Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-04-13

,;r,.,i,hed Wing. will not fail 10 attract the attention
II Sr,v>roy,A April oh, lSj5.
Nv Dear Sir ON my return to-day from Siieh"h'
h,ui, where | had been irr the last week, attending a |,
session of the Circuit Cuurto Of that county, lrtrcl'eu
Your kind and ~tai,erins invitation 10 address Tue Peo-
pile OF Richmond City.
rr,,ni, n, ia tender to voursclf and the committee
from whom i. enlGnGtrd, my grateful thanks tor tnc
honor YOU have done me. But | fear that co!'s,"n'
and unavoidable professional engagements, Will , In
il out of iay power t" visit kIchnn"nu y = y ,,h inst.
time and iho 9Th Thursday in May. Onthe I'm ,ns'
I must be in Kockbriire, and thence L" li'G Tn'h
this place, and Aibriarlr. nrapid succession. ,h,,
iug. / assure yoa, would give mo more pl."S "I an ,ho
10 address the intelligent people oil henn'o". n tcli
interesting questions al the present CAM
,,,.,n L,v h~i;rLtiu- 10 ( the free sllrI p oi .ou"..
Nm. secret mystery of Know othrngism h'ust P",'
how damoralizing il VIII be ~ "W Nv" rnr,L.
the hitherto hig,Inindcd, oprh-iirai'eo' o"'u ..n =,
- Vim, ~, lac educated i'll the sncakllg aris Vi
nnJ c.nniunre-to b" taught by their ia'ilelo
o., .ry M, nj the political actions az thclr lcLe" ~.
nnI' y,r. tp keep ihoir own actions nnd ""'yrc's' ~
n :" 70 matters which necessarily concern All u
nr,,nnnd s.cret-to publish platforms OF p'ett"de1
rrinciples, suited TO every latitude aud every 'hs'r' i'
Inc purpose of gaining proselvtes, while 'hey zee, ~
degrading consciousness that they are pr"lhoiee' D.
horrible ualhs, from ever revealing their real opler's
and principles outside OF their Order-uld "lnhe u us
custed world is forced to conclude, either u'at 'uem
platforms are filled witt, fulsc professions, in'c"eeu W
inisl.ad, or that those who publish them are p"TluteH'
Has any purity a right TO political secrets ! IN PR
vate associations men may conceal na'tors INV INV mooas.
Germ themselves alone. But politics, relating neees-
sarily to the affairs or conduct OF Il government, ~
which every citizen las all equal stake no" Gun q
party bo tolerated in Withholding, from any p'!''" -
our citizens, information on n subject nv on
t,llv concerns every one of them In Il slihii
partnership. If q portion of the partners were 10 con-
ceal from the rest their designs IN reference y
the social funds, their associates 30 eNciuucu, 49, nI
be- justified in forming n coGcius!ono l uiSIo"ee'i "Mu
n court of Justice would interfere. In the "Tolnnt!
;r,crrnursc Of lie, an honest man Of ordinary human
ity, possessed of IL secret which concerns his nc'Snoot .
interests, feels bound by Il high moral ophE"to. "
disclose il to him whom II interests ir, = " "
uuii,ical party iutcrmcddlins IN the dark WIKI 'he n'-
fairs OF government, which lnpoife your VIZ ~ NV
liberty and property, and these of oir cilinre'i; ana
of millions vi Others, and yet they cooIiy refuse I" lrt us
know what their objects are until we shall DC INFORM
81 by such result us they may hereafter produce. By
their own showing they are enemies OF popular gov
ernment-for in such a government the whole COM
inuuity participates.
But they show their cnmity in various other forms.
They practically deny the capacity ofthe people to gov
crn, aud therefore establish nristocratic councils, win
a creat consolidating and controlling head, located
most ftly, somewhere near "lhe five points III
the city OF New York. Power with them, instead of
being vested in tl. people and emana.ing from them,
is vested in these arislocIatic councils. lhe iheofy
Of our government requires an appeal from aristocracy
10 II ptOpIt. INi'" 'Si' = -
nv, by providing in all cases an appeal from the Peo'
Pile to aristocracy. ~.
If the people bud capacity FOR self.government this
self STYLED American tquare, Aborislnal1 parry uen!
their honesty. Therefore, they are never irusIcu eHeeP'
under oath. And, again, wlilo tho spirit OF our insti.
tutions REQUIRES every citizen 10 exercise his own pest
Judgment in voting for all officers OF SofeFtlheht-th'
wonderful invention of iankccdom requires INN 70
bind himself by solemn oath, not 10 exercise MS own
Judgment at ali, but TO give he vote as :hc majority OF
q caucus. itself subsccvieut 10 the mandate OF q snpe-
rior caucus. ma order. These are startling novelties to
an American oar. YET, w-Notliinglsm, bold III
this respect alone, in all others skulking, donyIng lis
nnme, denying its association, refusing To mako known
it's objects, hiding in dark carcrns with bat, anu Owls.
denounces all Us anti American who will not adopt
its doginas! | should like 10 discuss and d'sscct the
monster, not only under the preceding head, but
many others, and especially its Federalism. |
should like to show the people Of Richmond,
and the whole South, the cunning device OF the
Know-Nothin6 nominee for Governor, imstiiicd int"
him, no doubt, by the same masters. under whom
he learned his Z" .Nmcricanism,' by which he asks .ic
people OF Virginia 20 deprive themselves of all ground
of resistance hereafter, to the Northern plan OF inter-
ven;ion in our domestic nffairs-by intervening IN q
crusade against Catholics and foreigners, not orcaus"
she is suffering any Inconvenience from them herself
but i'm order 10 rid her Sister States OF tlo nuisance
But | console myself, under my inability to obey
YOUR ca!l, by the reflection that il l went, II won!d
only contribute tho feeble light Of q candle, to that
glorious sun which has shown and which Continues 10
shine among you and %enlighten yoa Till the day oil
election. Wise and Douglas, and q host OF others
have told YOU more than | eau tell. Bat rs have
been a Whig-only say 10: me 10 my old Wing
friends, that / have looked carefully under the cloak
of Know o,h~iusism-have lifted with q during
hand III. Veil that covered the iaco Of the Prophet
sam, and satisfied myself wellthat itis not Whisgery,
US | hud always understood it, aud as | knew II was
understood and prof.ssed by thousands OF honest and
pa,riotic men, but mouyirua hOrrcndum tGJormt
ttncens uni iumen ycdcnpt"u. Yes, Us blind as a bat
aud as dark ~ Erobus. Let them beware OF It, as
they love their lives and high reputation. History
informs lis Of many secret political parties, but not "i
one that l remember, which has not heen damned by
impartial posterity. This party has much besides Its
secrecy 10 give il m earlier and deeper condemnation
than tint which has fallen 10 the lot Of lis predcccs-
sors. Ii the Democratic party should follow its lead,
what n He'll upon earth their underground fight would
nuke, yet it would plead example, and tho respoiisi-
bihty would DC Sans. With high regard,
~ THOS j. NICHE.