Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1855-04-21
A Stirring Appeal.

u a 6tirring Appeal.
: The following able and patriotic lrte
from distinguished Wing, will NOT TAI
I to attract the attention it deserves:-En
+ quirer.
STAuNToS, April 8. 1864.
Z NV Dear Sir:-On my return to-day
from Shenandoah, where had been lol
! ths last week, attending session Of the
CIRCUIT Court Of tlat county, received
your kind aud hatt-ring Invitation to ad-
: dres, the people OF Richmond City.
J Permit me to tender to ,euiselves and
the Committee from whom il rrnaDated my
grcstful thanks for the honor you have
!: done me-. But fear that constant and
unavoidable professional engagements,
viii place it out of nj power to visit
Richmond between this time and the 9TH
Thursday in MAY. On the 18th inst,
must be in Rockbridge. and thence 10
Highland, this place and AIbemsr.e. in
rapid succession. Nothing, | assure yom.
1 would give me more pleasure than TO ad-
dress The intelligent people Of Richmond,
on the interesting questions Of the present
canvass-to tell them how bhghting to the
free spirit oil our country the mystery OF
Know Nottingham must prove-how de-
moralizing It will be to our own children.
| the hitherto high minded, open-hearled,
bold youths Of Vitginis, 10 be educated in
the sneaking arts OF secrecy and espionage
10 be taught by their fathers to sp. out all
the pohtlcal actions Of their fellow men,
snd let, to kesp their own ACTIONS and
/ 'objeets," i'll reference to matters which
g necessarily concern ,ll Il profound secret
TO publish platforms Of pretended principles,
suited to every latitude and every taste,
for the purpose Of gaining proselytes.
while they feel the degrading cons, ious-
less !hat they are prohibited, by horrible
oaths, from ever reyealing their real OBJ
iects and principles outside Of their Order
land while a disguised world is forced to
conclude, .ither that their platforms are
filled with false professions, intended to
mi,leAd, OF that those who publish them
are periured
Has any party tight TO political Sc
crets? In private associations men may
conceal matters which concern themselves
alone. But in politics, relating necessarily.
to the affairs or conduct Of government,
ia which every citizen has an equal stake,
how can party be tolerated III withhold
ing fiom any portion Of our citizrns, in
forEatisn OH a subjre: which vitality con-
Germs every one ol then? In small part
nerslip, i: a portion of the paItnes were
TO conceal from the rest their designs in
reference to the social funds. their assoei
ates so excluded would be justified in
forming conclusion Of dishonesty, and
a court Of justice would: interfere. In the
ordinar, intercourse OF lie, an honest man
which concerns his neighbours Interests,
feels bound BY a high moral obligation to
disclose to him whom il interests. Yet,
here is political party intermedding in
this dark with the Affairs Of government.
which Involve your end my life, liberty
and property, ano those OF our children,
and Of millions Of others, aud yet they
coolly refuse TO let US know what their oh
jects are until we shall be informed BY
such result as the, may hereafter produce.
BY their own showing they are enemies
of popular experimentation ia such a
government the whole community par
ticipates.
But they show their emily in various
other forms. They practically deny the
capacity OF the people to govern, and
therefore establish aristocratic councils
with great consolidating and controlling
head, located most fifty, somewhere near
tie five point. in the cit, 2 New York
Power with them. instead OF being vested
an the people aud emanating fru,p them,
is vested in these aristecralic councils
The theory Of our government requires al
appeal fIem arstocracy TO the people.
Know-Nothingism lrv~rs.s that theory
by providing in all cases an appeal from
the people TO aris,ocray.
u the people had capac,'y for sril-gov
eminent this sclI.sty led American (quare,
Aoorig,nals) party denies th-ir honesty
Therefore. they are never trusted except !
under oath. And. again, while the spirit
Of orr Institutions requires every citizen
TO exercise his own best judgment in
voting for all officers Of gov,Tnmer,--,his
wonderful invention of laukerAom re-
quires him to bind himself by solemn oath.
not to exercise his own judgment at all,
but to give his yQte as the ma jotite of
caucus, itself subservientto the mandate Of
I a superior caucus, may order. These are
startling novelties to all American ear
Yet Know nottingham, boil in this res
pect alanr, in all others skulking, denying
its name, denying its association, refusing
to make known its objects, hiding IN dark !
caverns 18th bats and owls, denouncrs all
as al american who will not adopt its
dogmas should like TO discuss aud dis
sect the monster, not only pndrI the preee
dent head. bit many others, and especially |
| its Federalism. should like 10 show
the people Of Richmond. and the whole I
South, the cunning device Of the Know
Mt ling nominee for Governor, instilled
into him. no doubt, by the same masters
under whom Ee learned his "Amcrican-
ISM" by which he asks the people of
Virginia to deprive themselves OF all
ground Of resistance herealte', to the
Northern plan of intervention in our do
nestle affairs, by intervening in a crusade
against Cathoiic..and foreigners. not because
size Is suffering any Inconvenience from
them herself, but in order to rid her sister
States of the nuisance.
But copsqle myself under my inabili-
ty to obey your call by the reflection that
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