Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-07-11
FOm tho Georgia Con&tltutionalist.
Letter from the Hon. a. Il. Longstrcet
on Observation-Disclosures. &


on Observation-Disclosures.
We find in the last number of the
Nashville Union and American, letter
on this absorbing question from this dis
tinguished native Georgian, now Presi.
dent of the University of Mississippi.
Theiname of Augustus B. Longstreet is
endeared TO the people of Georgia by
many ties in the history of the past. 1t
is a name which we were taught to re-
we're in early youth as synonymous with
all that was bold and fearless in the char
acter of the advocate, with all that was
parental and dign6ed in the sage instruc-
tor, and with all that was pure and hon.
est and upright in the minister Of the
gospel. The old men of Georgia have
been accustomed to love him as a broth>
er, the young men, scattered throughout
the State, who, from his lips, have heard
the lessons of wisdom, continue to revere
him as father. There is no man in Geor-
gla who will dare stand up and say that
a. B. LOngstrect speaks from impure mo-
tives. The indignant frowns of an honest
people would paralyzc the sacriIegious
effort. Judge Longstrect has been forced
from his retirement to come out and speak
upon this question ; but having come out
he has met the issue with that boldness
and honesty which characterize the man.
lie speaks to the people in the voice of
warning wisdom. and tells them to be
ware OF an organization, which must lead
to religious intolerance and persecution.
The circumstances which led to the
publication of this letter, arose from an
attack made upon the Judge by the
Memphis Eagle and Enquirer, charging
him with preaching anti-Know~Nothing
doctrines.
After abiding to the editors of that
paper, who have assaulted him As the head
OF the Mississippi University, he proceeds
to condemn the Order in the terms to be
found in the extracts below. Let every
Georgian read them carefully, and pom
der over them well, whether he be Know
Nothing or ti~know- Nothing.
'' In July last, had Just heard of a
new organization i'll the country-secrct
i'll its movements, and going under the
name of knOw~Nothings. Its PRINCIPLES,
understood to be, opposition to Catho-
olics and forci yners. to be planned in the
dark, strengthened by oaths. and mani
Y.
with alarm.
saw in it the elements of rapid cxpan-
sion and awful explosion. exhibited
them to the class that graduated that
month, and furewarncl them to have
nothing to do with it, Had been inspir-
ed, | could hardly have forcshadowed its
history more accurately than did. OF
my prediction. nothing remains to be full
filled but the out pouring of more blood
My forecast in relation to it ought 10 en-
sure respect to my judgment in and
about Oxford at least; but it is that very
forecast which is raising buzz Of discon-
tent against me in this vicinity now.
This is the sin which brought out against
me the reconcile presses which | have
named above. 1t is called " dabhiR7 IN
politics - but its true name is " Unpo!at-
able IrHih. This is the sin for which |
am soon. pcrchancc, to be sacrificed
They that stoned the prophets of old arc
yet alive, and why should l expect bet.
ter fate than theirs Well, [ DO not
know that better use of my old carcass
could be made than the Offering Of it up.
on this -1meric0n BaaI. An incense
would arise from it that would do more
to purify the Church and State from
this modern abomination, than anything
which can cmanate from my poor frost
covered brain. The public has now
the sum total Of my political sins,
public and private. [ shall speak at
large Of this new order in an appeal to the
Church at some future day, if | may be
allowed to do so. am committed
against it. and shall oppose it forever
not in the classroom, but every where
clse-nOt as partisan, but as Chris
tlan. This the patrons of the University
should know. For all the honors and
cmoluments ofearth, | could not be Undue
ed to assume Il position OF neutrality in
regard to it. If all experience be not a
falschood, and all history be not fable,
it will throw this country into commissions
if it be not crushed, and that speedily.
In my opinion, every man who has a
scruplc's influence should rise against it
now-immediately, ere it be forever toe
late. Indeed, it allows no neutrality
With all its prOiessed Americanism, il
assumes an absolute dictatorship. 1t will
allow no man to question its purity or its
policy. 1t gathers within its pale, men
Of dignity, talent and piety, preachers and
teachers, and with them, the most deprav.
cd, abandoned, desperate, God dcIying
sinners on earth binds them by oath in
the bonds of fellowship, and sets them all
at work in pol tics, and nothing but poll.
tics. | find a christian brother among
lhenI-I read to him [ Cor, vi: IL and
on, and L implore him TO come out from
such connections; and i. addresses me in
tones of despotic authority in this wise
Sir, my name is PolIicS-you are Il
Clergyman and a Clergyman should have
nothing to do with Politics - Right"
cries my brother, old man, you'll ruin
yourself, if you NEEDLE with politics !''