Washington telegraph., 1855-09-12
TI.e era nd Democratic Rally.


of numbers. but proved not so much of
Gala-day as the faithful were led to antici-
pate by the flaming posters that had been
stuck up at every post, corner, and forks of
the roads. for the past two weeks 1t was
not the feast to which they were invited
There was plenty prepared to satiate the
physical man, but the politico-intellectual
repast which was to have been served up by
score or more of the high priests of the
party, was an entire failure Not a single
one of the long list of titled gentlemen.
civil or military. whose names appeared so
cOnspicuously on the posters, gratifed the as
semblage with their presence and those
who expected desert. to be served up by
connoisseurs in the art from abroad, were
compelled to put up. with a plain stew made
at home. (Which. by the way, we doubt not,
was just about as good as anything that
might have been imported
After the organization of the meeting.
and a few Introductory remarks by the
President, Maj RIcH'D PRyoR.-our fcl-
low citizen DR. CHA's B. Mitchell, ReceiU-
er Of Pu6iic MonieS, was introduced, and
addressed the assemblage for about an hour.
in strain of not altogether impassioEed
elOquence. We had not the pleasure of
hearing his Introductory remarks. but when
VIC arrived on the ground. he was pitching
into SAM as rapaciously as a mouse into a
Cheshire cheese He read to the audience
what he was pleased to term the third de-
gree of the American Order, which he sta
ted, was copied from the Charleston Mcr-
curry n paper, which. he said. always pub
lished the truth, and challenged any one TO
point to single article published by that
Journal that was untrue. Now, while we
have his testimony to the truth of the Mer-
cury's publications, We vii! take occasion to
quote a short article from that paper. the
truth of which, of course, no one will now
pretend to deny.
In reply to statement in the Richmond
E;squircr. that the Democratic party. as
now composed and organized, is adequate
and ready to secure to the North and the
South. the East and the West, the peaceful
enjoyment of their several rights and i'm
munities. - the lIercury. this truthful pa
per. says =
"IFe hqre no faith az the aJiijfy Of
the Democratic party. IL has been ocer-
tchelnted at tie North by AbOkitiO,t, Cllel
as pOacerless. either for as olcs national
e'is, or tie protection Of the South"
There is what this truthful journal says
of the speakers party, aud Of course ac-
cording to his testimony. it must be true
One feature in the obligation which he
read, and which seemed TO shock bis sensi-
bilities, was, that any person taking it was
required to ''solemnly declare his devotion
to the Union of these States that in the
discharge of his duties as an American cit
izen. he would uphold. maintain and defend
it, and that he would discourage and dis
cOunte3anee every attempt. from any and
every quarter, which he believed calculated
to Subvert it or weaken It's bonds" To ask
an American citizen to swear this, he thought
was an insult to his patriotism-that he was
bound to 30 so without an oath Now We
cannot see why any American should feel
insulted at being asked to swear to support
the constitution and the Union, and to dis
cOuntenance every attempt 10 subvert the
one, or to weaken the bonds of the other
Has not every officer, from the President
down TO justice of the peace. to take an
oath to support the constitution and did
not the speaker himself, when he obtained
the appointment of Receiver of Public
Monies. take such an oath If such an oath
is required of member of the American
organization. it would be no more than was
required of him. or any other officer of the
United States. or of this State; and we
should regard it as no greater offence against
mans dignity OF his patriotism. than it is
to require him TO be sworn as juryman, as
witness before justice of the peace. or
to take an obligation Of secrecy as Mason
or Odd Fellow. or as a Son of Temperance
to take an obligation to drink no more whis-
key.
Another dangerous feature which the
speaker discovered in this secret political
organization. is that the Constitution, as
published in the Mercury, requires each
member to contribute four cents annually.
This fund, the speaker declared it be his
dehberative conviction, was intended to cor
rupt the ballot-box. Now. as the Whic
party in the South is said to be dcfunct,
and the contest is between the American
Organization and the Democracy, ii neces-
sarily follows that the votes to be bought
with this fund are Democratic votes. We