Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-09-07
Erom III. netrnit Free Press.

defining fully and clearly his views upon know-No-
thingism and the power OF Congress over the terrl'
DETROIT, Aug. %, 1855.
To the Editor of the Detroit Free Press:
SIR The public journals contain letter dated
July Oath written by General Houston, which has
Just met my eye, in which he says he percelves by
The papers of the day, that " General Cass has ap
proved the platform of the American order, as pro-
claimed to the world by the convention at Phliadei
phia" had observed the statements to which Gen.
Houston aludes, and had let them pass unnotIced,
for would be hopeless task to endeaVor TO correct
all the msapprehensions and misrepresentation to
which it is my lot as we'll as that of all other public
men, TO be exposed in these days OF party strife
And indeed, could not suppose that SUCH assertions
would deceive any one who had heard or mad reaa
my remarks in the Senate Of the United States, on
the 5ih of February last, upon the presentation OF
the resolutions of the legislature of Michigan, ill.,
sructng the senators of that State to vote for an act
of Congress prohibiting the introduction OF slavery
into the Territories of the United States Upon that
occasion, while declining TO comply with those in
sructons, took the opportunity to express my SEN
timents in relation to the new political movement,
which sought to acquire and exercise power by Sc
cre combinations bound together by the sanction OF
an oath, which, it is said, made it the duty OF it's
members to surrender their individual convictions to
the expressed will of majority oil their associates
/ then observed Strange doctrines are abroad, and
strange organizations are employed to promulgate
and enforce them Our political history contains no
such chapter in the progress OF our country as that
which is now opening. The questions OF conStu-
! tionality and policy, Which have been so long the
battle.cry of parties, contemptuously rejected,
and intolerance, religious and POLITICAL finds jealous
and it may be they will prove successful, advocates
in this middle Of the nineteenth century, boastlng
with much self comp lacency of is intelligence, and
in this free country founded upon lmm grafton, and
grown prosperous and powerful by tolerations.-
\ We want no new parties, no new plat
forms, 70 new organizations and the sooner these
dangerous efforts abandoned, the be5ter will it be
for and for those who to follow lis in this her-
tage of freedOm.'
might we'll suppose, after the expression of these
views upon the floor of the Senate, and under cir
cumstances of peculiar responsibility that any FUR
Their action on my part would be unnecessary 10
prove my consistency disciple OF the school OF
Washington and Jefferson and Madison and Jackson.
in the rejection of dangerous innovation, inconss-
ent with all the principles those patriots taught and
which, in effect, aims to transfer the great political
duty of an American citizen from the light OF day,
where it should be exercised in this land of freedom,
to secret conclaves, untriendly TO calm nveslga-
ton as 10 wise and patriotic decision. But the ex
tract from the letter of Gen. Houston has shown me
that these reports have received more credit than
had believed and this consideration has induced me
thus publicly to notice and to contradict them. MY
opinions, indeed, upon any subject of but little
consequence, except to myself but it they are worth
referring to, they worth the trouble of making
! the reference a true one.
have no sympathy with this plan of political Or
ganizatlon.-none whatever; neither with the means
it employs nor the objects it seeks to attain Its
secresy lis oath bound obligations, lis control of the
ballotbox lis system of prescription, striking both
at political rights and religious duties, and its newt
able tendency to array portion OF the community
against another and TO carry deadly teuds Inlo every
corner of the land, of which have just had ter
rible proof written in characters of blood, and are
doomed to have many more, if this movement goes
onfor this is but the first nstalment of death. ard
how many others TO follow and to what extent,
and when the last is be paid, and after what la
menabIe vicissitudes is known only to Him who
foresees events and control them these charac-
teriscs mark it as the most dangerous scheme which
has ever been introduced into our country tc regu-
ate public it's social condition. II ia tho
| OYdngeSm of repubc-scarcel7 better in prlnCi-
pie than its monarchcal protOtype-of a republic
whose freedom and equality Justify little they
invite the introduction of machinery whose opera
ton is concealed from public observation, but whose
consequences clear as they alarming
! Gen. Houston gives credence to the report that
"approve the platform of the American ORDER pro-
claimed to the world by the convention at Phlladel-
phia.' | am aware that changes have been made
both i'll the name and in some of the principles of
this organization. But these changes do not
remove my objections to it. Its spirit of exclusion
and intolerance remains, and, with it, its evils and
lis dangers. 1t is book to which | cannot be recon-
ciled, whatever edition, whether the or the
old one, is offered me- There Isl indeed, one prin-
concurrence-and that is the declaration that =" Con-
gress ought not TO legslate upon the subec, OF Sla-
very within the territory OF the United States.
regret however, that the body which thus pronounced
against the exercise of the power did not also pro-
against its existence but carefully pretermited
I TO use its own words-the expression of any opin-
ion upon that point, Still approve its action upon
subject far it goes. 1t is step in the right di-
reclion and should rejoice 10 it followed by
cry political party in country. 1t is STEP too,
towards rIghtS-tblS ST.
ton the legislation of Congress tho internal
affairs of the people of the Territories, and among
others over the relation of master and servant,
that of husband and wife, parent and child for
these matters of domestic policy are SUBJ ects which
should be left to the territorial communities, and
divest them of the power to regulate them is act
of unmtigated despotsm The negaton of all pow
er of interference by Congress in the internal gov
eminent of the Territories is the true constitutional
doctrine. and the only safe and practicable one and
am rejolced that, after years OF opposition-o ohio
guy, indeed-it is fast establishing itself upon i'm
pregnabe grounds.
/ The misapprehensiOn which has prevailed upon
this grave subject is among the extraordinary
political events of my time. One would naturally
suppose that in this country the dogma of internal
government by an irresponsible Legislature over a
distant community, unrepresented in the ruling
body, would find but little favor, and that the power
10 establish and put in operation government might
we'll be defended, while the power to control all the
concerns OF human life would be left without an ad-
vocate. The difference is broad and practical, and
should be the dearer u.s. it the very consid.
GRAFTON urged by revolutionary fathers in their
| contest with the mother country, which began by
argument, but ended by arms. 1t was asserted as
early 1774, when the Continental Congress de-
clared that the English cooniss care entitled to free
I and EXCLUSIVE power of legislation in their provn-
cial legislatures where their right of representation
can alone be preserved, in all of taxation and in
ternal poilty, &c. In that great struggle the patr