Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1855-08-28
Letter from Hon. A. P. Butler.


v,,FS .Your communication of the Sd inst,
inviting me to attend meeting of those citizens
of South Carolina who believe that States rights,
Southern rights, ind the liberties OF the people, are
endangered by tie existence and progress OF tue
Nothing Oder" aad, in the event OF my ina
biliy to attend requesting such expression Oh my
views as | may think proper to communicate, mas
been received
TO be with you on the occasion to which you have
invited me- fear, in the few remarks which snail
submit, cannot dc justice TO the SUBJECTS on Whch
you wish my opinic1. in the threshold OF these re
marks give it as ny belief that the far play spirit
and unbgoted provisions of our constitution cannot
be assaiIed With success BY the dagger power OF Sc
cret and irresponsible associations.
To illustrate what ] shall say hereafter, VIII
quote from memory sentence OF " asliington lFT-
ing 90 Our ancestors not only proclaimed but prac-
tised hardy morality that feared no contact 1hey
trusted to the courage and power of truth IN their
GntipTOscTiptiTe constitutions ana oplnlehs. 4heJ
willing trust their Gestinies on the arena OF
q fair and open trial They thought they could
trust the cause of religion, soar as there should be
political jurisdiction over it, TO the following clause
! of our Federal Constitution:
Congress shall make no laws respecting an estab-
lishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise
| thereof: Gbridgirg the freedom OF speech; or OF
the press; or the right of the people Peaeeably "a
assemble and to petition tho government for re-
dress of grievanccsn
And, BY the same Constitution, Congress was ius
trusted with the power OF establishing an uniform
rule of naturalization Now, rs understand it the
| KnoT-Nothing organization is to make war upon
both these provisions in their true spirit suppose
their aim will not he aVowed to establish relgon or
| 10 exclude foreign mmigrGiioni but, under the
| assumption of Protestant purity and American pa
triotiSu il is the purpose OF the order 10 take vol
untary jurisdiction oyer these subectsthat as 10
put into Office themSeiteS under the names OF FRO
! tcstant pictv and American devotion And, if they
shonld succeed in their designs by the influence OF
these Heterogeneous and irresponsible alliances they
will have substituted tSeir conventional obligations
| for the Constitution q Fac Conederacy
believe have lsEt etAAt'other one of their avow-
! sls-a common purp 10 preserve the Union, as
| they understand itshe Me preserved
acTuo Tiedge no pGtS that is proscripti7e-I re-
cognize no patriotism that is uncivZed and cXclu-
! sive, and want Union that is not under the
! control of operative Constitution. The Declara-
ton of Independence and the Federal and State
Constitution of the United Suites were made under
! auspices and Influences 10 rebuko the bigoted and
conceted spirit that would invade them III the nine
teeuth century. when the different parts OF the earth
are the different provinces of the same en-
| pire were formerly.
Federal Constitution the great and enduring pill
lars of an altar erected in this world to tOlera
| tion-an altar that owes its construction not to
Jews nor Catholics nor TO Proestants only, but TO
the united laUorers of all who had sought here ref
tlge frurn transatlantic domination. While Protes-
tants may have borne the first and largest share in
the work Of American Independence, others, of what
ever religious education, were scarcely behind them
in zeal and activity for the haiOwcd cause. Even
the Jew was no idle spectator Of its Advancement
l remember TO have heard it Etated-indeed, ample
evidence Of the fact on several occasions before
me while upon the beucl-that young SalvadO was
the first person who publicly read the Declaration OF
independence in our SO District lie leil shortly
afterwards battling for American freedom. And
who tis SALVADOR a gallant and dashing
Young Jew.
But pertinent enquiry in tie consideration of
this question: relates to the origiuof thing
ism. Where did it originate And why? 1t Is
certainly not indigenous at the South There Y as
no such pre-eXistug evils as could be remed;.ed by
its supposed virtues. II was, ard Isl orei N to our
necessities, whether social or piiiuca. II was no
more Southern in its inception thai it is in its de-
vclopment. The North was Il, birthplace 1t
arose primarily, as an antid ,tt to the evils which
there brought about Jy an abuse of the Hatil-
ralzation laws The introduction of foreigners
was permitted, in Disregard OF the several costttu-
tonol requirements as to three years hctica five
years residence &c. Mischief is now re5ulting from
the Practice. But it is their own FAULT They have
Mingled the waters of the Orohtcs and the Tiber
and it is theirs to drink of tem At the South these
abuses have not prevailed. a proper observance oil
the laws has had the effect of bringing amongst us
different class of foreign born population from that
ut the North-one, at any rate, of which we do not
| complain.
Another reflection here suggests itself Where is
the necessity Of any such interference with the cleo
| tive franchise as is now proposed by the Know
EothngS when the State governments have after all
Ilcnary control of tie whole matter? Not only
nave they this control in regard 30 the privileges OF
voting but the power exists in them even 10 deter
in tcir borders. II we were really HPPrehcnsiyc
that foreign immigration wEs about TO cndanger rs
course would surely be 70 seek remedial action
through TIE State governments themselves: To de-
mGud it clSewhcrs, would be TO contemn the rtgh;:
of the States.
shall regard acknowledgment, if introduced ut
the South as but another Trojan horse, brought in
by enemies, and to be accepted only b the shallow
and incousiderHte. Like ,}Iat horse it comes her
aided as object to call forth our praises and cn-
list our adherence VIXEN it is really but the daring
sratagcm of those who not for cur welfare, and
respect not our rights. My conviction is that the
doctrines and tendencies of KNOWN othngism are
not only insulting to such foreigners adopt our
institutions from choice and with the honest rcsOlu-
ton of rendering implicit obedience to the laws we
have proclaimed, but they are in grossly bad faith
with the provisions OF the Constitution, and espe-
cially uncalled for by the South. That voluntary
associations of individuals should seek to supersede
the Cons uton of our country, is degree of arrO-
| CANT assumption which l cannot contemplate with
| out aversion. Whatever may be the fate of the
| Union let not our Southern honor be furnished by
any the least violation of the sacred obligations of
| that reYered instrument
! After what have said, gentlemen, you may en-
| pect distinct summary of my PPinions. have no
! hesitation in giving it. am neither jew nor Cath
olc but an humble. and trust, sincere supporter
of Protestant Christianity. In politics, | am no
| Wbir | am no ConsolidatOnist. am Demo-
cratic Republican, believing in the rights and digni-
| ty of State authority. ! am willing, hope, with
| patriotic zeaS to support the Federal Government
while exercising its functions within constitutional
prescriptions As citizen am proud of the deeds
| which have been achieved under the Star Spanglcd
Banner nor shall any influence either Of popular sen
timent of party dictation eyer divest me OF that
| feeling.
I have the honor TO rcmain
| Your obedient servant and friend,
a. p. BUTLER,
To Messrs. J. Seiglinr Jr, W. G. DcSaussure, Il.
y Simons, Jr, and c. r. Mles-Committee.
Great Baby Show and Female Equest. l.
! DoYLEsrowx, Pa, August 2A--The great baby
show came off at the exhibition enclosure yesterday.