The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-08-07
LETTER FROM SENATOR CLAY, OF ALABAMA, ON
KNOW NOTHINGISM.

Tuscaloosa, July 10, 1855
AIY DEAR SIR Yours, post ssdrked Wetumpka July l.
only reached yesterday Acknowledging and highly
approaching the honor done in asking my views Of
knownohingsm for publication, feel almost supererog
aory to reply through the press On the floor of the uni
States Senate than twelve months since and
the principles purposes of that order had been dnc
ly ntimated to the world their triumphs achieved
expressed hope that such party would grow up
in the southern States Of the Union and my pride and
pleasure in contemplating their freedom from jealousy
wy hatred Of foreigners any disposition exclude
them from participating citizens in the privileges of
this country, These sentiments have always entertained,
do now and have repeated in my conversations and letters
whenever fit occasion occurred both the advocates and
opponents Of the order Lately in letter mass meet
ing Of the democracy the 7th inst, at Trinity, Morgan
county Alabama (Which my engagement 10 address the
literary societies of University prevented from
tendng my dissent from me principles policy and prac-
ee Of that order reiterated which letter. probably
has been will be published At the hazard however
repeating myself too ayshy will recaptulaie OBJ
jections to know-nothngism or natiye-Amercanism
object to ii because of the quarter whence it
While willing to embrace truth wherever found, expert
and reflection have taught consider well the
source whence it emanates Conessing the ability of the
North teach much of the useful and practical
sciences Of life yet neither history observation has
impressed with their fitness teachers of religion or
Of politics The theory Of government federal
and not national and the existence Of individual and
State rights independent of and superior to the powers Of
the general government seem unknown, unrecognsed
by large majority Of northern brethren. They APP
pear regard the general government purely naonal
and the powers Of the majority limited only by dscre
ton have little to look for pure piety
genuine repuboanism in The land where Parker Emerson
and Owen, Fanny Wright and 10. Smith, have found
many followers and have SO seriously menaced social and
religious institutionsthe land where Puritan and Quaker
nfc
tualy prosecuted each other unto death for opinions
sake Even the humane Cotton Mather, while condemn
ing the death punishment inflicted Qunkers by
the colonial law Of Massachusetts, approved OF shaw
ing their heads "to shame and them y while the
placid Quakers denounced with choice phrases Roger
Williams "liar slanderer and blasphemer and Owen
and Baxter svpergrnnng dogs ragged torn, thread
bare atterdemalons blind moles tinkers gmcracks and
whirlygigsn 1t southern soil that religious oleT
alton first took root and republican faith first built
and il is here that they have always been most faithfully,
maintained The first colony of modern times founded
broad principles of religious freedom and explicitly ecog
nng rights Of conscience and liberty of thought that
of Mary land-a Roman Catholic colony established by
Roman Catholic legislator Lord Baltimore There the
Puritan and the Quaker enjoyed religious liberty denied
them by their fellow Protestants II was in the legislatures
of Virginia and Kentucky that the an-aioai and purely
federal character of general government and those
original and unceded rights of the States and the people
winch WITHOUT ABOVE, DeyOHu rcacll o
federal constitution were first fully indicated. With
knowledge of these facts southron should be pardoned
for hestating to embrace any religious political
| faith Of northern propagandism.
object to know-nothngism for the manner in which it
originated and now exists. cannot fraernze sympa
thze with any secret political association Secrecy is
congenia liberty Of thought speech act and is for
hidden by the genius of constitutions the principles of
our laws and the practice Of our people Not only
political ethics but sound moral principle
any organization which seeks by steahy strata
gem cautious cummings 10 seize The offices of the country
control the government No of true virtue of
high honor however bitter partisan, but must feel
standardization and consciousness of social wrong in dis
sembliug the real opinions policy, and purposes Of his
party aud in Stimulating different thoughts feelings, and
intentions No man can approve OF studied and babitual
hypocrisy and deception; yet if the said by differ
ent protested know-nothings naye-Amercans to be
imposed candidates before admission that order
be faithfully kept the member must disguise the truth
or violate il in word and act in intercourse with
all outside Of the order. If all political parties
were organized in like manner, and acted under sim
liar VOWS, what would written constitutions,
freedom of conscience and Of Speech be WORTH How long
would domestic peace public liberty survive such an
experiment. How long before the spirit Of Jacobinsm
would predominant throughout the Union, and all cleo
tions aud all laws be virtually made in the clubrooms
The baot-box would to be he depository Of popu-
lar rights, and become the vehicle Of tacous pro-
scrption. The legislative hall would longer be the
sanctuary of freedom, but become the unhaowed shrine
of selfish arsanshp and intolerance Freedom of thought
and speech would be htnished from the land they woud
scarcely be INDUCED in the pneraa Of the cub-room
the private mansion The reign Of terror would be
acted and the maxim OF the monster Marat that "the end
uses the Means if IL did not nd credeuce in MI hearts
would be Illustrated in all parties from political necessity
If the principles of knownohngs naiyeA Americans be
pure aud sound, their mode of maintaining them shoud
condemn the party. We have Scrptura authority for
saying that men should do evil that good ma come
Of it.
object to the principles Of the party According to
their confessions OF faith they propose to prescribe all for
eigners by BIRTH Romansts by faith, from all political
office This is evil in principle and vicious in policy 1t
is direct contaventou Of federal and State consti
tuons in violation Of our pledged faith, ungracful, nn-
just aud unwse. Our constitutions disqpalify for
Office on of his religious opinions and foreign
err who has been niuo years citizen Of the United States
from any office except that OF President We invoked the
aid Of foreigners in revolutionary struggle and their
generous and faithful devotion to aested
in many bloody field. We invited them to come and
share the blessings well the burdens of free gov
eruments Shall now unmndfu Of their donations of
and libatons OF blood in behalf of indeped
ence, deny them the privileges while enduring the priva
tons oc2enshp? The liberal spirit Of the age the very
letter Of fundamental laws gratitude Justice honor
memory Of the past and our hopes for the future all
forbid IT,
But if neither political principles philanthropy,
any generous emotion nor Christian charity, restrain