The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-09-05

scribed upon it the popular predddices Of
the people? Americanism VS.. Roman
Catholicism! Young America ,o reign,
and Ronanism to be extinguished! And
how is this party Of a different faith to be
annihilated9 Not by the all.powerful in
flucnce Of the Holy Bible, that Divine
Law which is the only true weapon of
warfare to suppress error and establish
truth. but by secret political association!
| admit it 10 be grand scheme, worthy
its originators, and the most powerful
one ever devised to carry out a favorite
object, whe:hc: !: be good or bad. What
could Murrell and his associates have ac
complished except through secrect asso-
cla,ion, binding themselves by an oath
and adopting some sign or signal by which
they could recognise or communicate with
each other9 Not that / attempt to COM
pare know-Nothingism with the revealed
principles Of the outlawed band, bat to
show what may be accomplished by Sc
cret combinations; their power to defeat
those who may have the independency to
oppose them or to disagree with them in
regard to the proper .operandi to
be adopted in accomplishing the same
end each may have in view.
No man would rcjoico more than my.
self to see the Protestant faith universally
adopted; but this great end can only be
accomplished 10y correct examples; by
fair open and independent discussion OF
true and correct principles. Let our exc
amples bear comparison with the pure
coin, that brightens the more it Is handled.
five have light, let US not put it under
bushel, but elevate it that it may shine
upon all. Ifno advantage is sought Of
the people 10y this political association,
why conceal those great and good objects
under solemn oath, and thus take ad-
vantage ofthc unsnspecting' l fear there
must be
Something rotton in the State. Of Denmark" :"
or at least something, If known would de-
feat their object as political party. But
we are told that their political doctrines
are not concealed, but open before the
world. We do not suppose that the
Southern Branch would publish any creed
that would be very offensive to the South;
nor the Northern branch anything very
Objectionable to the North. Although they
may differ upon the subject Of Slavery,
they may be at perfect amity upon all
other political Questions, and exert their
which no doubt will be in the nomination
Of one of the old Wing party. II such
should be their course, would have no
hesitation in pronouncing it the cid Wig
party under new name.
We are not surprized at the triumph OF
hnow-Nothingism in Kentucky where
there arc hordes of abolition lecturers
with many converts to faith, and where
some Of their Rsv'd Divines have declared
that they "b:lieced Ma. the order vas cal
eulatcd TO bury Democracy head. foremost,
from whcnce IL could nevcr a1ain arise.n
Such conquest should not reflect any
great credit upon Southerners in general,
and more especially upon any political
party in South Carolina.
In the second place am opposed to
the order ofKnow .Nothings on the ground
OF their prescriptions. III am correctly
informed. members Of the order cannot
vote against the nominee Of the Know
Nothings, under penalty Of the violation
OF their solemn oath. This deprives them
OF one OF the most sacred privileges that
belongs to freeman. No pure democratic
republican can or ever will deprive himself
Of that right secured to him by the Consti-
tuition OF the United States. Sir, this of
itself is enough to stigmatize the order.
and cause it to be repudiated by all true
Americans. 1t not only prescribes who
we shall vote for, but also the religion
that must be tolerated in America! Is
this not principle dangerous in the ex-
tremef A principle that has drencl,ed
the earth with the blood Of millions of
human beings, and is now one Of the great
causes OF a protracted European war! Sir,
when these points and tendencies in
powerful order in our midst become ap-
parent to us, are we to fold our arms in
silence, and by their actions declare ,ha.
they are deserving only passing noticei
!, for one, regard them Of the greatest mo-
ment, and would gladly arouse every
patriot and lover Of his country, who
values the freedom purchased by the
blood Of bic ancestors--every friend to
humanity who can WELD pen or doclaim
from the stump would engage all the
energy and talent Of our country ia the
effort fo auf,fyosa tl, aaa ,..:oa:.i.. f -