Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-03-06
Another Democrat Deserving the sinking
Shin.

Another Democrat DESERVING the sinking
Ship.
Hon. j. M. II. Beale, formerly member Of
Congress from Virginia, announces himself as
candidate for Congress in the 18th district.
He declares his approval of the doctrines of the
American party, in an able address to the peo-
pie of his district, from which we make the
following extract
A new party has sprung up, called Know
Nothings. do not belong to il, or any other Sc
cret organization. Shall deny truths which they
enuncate, shall get astride of this wave of pop
ular sentiment with view of floating successfully
| into officer / will do neither. If have single
virtue apublic man, 1t is that think for myself
and act accordingly accept OF truth, let il come
from what source 1t may, and reject error, though
consecrated by use and by time. The new party
announce sentiments that entertained long before
ever heard of 1t, to wit first their hostility to
the facility with which foreigners acquire natural-
cation, and exercise the right Of suffrage. In this
agree with them Already, in our large cities
they determine the result Of elections by throwing
their weight on one or the other side, without that
discrimination which belongs to those who have
been brought up and schooled In the midst Of our
free institutions. After our country has acquired
as it has, population sufficient to secure us against
all fear Of the interference Of foreign nations,
ought to be satisfied to have our excess Of terri
tory occupied and our institutions administered by
our own people, in the gradual expansion Of our
native population. To hold out incentives TO the
foreign movement by bounties of the public lands,
and the direct sovereignty Of the elective franchise
| In the territories, is suicidal.
| How happy and different from the condition of
others has been the peculiar position of our coun-
trymen in this, that when the pursuits and ayoca-
tons of life have been crowded In the old and
eastern States the west was left open, with its new
and fertile lands as q field for the display Of the
energy and industry of our people, and to afford TO
them happy homes. Who would put hasty ter
mination to this state Of things, by encouraging
foreign emigration, and, if encouraged as hereto
fore, will not its flood continue to flow until the
rate Of population is equalized between this country
and EuropeP What viii then be a spectacle in
our country? Poverty, misery, crime, the beg
gary Of England-the Lazaroni Of Naples.
Secondly: As far as religion 10 inuolved in the
opinions Of the ne,c party Iackno,cledge my pre-
objections are the Protestant side. ! look upon
the reformation ofLuther, Meancthon, and Zwyn-
gilius, as one of.the greatest and most beneficial
events of modern times; because religion under
their construction is more rational and philosophi-
cal In its character but principally because the free
dom 1t assumed, of thought in religious matters
was Immediately extended to freedom Of thought
and action in relation to the civil and political
rights Of the human family. That struggle ex.
tended through the days of Hampden and Sidney
to the present time; and one Of its most signal
achievements is the bill of religious liberty Of Mr.
Jefferson, now part of the Virginia constitution
and consequent separation of church from State
Our political institutions are born of Protestant
thought--of reason and argument Of the collision
Of large and free minds Of Protestant achievements
in the Senate and the field. am one of those
who would hand them down to posterity, uncon-
A.
errors that are about to be flooded upon us from
abroad.
If the ne,o party shall ertend their hospitality
to Catholics, to intolerance and persecution, in
violation of the bill of religious liberty / cannot
think or act wiM them, but against them To RE
FUSE TO VOTE ron CATHOLICS CONSIDER THE RIGHT
OF ALL.
Whether shall approve, or reject, other princi-
pies OF this party, as they may from time to time
choose to develop them, viii depend upon their
character. If instead of the recent and dangerous
position that parties occupy, Of sectional and
geographical division, of North and South they, as
Is recently. Indicated shall In opposing the aboli-
ton doctrines of the North and the secession opin
ions of the South ntepose and substitute in their
place opinions and actions hostile TO both, but ma
tional in their character and conservative Of those
republican principles which actuated the trainers |
OF our form Of government, and In accordance |
with opinions set forth in the previous part Of this
address, them with such sentiments as basis of ac-
ton, should hail the new party as the advent of
good, to save us from the pending and perilous
condition Of hostile array of section against sec
ton, which now threatens the peace and integrity
OF the Union. LET AMERICANS RULE AMERIcAi
POLITICAL CONVENTION.
There now exists In the minds ofmany, an evil
dent dissatisfaction against the holding political
conventions. This feeling Is no doubt created by
the known fact that those meetings are usually
originated by a few persons In the immediate vi
cinity Of the respective court houses, while the
great body of the people, from their peculiar and
more distant position, from the scene Of action
are thereby virtually excluded from all participa-
ton in, and dictated TO, in this, the element
airy and intiatory act necessary 70 the proper and
free exercise Of the invaluable right Of suffrage.
The consequence Is, that a large number Of
persons are hereby ruled into q procedure, which
they well cannot avoid by very inferior numbers
The body Of the people can sustain no loss, but
may have much TO gain, in having fair and
open field, untrammeled by the drill Of busy poll
ticians, when about to make choice Of their pol
itical.agents
But this Is concern Of the people, and not NINE
So far as my own feelings are concerned, and a
sense Of duty and Difference TO that Of others are
involved declare my entire aversion to the in
trigue and management Of getting together in con-
vention, persons who might favor my pretensions,
and shall therefore make no move in that direction
shall endeavor TO be st the courthouse Of each
county In the district-shall make frank avowa
Of my opinions, and the reasons for entertaining
them, on the many topics Of general character
connected with the public welfare, which now so
deeply interests the minds Of all
l am, most respectfully,