The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-08-22
Letter from Hon. A. p. Butler.
SroSELASDs, (Near EdgefeId, c. II. /
AuOuat q 1874

August s, 1854
Gentlemen: Your communication of the
Bird inst, inviting hio to attend meeting of
those citizens of South Carolina, who be-
lieve that States Rights, Southern Rights,
and the Liberties of the People, are endan.
gered by the existence and progress Of the
know-nothing order, and, in the event of
my inability to attend, requesting "such ex-
preston Of my views as may think proper
to communicate" has been received.
Whilst the state of my health will not
allow me to be with you on the occasion TO
which you have invited me. fear, in the
few remarks WEIGH shall submit, cannot
do justice to the subjects on which YOU
wish my opinion. In the threshold Of
these remarks, ! give il rs my belief, that
the Jair-piay spirit. and unbigo,ed provisions
Of our constitution, cannot be assailed, with
success, by the d 'gger power Of secret and
irresponsible associations.
To illustrate what shall say here: fter. I
will quote from memory sentence Of
Washington Irving: "Our anccstors not on
ly proclaimed but practiscd hardy morality
that feared no contact. They trusted 10 the
courage and power Of truth In their anti.pro-
scriptivs constitutions and opinions. They
were willing To trust their dc .tinies on the
arena Of a fair and open trial. They thought
they could trust the cause Of religion 30 IA,
as there should be political Jurisdiction
over II, TO the following clause Of our Feder-
nj Constitution:
@'Congress shall make no laws respecting
an establishment Of religion, or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof; or abndging the
freedom Of speech, or OF tho press; or the
right Of the people peaceable to assemble
and TO petition the government for redr, 81
Of grievances'
And. by the same Constitution. Congress,
was intrusted with The power Of establish
ing an uniform rule Of naturalization. Now.
Ms UNDERESTIMATE the Know-noihing organ
ization Is TO make war upon both these pro-
visions 10 their true spirit. suppose their
aim will not be avowed to establish relip.
ion or to exclude a foreign immigration; but
under the assumption Of Protestant purity
and American patiotisn,, II Is the purposs Of
the order to take voluntary Jurisdiction over
these suejacts--that Is, 10 put into Office
themselves under the names OF Protestant
piety and American devotion. And, II they
should succeed in their designs by the influ.
ence Of these heterogeneous and irrcsponsi.
bic alliances, they will have substituted their
conventional obligations for the Constiiu
ton Of the Confederacy.
] believe I have leit ont another one of
their ayowals--a common purpose to pre-
serve the Union, as they understand IL should
be preserved.
i iacknowledgc no piety that Is proscrip.
tive, ] recognize no patriotism that is unciyil.
ised and exclusive, and ] want no Union
that Is not under the control OF an operative
Consultation. The Declaration Of Indepen-
denee. and the Federal and State Consti.u-
ton Of the United States, were made under
auspices and influences TO rebuke the bieo-
ted and eoneeited spirit that would inyade
them In the 10Th century, when the differ.
ent parts or the earth are M near IA the az.
fersnt provinces Of The same empire were
formerly.
lregard the Declaration Of Independence
and the Federal Constitution a. the great
and enduring pillars Of an altar erected Ia
this new world 10 toleraiion--an ALTAR that
owes lie construction not to Jews nos Cath
Ielics, nor 70 Protestants only, bus to the uni
'aboSs Of al who had sought here re-
81 from Transatlantic domination. While
Pfotsstanss may have borne the first and lar
gest shafs IN the work Of American Indspen-
denrc, Others. Of whatever religious educa.
lion, were scarcely behind them la zeal and
sstivity for The hallowsd cause. Even she
Jew was no Idle spectaros Of Iss adyaace.
ment. rsmeabes . have heard !, stated;
indeed ample evidence Of ths E~.t was On
several oeeasions before rns. y biIs upoa she
bsneh-that young salyado was he sissi
person who pablisly rad the Deoiasasien q
Independenee 10 our .9e Dlsisict. fis fsll
shortly Afterwards battllnz fsr Ameri.ao
freedom. Aadwhe was this Saiyadoi 4
gallant and dasi,lag yoene Jsz.
Bot seerliaent iaqalsy. IN ths eonsidsra.
iioa ibis spsssions rsiates 70 tie cgixis q
e;ss ~ -.