a man an American citizen, christa
) swear 10 submit myself to the guidanc
4pd direction Of other men, surrendern
, my own judgment to their judgments, an
7 my own conscience to their keeping Nc
= no, sir. know quite well the fallibilit
Of my own judgment, and my liability I
+ fall into error and temptation. But m
!. life has been spent in breaking the bond
Of the slavery Of other men. therefor
# know too well the danger Of con6ding pow
a er to irresponsible hands to make myself
willing slave. Prescribe man, sir, bC
n cause he was not born in the same town, q
n county, or state, or country in which | WI
0 born Why, sir, do most earnestly an
e most affectionately advise all persons her
$ after to be born that they be born in tn
= United States, and if they eau, without il
J. convenience, to be born in the state I
d New York, and thus avoid great deal I
O trouble for themselves and for other
IL Laughter. Moreover, l do most affe
is tionately enjoin upon oil such persons 1
Il are hereafter to be born, that they be boT
e Of fathers and Of mothers, Of grandfather
d and of grandmothers, of pure Americe
A. blood. Still more, sir, do affectonate
s enjoin upon all who shall thus have I'll
IS wisdom to come into existence on this sid
II Of the Atlantic, and Of such pure and u
rs tainted ancestry, to be either born in Il
protestant faith, or to be converted as spec
n iiy as possible to that good and true prote
d tant church, within whose pale myself a
IN accustomed to worship More than tina
sir. Speaking from full knowledge al
conviction of the serious inconvenienc
Y which absolute and eternal slavery enta