Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-05-31
From the Georgia Empire State.

from the Georgia Empire State.
Mr.. EDITOR AS an individual, I sprang from
a stock that has ever been the side of freedom;
and the denomination to which l belong, though
they may have been thought peculiar in their re-
ligious notions, have, ever since Christ and the
Apostles, under every form of Government been
the advocates Of liberty; and fer this reason they
have never fouished much except in those Gov
ernments where some degree of freedom has been
maintained. Arbitrary States have always OPP
posed them and driven them to mder regions.
They cannot live in tyrannica States; and free
countries the only places to seek for them, for
their whole public religion is mpracticabe without
freedom in sll political changes. They have always
been friendly to the cause of liberty. But with a
few exceptions, say in truth, that the primi-
tive Baptsts have always adhered to the scriptural
direction, to be subject to the powers that be;
and all the favor they have ever asked, now ask
of civil Governments has been, and is, to give
them their Bibles and let them alone. The inter-
ference of the law and magistrates in the affairs of
conscience, they have never courted, but have al
ways protested against clerical authority, and
priestly domination they have ever opposed and
abhorred; and secret combinations to accomplish
political ends they have always condemned as ru-
inous both to State and Church. You will not
therefore, think it strange that stand opposed to
that secret combination called Know Nothings,
SAM or American Party, because it is both contra
ry to the genius and policy of this Government
When the pilgrim fathers fled from the land of or
preston to the wilds of America they invited the
foreigner to come; when the patriots of the revo-
utonary struggle saw the struggle must take place,
they invited them to come; and when the dark
cloud CT war arose, they again invited them TO-
come La Fayette, De Kalb Pulaski and host
of others, did come to their assistance, and with
them braved the storm of danger, and rolled back
the tide of oppression, assisted in planting the tree
al r
moistened its roots with their hearts blood. And
now shall we say to the foreigner, perhaps the
relative of De Kalb and Pulaski you shall not en-
Joy the privilege Of our Pilgrim fathers, nor taste
the sweets of that liberty purchased with the blood
of your brethren? Never, no never; but rather
let US continue the policy of the father of his
try, under whose administration we have lived, so
far as the naturalization law is concerned, with the
| exception of the elder Adams, whose administra-
ton the people condemned in the election Of Thos.
| Jefferson who in his first message to Congress,
| urged the repeal of the law passed under Adams,
| and the re-enacting of the law under Washington.
| Under that we have done well, and for Heaven s
sake let we'll enough alone.
But we are tod that our native born citizens
have to wait until they twenty one before they
enjoy the privileges of the Government. Granted.
| And why? Because it is thought on an average
| their minds do not mature before they twenty
one. But not SO with the adult foreigner. And
| all that is necessary is for him to remain long
| enough to taste the sweets of liberty, and under
| stand our Government and he is ready to swear
| he will support it and they have bravely done it
in the revolutionary war, that Of 1912 and with
| Mexico. But we are told the Roman Catholic re-
| ligion will be the overthrow Of this Government,
| and therefore there must be change in the policy
| of the Government, and the denomination pro-
| scribed. Now it is well known, | am not a be-
| lever in the Roman Catholic religion but / am a
| republican, and hold to the liberty Of conscience,
| and believe that the different denominations in
this Government, as tolerated by Constitution,
! like the three Grand Departments Of our Govern
ment, check each other; but if the work Of pro-
| scription i5 once begon, may we not ask where it
v i'll stop? The precedent once set, may it not go
on until oil are prescribed but one, which will be
| equivalent to an established religion the worst
cnrse that ever fell upon any nation. 1t has been
| the cause of rivers of blood being shed. But you
| will say there is no danger of the Protestant re-
| eion persecuting Bless your dear souls, you must
be ign orant ofhuman nature in its depravity, when
| left to itself; also of the Scriptures and Church
| history. Do you not recollect when the Saviour
| must needs go through Samara, the Apostles asked
| if they should command FIRE from Heaven to burn
up the city, and for no other offence than because
| they refused TO let them have something to eat
| Oh my God what lesson IN human depravty !
| But" says the blessed Saviour, "you know not
what manner of spirits we Of" And may we
| not make similar reply to Sam or the know
! nothings? Again: 90 you not know the effect of
! Constantine's protection TO the Church Do you
not know that notwithstanding the noble part Ca
vim acted in the reformation he became persecu-
| tor; and Luther also, to some extent Now if
! Calvin and Luther when left to themselves, pos
sessed such spirits, may not the PrQtestants IN
time act a similar part7 Let me beg you then to
| dsband and stop your work of prescription, and
rather initiate the example of the Saviour and fol-
low his direction viz: "overcome evil with good"
Let our form of civil government alone, under
which we have prospered and increased IN num-
bers, wealth, knowledge and religion, more than
any nation on earth Let the stranger cOme-let
| him enjoy the liberty of conscience and worship
God according to the dictates of the same; let him
enjoy the sweets Of civil liberty, and by the prac-
teal demonstration Of pure and indebted Ieii-
gon, teach him the error of his way, which never
can be done by prescription and persecution Again:
| seriously object to the order; first, because we
have no such precept or example IN the history OF
our Government, except the Burr plot, and there
can be no necessity for such secret combinations.
If the cause be good one, state 1T publicly, and
defend it openly have no midnight meetings, and
administer no mock Oaths; and for HenUens sake
gut lying 3ohcn asked about IL. Such political
sociations have existed in France and other Mo-
nsrchal Governments, by which they have been
overthrown and awfully fear the example may
lead to similar results in this. 1t may lot only
enter into the ballobox, but into the uFy-box and
every department Of our Government, aud thus
overthrow the institutions of the South. And pray
tell me, SAM where are the practical demonstri-
tons in this Government of the great danger?
Where are the offices filled with Roman Catholics?
O. at the North, they say; and at the North they
tell thousand lies about the institution oil slavery
No, Sam, your great fright reminds me of the an
ecdote of the Irish fray. All engaged knock
ing and cutting but John, who was looking on
Paddy ran up to him and gave him heavy Jolt.
Ouch Paddy, said John, what did you knock me
for2 nave done nothing. No, said Paddy, but
John you soon would.
| look upon the movement, Mr.. Editor, as an
attempt to revive the elder Adams administration,
gotten up by some broken down party hacks, aid
ed by some graceess and frenzied clergymen in Or
der to obtain the loaves and fishes by which many
honest and well-meaning men have been deceiv-
ed. Fellow-ctizens, do not depart from the old
landmarks. What say unto one, say unto all
WATcH WILLIAM MOSELEY