Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-07-25
SPEECH OF L. b. SANDERS, ESQ.


Deliuered at StalEings Depot, on the 18th instant
FELLow-CIT1zENs Our country is in crisis
Deep interest is felt by the friends of liberty and of
Constitution in the result of pending issues
Novel questions have been neutrality-suspicious. in
volving destiny nation. In June or July
last, saw the word Know Nothing in the newspa-
pers for the first time believed of it did of
Barnums baby show-that it humbug. That
opinion was soon changed, however, and saw in it
elements of progress and danger. That progress
has been made, and that danger surrounds US. AS
voters, it will be your duty to decide between the
contending parties in this Congressional District
the I'd August. Mr. Branch bears the Democratic
banner. He stands-proudly stands upon thatplat-
form of principles which has been indicated by
country's history and honored by time and expert
ence-a platform which requires no defence now be-
cause not assaed. Mr.. Shepard, first Whig-after-
wards a Democrat of "Relief Bill memory, but
now Know Nothing-is the candidate of that party.
The questions for our investigation are: LIST, Who
are they !? and I'd, What do they profess In reply
to the first the Know Nothing or America party en-
braces within its extended arms politicians of every
hue and color, who have been or are now opposed
to Democratic men and measures In their Coun-
ellis you find sitting side by side in close proximity,
a large majority of the Southern Wing party with
the abolitfonists of the North Mr.. Rayner says
" with pride and Joy ~ that no division dstrac-
ton entered into the American family at Philadel-
phia and that at the next election they will pre-
sent two immense brigadcS that will sweep every
thing before them' Is there danger, fellow-ct-
izens in this amagamaton, to our Southern insttu-
tons? No danger from association with such
men as Hale, Wilson, Sumner, and Giddings, who
are deadly hostile to the South tell you there is
danger and the sooner you take the alarm the bet
ter In these Councils also found persons of diff
ferent religious opinions Methodists, Pres
byterians, Episcopalians, Congregatonalists Dutch
Reformed, German Reformed, &C., &c.-all firm in
their faith and fixed in their determination to defend
it. Among them sits the gentleman and scholar in
full fellowship with the degraded and ignorant-the
sober man, with the drunkard-the true with the
fol bnor rte he with SiDner-the Whip
with the back-slidden Democrat. What an assem-
blage! Of what antagonistic and combustble ma
terials composed! How ready and how likely to
explode! Differing in religion, politics, habits,
ais, avocations, in every thing except that they
all Know Nothings. And what do they protest.
Profess, did say? Rather, what do they swear to
do? TO wage against the Catholic and the for
eigner. They profess to be liberal and swear to be
intoerant They swear to be rntoerant, and falsify
their profession. 1t is bad enough to meet at ght
in places unknown, except to the initiated. 1t is
bad to fear the light of day. and the scrutiny of their
countrymen. 1t is bad to make plots to take advan
tage of an honest and unsuspecting adversary. But
it is worse-far than all to take the required
oath. If the ghosts of the departed heroes of the
revolution were permitted to visit the earth, they
would attend their Councils, shake their sllvery
locks and pointing their bony fingers exclam, touch
not that cross-kiss not that holy book We left
charge that every man should worship God accord
ing to the dictates of his conscience and home for
the oppressed of every land. Their rights guar
anteed by the Constitution of your country Invade
them not. But besides this infraction of the Con-
stituton the recipient of the oath violates its spirit
He swears to sustain whatever measures majority
of the Council may adopt, not to vote at ALL This
certainty trammels and controls him in the exercise
of the right of suffrage and when he goes to the
polls, he is not free, but oathbound voter Has
it come to this, in this land of liberty that free
man must be sworn, and then told how to vote p
Suppose you say he has voice in the Council in
the selection of men and measures Well, suppose
he has, but suppose he is in the minority, he is still
bound, matter what his objections opposition
may be. Thus, the oath is in violation of the spirit
of our institutions, and is both degrading and demon
because it makes man feel that
his liberty is taken away by binding his conscience
-demoralizing because it presents temptations to
break solemn obligations. l warn you against TAX
ing it. But why war against foreigners and Catho-
lies Oh there is a secret here, and the old Wing
party who are the life and soul of Know Nothingsm
are at the bottom of it. They had been defeated
from time to time all their old ssucs-bank, tar
iff distribution, internal improvements &C., and they
to abandon then-hard cider, coon SKINS
and log cabins into the bargain, and to start
thing new that would be likely to take with the peo
pie. In looking the field of political adventure,
their leaders that foreigners and Catholics
rather unpopular in this country. The conquest
over scruples of conscience was easy. The Know
Nothing party was organized, with open arms, and
all persons of all religious Catholic excepted) de-
grees and politics were invited to come in. They
said there is no Wing Democratic party now
that they both dead-that foreigners and Catho-
OVeTTuHlIlS lHe CouHtiy, ludL VIC IAuSI
ali unite to put them down. The plot was inge-
NOUS The object was to throw the defence of this
class of citizens upon the Democratic party, with
hope to divide them upon this question, and thus
carry the elections. They have succeeded among
their abolition brethren at the North. Abolition
leaders are now chuckling the defeat of the ad
in the free States Under color of Know
Nothing professions they have taken vengeance on
the President for the faithful discharge of his duty
in carrying out his pledges and in executing the flu
gitveslave law. They rejoice at the of their
scheme, and lamentabe to say, Southern Know Moth
ngs Join in the jubilee "Tell me what company
you keep, and tell you who you are" Tell me
what right have they to charge the Democratic par
~ with being the peculiar champions and defenders
Of foreigners and Catholics? Can it be shewn that
they occupy any such position in their articles of
aith or in any their platformsp Have they courted
the s'rich Irish brogue" and "sweet German
cent?? Did they say years service in the
lrmy navy to be long enough to give to for
eigners the right of voting? They never did. But
who did? The Wing party, headed by their candi-
late for the Presidency Gen. Scott said it. and they
by voting for him. But why this change?
For the already given-to throw this seeming
y unpopular defence upon the Democratic party
Presto change" and the dollar passes. Let Cuba
come into the Union with her two millions of for
,gn and Catholic voters. "Presto change" and |
The jugger passes the dollar back again, and the
operation goes until you can't tell where to find |
t. So with the Wing or Know Nothing party ever |
since they had an existence, no matter under what |
lame But as to the defence, the Democratic party,
protesting particular avoritism, either for foreign
Catholics, nevertheless and obey the