Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-03-28

! IL
pecially as we are told in the beginning of the
eeCard" that he administers the oaths and
gives. the instruetions.?' We fear Thoma:
| forgot himself.
! But after the ceren onies Of the first degree
another oath is administered, differing from
| the former, in the following
''And I furthermore promise and swear that
VIII always conform to the viii of the majority oi
the members of this order in the selection of can
dld ates to I'LL every office of honor profit trust
within the gift of the people: provided such can
didates shall have been born on American soil and
shall have been educated in American institutions
and that viii use all the influence [ may possess
TO elect all such candidates whom I may know to
be opposed to all foreign influence, Popery. Jesu-
itism and Catholicism, without any hesitation on
my part whatever. And [ Furthermore promise
and swear that viii strictly conform to and abide
by the oatn have now taken, and that will pay
strict obedience to the constitution laws, rules,
ritual and edicts of the honorable Grand Council
of this Order, of the State of Pennsylvania and
10 the by laws of Council No. PSI, to which | now
belong, to those of any other Grand Subordinate
Council from which may hereafter hail. binding
myself under the less penalties than are attach
ed or belong to those who violate the oath of the
first degree of this Order. All the foregoing I
voluntarily and freely subscribe to of my own free
viii and accord, SO help me God"
This concludes the entire ceremony, and af-
ter careful and repeated perusal of the three
oaths, We are utterly at loss to discover
where,a as Mahalfey alledges in the beginning of
his ssCard, . the members sss,rear to become
dishonest and to practice falseho5d, and if needs
be to peTjure themselves in a Court of Justice!''
Not one line or sentence can we find, in all the
obligations he has given which viii carry out
his allegation. And remember that this is his
excuse for violating his oath and making this
exposition! Yet we challenge any man to
read the obligations as he has published them,
and point US to anything bearing the slightest
resemblance to his assertion, as quoted above.
Where.then, if any portion of his Card be
true, are his grounds for violating his oaths,
and becoming wilful and deliberate perjurer?
1t is rather singular that Thomas Mahafey
should omit all those features, which are usually
considered. essential elements in every secret
society ,and about which SO much has been. said
when speaking of the e'Know Nothings - we
mean the signs, passwords, grips, and insignia
of the Order. Why has he not told US their
mode Of operation, if he believed as he says,
that his duty to his county demanded this
Exposition" at mis- hands, so that we might
discover and counteract their reasonable
schemes? Does he consider. one part Of his
obligations binding and not another Why
hasn't he made q clean breast Of it, instead OF
sending forth this bantling, scarce half made
up and given us all the mysteries about
which people are so anxious to hear? He GER
tainIy does not think, his brethren VIII con-
slider him less traitor, for what he has done,
than if he had told the whole story MAY we
not reasonably presume therefore, that some
thing has been kept back, which, if told, might
throw very different light upon the matter,
for the object of this second Judas Iscarriot,
it is very evident, is to present his story in
the most unfavorable light it will bear
Stript, then, of the rhetorical fourishes and
absurd Inconsistencies, which his legal aman-
uensis, has thrown around it, what does Thorn
as Mahatfey's "Card" amount to? Why, ad-
hitting that all the oaths he lays down are
true, it only develops the naked fact that
there is an organization amongst US, whose
object is to prevent Foreigners and Roman
Catholics from holding office. And who was not
aware of this before? Has it ever been deni-
ed AS far as we are concerned, we have re-
peatedly pledged ourself both publicly and
privately not to vote for foreigners, nor for
Roman Catholics, 50 long as We believed that
church to be interfering in the politics of the
Country. These are our principles, which we
have never sought to hide within the precincts
Of s'wagon-shed" or ''out-house,'' = but have
on more than one occasion, publicly ayowed
to the world. If these are the objects of the
''Know Nothings, or the ssSons of the Star
Spangled Banner" as Mahafey calls them. we
certainly can have no objection to be classed
among them, for We would expect to find there
every good, true, and loyal American citizen.
who prizes the welfare of his Country, and
the security of its institutions, more that the
success Of a political party.
But after all, these ::Expositions''an Trades
of abuse, only benefit the cause they are de-
signed to injure. The people ,oiH sJudge the
tree by its fruits, and when you bring ssKnow
Nothingism'' to this test what do we behold 2
We find that it has purified the ballot box, that
it has put stop to the abominable system of
huxtering for votes, that it has advanced the
cause of temperance, morality, and the purity
of elections, and that it has freed our political
contestsfrom the fgh ting ,wrangling, drunken
ness and rowdyism, that have heretofore been
the indispensable attendants of our elections,
preventing American citizens. from exercise
ing the right Of suffrage in that grave and re-
spectacle manner that becomes SO highland SO
important privilege.
But it has done more than all this. 1t has
proclaimed, that agreably to the
letter and spirit of our Constitution, no for
eigner shall rule over us. That no church, as
sI1ch shall