Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-05-12
For the Standard.

Messrs. Editors Occasionally and about this
time find myself responding to your invitation to
wri e something for the Standard. I used to, when
less experienced, fancy frequently that we had arr
we'd at crisis in countrys history, and that it
beho ed all good citizens by pen and word to strike
fer tn preservation of their liberties. now have
uded that the foundation of the government
was laid too broad and strong, and the supcrstruc-
ture too firm to be topped in night disnantlcd
even by worse than we have yet seen or heard. Yet
it must not be forgotten that Liberty is the price
of eternal vigilance, that wrong thing in morals
or in politics can be admitted to the public mind
without serious detriment and that though we are
to-day, yet as each day imperceptibly brings
a man nearer his 81 ave, each principle measure
established prepares the day and hour when word
blow may ensavc US.
From my reading of history, have learnt that no
tyrant ever born of free and virtuous people.
The corruption of the invites the usurpation of
the tyrant-as in nature in politics. decay breeds
the monsters and vermn of treason How zealously,
therefore, should guard public opinion and public
morals In this holy work the Standard was never
better employed than in writing down Know Moth
ingisn. With your accustomed promptness and with
the energy and will which commands success, you
attack the midnight order and it is the prominent
evil of the day. give it properly prominent place
in your attention. Is it not astonishing that at this
day such a name, Know Nothing" such an organ
ization secret and oath boundsuch principles, rel-
gous intolerance and exclusion of foreigners, should
have found any advocates out of Massachusetts and
Vermont? The trainers of our State Constitution
gave us the sentiments of 1776, when they made the
declaration "that there shall be no establishment OF
any religious Church denomination in this State,
neither shall any person any pretence whatsoever
be compelled to attend any place of worship contra
ry to his faith and judgment, but
all persons shall be at liberty to exercise their own
mode of worship, and l." That any foreigner who
comes to settle in this State having first taken an
oath of allegiance to the same may purchase or by
other just acquire, hold and transfer land or
other real estate and after gears residence shall
be deemed free citizen" In 1885 the sentiments
of the people do not seem to have changed in res
pect to the this last clause but find them srik-
ing out protestant" from that section Of the Con-
stitution which excluded Catholics from offices, and
places of trust profit in the civil departments
within this State.
In 1887 the people of the United States, in order
to form more perfect Union, promote the general
welfare, &C., did ordan and establish as the first ar
tcle in addition to the Constitution Congress shall
make no law respecting an establishment of Religion
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof OF abridg-
ing the freedom of speech. " This would seem to
speak the sentiments of all the fathers of the Con-
stitution, men usually considered by Americans at
least second to none inpoltical wisdom and moral
honesty. Jefferson caused it to be inscribed on his
tomb among other things, that he the author of
religious tolerance in Virginia. Opposition to the
alien and sedition laws made him President of Ame
RIGA.
During the last Presidential election, not three
years ago. the above principles were avowed by both
parties. Every recollects Gen. SCOTS Irish
brogue and German accent speeches, and the
charges perseverngly made and as perseverngly re-