The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1855-10-02
Mr- stephens, of Georgia, ON Know
NOIhinSisn. =

hVrred at grand mass meeting of Democrats
and anti Know Noihings held in Griffin on Thurs
day, the 9Th inst, fTom which we clip The follow.
ing which the editor gives as the substance of the
remarks made by the Hon. A. H. Stephens, now
candidate for reelection 10 Congress from that
Stale. The battle is over in Vrrginia--the mon
ster was eff ctually srangIed by The gallant Demo.
cracy IN tins State on the 24th of May last. Not.
wHhsthnding have none the less interest in
similar struggles in our sister States and are
therefore, assured that even britt synopsis cf
The remarks of The eloquent. bold and gifted
oiePaens-we might add, with perfccr propriety,
the patriotic and truly Southern Stephens will
be acceptable 10 those in Virginia who have en-
loyed one victory and who earnestly hope for
The pleasure OF congratuIatug their Democratic
Trends OF Georgia upon similar triumph in that
Stale.
Gov. NcDoEald opened The proceedings, and
Then introduced 10 the audience, the Hon. A.
Stephens, whose appearance greeted with
cheer upon cheer Of cOUgraruIatIon and delight:
MIR. Stephens saiG he wanled the people to hear
his words and remember them. He came to
speak not 10 their passions. but to their reason
not TO their hearts but to their heads. He had
confidence In the people and their capacity 10
govern themselves. They needed no secret die.
Iatnrs and he had no fears for The result when he
saw them. as then, feeling an interest in public
affairs, aud determined TO examine into them. The
iuSIiOI was merely !blS. " ere HPV willing TO
live under the Constitution OF their fathers or did
they want another? We have formerly differed
about measures, bur now the difference wns abonr
form Of GOCcrnmeW The Know Aorhings
propose Ia substitute their supreme council for rhc
present Government, and their Constitution for the
Constitution OF the country. Lei the people
choose. Which would they have-the CorsiItu-
ton of their Fathers, that of the Know Nothing
Council? That was the real gu stion. He had
a..
was genuine and he knt W il. 1t declared that the
Supreme National Cou, c should "decidc all
matters aPperraIning 10 National politics" that it
should have power TO lax and ''powcr to pun.
lSh, wlthout limitation restriction. This was
more powrr than was claimed for Congress. Oar
foreiathers guarded liberty with checks and
balances. 1t made the Senate check upon the
Hou>e-the President check upon the Senate,
and the judiciary check upon the President.
But this party claimed all these powers for its
secret National Council alone. Here was power
to decide National poliiics-power 10 lax and
To pUnish--PGwer aver The sword and power over
The purse-in Short all The great powers of gov.
ernment, IN The hands OF few men, and men not
chosen by the people al that. What then was the
use OF oar Constitution or of our Government?
This party made sno;her Constitution and Gov
ernment for US. Would freeman acknowledge
their right to tar him! To puniM him To de-
the question Did the people want new Gov.
eminent! Were they tired of the Constitution OF
Jefferson and Washington and Franklin They
choose between them. They must say
whether they wanted another form OF Government.
He held in his hand the two Constitutions. The
made by our fathers, the other bv the Know
ko'hings. Choose ye, this day which Of the two
ye will have.
He said that a good deal had been said about
ooGh Etl., -,
the Democratic party. When that parry had free
soilrrs in its clds he did think they had the 'dry
ror'' but they had met al MedgeviIe and cut off
the ''ery rot" part OF it, and refused to acknowI
edge such the Van Burrns and Preston
King. Banks OF Massachusetts was the leader ot
the ''dry rot democrats" who voted against he
Kansas Bill As soon that bill passed, Banks,
and fnriy-three dry rot Democrats, went and
pitched INTO The pool Of Know Nolhingism. The
seven Southern Wings who opposed thar bill, went
and pitched into the same pool with Banks. Such
whig as thev were, he never had been, and So
help hIm God. he never would be. For his part
he would rather act with those who had cut off
he dry rot part, than with those who had it,
Every man who fought by his side for the Kansas
bIll-h@ meant from the Norlh-callrd himself
Democrat; every one OF them. He was none Of
your gIass-eyrd SIXTY horses 10 shy at shadow.
He went, not for sound but for substance. lie
hands with any man from the North South, TO
matter what he called himself. when he stood up
and baItIed for The rights of the Soufh. There
WAS one man who had stood BY his side for two
days and nights, when lie was Sighting for Kansas.
4 man who has been very much abused, but VINO
in his opinion stood head and shoulders above any
man in the New York delegation. He meant
Nike WaEsh-a man who had graduated, as he
said himself, not in Colleges, but at The plane and
carpenters bench-a man who spoke with an
Irish lisp and an Irish accent, but who had as
true an American heart, and true Southern
heart as ever animated mortal frame. Ii made
no difference to him, because Mike Walsh called
himself a Democrat. lie true man. and,
before this Southern audience, he called for three
cheers lor Mike Walsh. (Here three cheers went
up from about 1000 throals, which were worthy
of Tammany i'selG, and which, we hope, some
friendly wind bore to The ears o! Mike himSrlG)
Mr.. Stephens wept on to say that the Know
Mornings OF Georgia, where now shooting styiy
at the Kansas bilI-not attacking 1t openly, that
they were afraid TO do-bu grumbling at II,
carping at it, shooting at it, and shooting al II
through him. He would remore their lutte arrows.
They were not like the spear of Talemon. He
could brush them OF easily as he could thistle
Prickles. He wished Judge Nsbel was there TO
hear him, as he wished every other man was
there, who was obecting to the bill, because II
allowed Foreign 10 in the territory on their
own territorial matters. That principle had been
acknowledge and acted on from the beginning OF