Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-10-06

hhd tnat on the WlIinot proylslo, the Fugitive
slave law, the slave trade in The District of Co
lumbia, the slave trade between the southern
States, the Kansas and Nebraska bill, the Mis-
souri, Compromise line, the admission of Texas as
a slave State, the admission Of any slave State
whatever into the Union hereafter, the legislation
and the judicial action of northern States, in
which the Wings and Know-nothngs have the
majority, and, indeed, in all cases and on all
| questions touching remotely the slavery
! questionable they will find that the northern
Wings and know-nothings in solid body have
made war on the South. Go again to the Phila-
| delphia Know nothing convention, and witness
the bitterness and vindictive hostility between
| the northern Know -nothings and their southern
brothers. IL will satisfy you that the fcud is
! irreconcilable, and that any truce that may be
made is made only fer the miserable motive Of at
tanning power and the spoils Of office. Witness
the long struggle-the reluctant concession of a
halfway national PLATFORM followed instantly by
an indignant secession and Reputation by more
| than half the northern States; witness, again. the
| fact that the States whose delegates ratified this
miserable platform (this hollow trap for the
South, have either repudiated the platform in
their State councils, or prepared to make union,
and put forward candidates by fusion of parties,
and of course have put forward such as will suit
/ the free-soil party.
Look, again. at the northern material Of that
/ Philadelphia convention, and defy them 10 show
! FIVE men, or even one in from the northern
States, whose acts and and speeches, if they
| have any OF record, do not prove them 10 be free
sellers.
! These are the you invited by honorable
| southern men 10 trust, 10 unite with, 10 rely
| upon as brothers, and all you guaranty for them
| is past life Of hostility TO you, and a present
| wishy -washy platform, which has already been
| repudated by nearly every northern State if not
/ absolutely eUery one.
Ought southern men, wings or democrats, TO be
1 deceived, beguiled and defrauded thus by few
| reckless and INSCRIPTIONS men in the face Of
/ these palpabe facts
| Should they repudiate democrats of the North
who have ever defended our constitutional rights
| with success, and unite on the faith of platform
| already repudiated by every important State,
| beginning with Pennsylvania; unite with those
who ever have been the foes of the South, and
acho aoW not stoop to deeeive them about but
| who trust 10 find their willing tools at the South,
who will stoop TO that task for office and place!
If majority of the South will do it, our destiny
| is sealed We first aid 10 destroy our natural
| friends, and then fall ourselves with our
| rights, our property, our social relations,
| hopes. and The existence of the States in which
we live, for we must leave them if submit
| But have little fear of the result; the southern
| party the democratic party, will triumph proudly
| over this tahess conspiracy.
| No. When you have entombed the last north
| ern democr t you have destroyed the last north
| ern defender Of your constitutional rights When
this is done, the North stands solid phalanx; the
| Constitution cannot resist their overwhelming Ea-
Jority, and nothing is left but Submission cticion
Of slaoery, eqmafy Of whtea and 6hack, dissolution
o/ths Union
/ IF the dissolution Of the Union is the object of
| know-nothngs, they pursue the right course
| now, (though part of their oath is to oppose
| disunionists,) for they contributing rapidly to
destroy the Northern Democracy, the last refuge
of the Constitution. When then are dead wo
shall be called to arms, to rally around that Con-
| stitution, and amidst battle, BLOOD and carnage,
we may carry it away with US, bot we can never
re-establish it.
| In the language Of Mr.. Benjamin, every day
/ adds 10 the proof that, far the North is
| concerned the whole strength OF the party rests
| on two bases--one of violent hostility 10 the
| South. the other OF bigoted intolerance towards
Catholics. put il 10 you a candid men if the
northern Know nothines were 10 refuse admission
| into their lodges OF enemies 10 the South, and all
/ unwilling 10 extend equal political rights 10
Catholics, how many members afthe party would
| remain rot enough 10 carry a constable's elec-
| ton in any ward or district in northern State.
/ very little reflection, ii seems TO me, would
| deter any man not an otlice.seeker from Joining
lodge, aside from those higher considerations Of
| allegiance and devotion owe the South lfyou
| are sworn IN one, you sworn in FIR life
| 10 do the bidding Of this party Of men right
| or wrong and 10 obey the orders Of certain
| officers whether you approve not II is an
| oath OF the most solemn and awful character.
| without limit OF circumstance, and without mean
| or exception by which even your withdrawal
| may relieve you from the oath.
If you approve all the objects held out 10 induce
| you 10 Join, recollect that the only legal way 10
attain those objects Is by elecng men 10 do il
| over those who may oppose it, Every election,
| " the law of the land, is open and public You
| can we'll vote for the man without being a
| now-Notbiug as with il. Then why bind YOUR,
self TO do il and do il always for lif, whether
| you approve il not. This consideration, il
| seems 10 me, ought 10 be sufficient TO drive every
rational man fromthe Know-Nothing lodge except
| one who JOINS II TO get himself promoted 10 office.
| or for some sinister motive.
| You can prescribe the foreigner and the Calho.
lie az well outside OF the order, by your vote. "a
| inside OF it, To resist Catholicism is the induce
| ment in Arkansas but is not so in Louisiana and
| South Carolina; there il is the foreign born The
order is subservient wherever W e find H. II submits
TO circumstances cheeriully upon all points Il only
| asks majority, and power, and office. and plum
der. In Wisconsin il denounces the Catholics,
but defends and adopts The foreign.
| At the South, liz members have n horror OF and
| deadly hostility 10, abolition and iree-soiIlsm. AT
the North, the lodges are composed of no other
Sort Whst too IS surprising. is that by their
/ oaths they are sworn 10 vote against well as 10
/ turn out OF office, every not member OF the
order-Proieslants well as Catholics natives
| a. well naturalized. They are the most pro-
/ scriptive party formed in America vet they
complain bitterly. and denounce democrats If any
| one Of them = removed, and threaten what they
| will do. These complaints are hypocrilica aud
threats are empty, for they have sworn 10 pro.
scribe, and should expect prescription they have
sworn they will probsribe all not in their order
and they VIII do n, whether prescribed or not.
So II i useless for democrats spare them. They
assault all mankind, and become indignant IL il be
resented.
They deny that they are the old wing parry;
yet they composed Of little else than wings
and 10 sustain their denial they seldom swear In
a prominent democrat, but they put him forward
as proof OF the fact 10 u.e him 10 break down The
democratic party, making Of him stool pigeon
wIrh which 10 ensDare his former friends; and
yet more strange, whilst the old wings stand back
and ENJOY the success Of the stratagem the
deluded instrument, with fatiered vanity is proud
OF his position, and rejoices in his insubslantial
honors and fancied portance
The length of this letter admonishes me that !
should close; and will do 50 with The hope that
every true southern mau, Of whatever party. will
scan this order closely, aud the conviction, IL he
does, that he will forever oppose and resist H.
have the honor TO be- gentlemen, with sent.
mepis Of the highest respect, your obedicnl
servant, r. w JOHNSON
To Hon. f. A. Warren, G. III Thorn, and others,
committee