Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-06-22
From the Georgia Con.t'tut'onhlet.l
Er7ER FROM THE HON. a. Is. LONG

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$50 votes.- Alerandr'" G";""'
-
FRAN the Georgia Con.nutloEhistI
I ETTER FROM THE HON. a. Is. LONG
STREET, ON KNOW-SOTHlNGlSM.
w. find IN the last number of the Nashville Union
aid American, a letter Oh tins absorbing question,
from, mis- Distinguished native Georgian, now Presi-
J,nt nj the University Of Mississippi. The name of
Anuustu. B Long,tree is endcnrcd 10 the people of
Georgia bv many ties in the history of the past Ii
is a name which were taught Ia revere IN early
vou,h as synonymous with all that was bold and fcar
,ss in the character OF the advocate, with all TINT
was pareul und dgnitcd in the sage instructor, and
with all that was pure and honest and upright i'll the
minister of the gospel The old men of Georgia have
been accustomed to love him us brother; the young
men, scattered throughout the State, who, from his
ps havo heard the lessons of WISDOM continue TO re-
we're him as father. There is 10 man in Georgia
who will dare stand up and say that A. H. Longstreet
speaks from impure motives. The indignant fr"wns
OF honest people would paralyse the sacrllegious
effort. Judge Lonsstrect has been forced from his
retirement 10 come out and speak upon this question;
but having out, he has met tho issue with tat
boldness and honesty which characcrzcS the nali.-
lie speaks 10 the people in the voice OF warning WIS
dom, and tells them TO beware ot an organization,
which must lead to religious Intolerance ana pefseca-
ton.
Tho circumstances which led TO the publication OF
this letter, arose from attack made upon the Judge
Uv the Memphis Eagle nEd Enquirer chargin. him
with preaching anti-Know- Nothing doctrines.
After alludlng to the editors OF that paper, who
have assailed him as the head of the Mississippi Uni
versity, he proceeds to condemn the Order IN the
terms to be found in the extracts below Let
every Georgian read them carefully ana ponder
over them WE'LL whether lie bc know-Nohns or an
Nothing.
ain July last had Just heard of new organization
in the cuuntry-srcret i'll its movements, aud gong
under the name knUw-NOthings. It's principles, l
understood III be, opposition 10 Catholics ana i"r'lg
o.. .lnri
and manifested ut the ballot-boX II nilci mo with
ulurIns.
saw in it the elements OF rapid expansion and aw
ul explosion. exhibited them to the class THAI grad
uated in that month, and iVrewarncd them tn have
nothing To do with it. Had been inspired, | could
hardly huvc foreshaowed its history mare accurately
than did. OF my prediction, nothing remains I" be-
fulfilled but the outpOuring Ut more blood. My fore
cast i'll relation TO ought to ensure respect or my
Judgment in and about Oxford lrn, but it is that
very forecast which is raising buzz Of discomfort
against me in this vicinity now 1his il the sin which
brought out against me the reconcile presses which
have named above. 1t is called "dtbb"G m i'olcs;
but its true name is "Unpdlat0Wc TrU'h." This il
the sin for which am soon, pcrchancc, TO be sucri
feed. They that stoned the prophets Of old are yet
alive aud why should | expect 4 better ia'e than
theirs! Well, do not know that better use could
he made of my old clrcass, tlan the offering at 1t up
OH the altar of this ImrTicGa }aal An incense would
ur>c from i, that would do mare purify tlim Church
ani the State from this modern denominations, than
amy thing which can cmanae from my poor ir"St-
covered brain. The public has HOW the Sum tn,a "'
my political sins, public and private. shall speak
at large OF the nuw order i'll an appeal I" my Church
al future day. if | mny he allowed {" 1t" s." |
committed against H. and shall oppose 1t i'Trv-
ur-lut i'll the sass-rnOn, but every whctr rl-'-n"t
partisan, but Ia CllrIstla lhS Inc patrons oil
the University should know For all the honnrs and
emoulnents of earth ] could not be induced tn "a.
sume position of neutrality in regard t" It, II all
experience be not falsehood, and all history fable,
il will throw this country into ccasclcss COMMISSIONS,
if it be not crushed, and that speedily
In my view, every man who has II scrupl"s ihiiu-
encc should ris8 against it-unw-immciIatGv ere 1t
be forever too late. Indeed it allows II" neutrality
With all lis protested Ancricanlsn, II naSiuIes an
absolute dictatorship. IL will allow no man IA qucs-
tnn its purity or liz policy. Ii TaIu"ri within ns
palc men OF dignity talent aud rety, preachers aud
teachers and with them, the most dciravcd n'a:!-
doncd, desperate, Gnd.dcying sinners upon earth;
binds them by oatls in the bonds OF fellowship and
them all at work in poit!cs and nothing but
i,tscS. | find christian brother among hcm-l rad
To him III Cor, vi. III aud on, and l lnplnrc hun To
come out from such connections; and it addresses mo
III tones of despotc authority IN this wise: Sr, my
name is PoiticS-yOu nrc a Clergyman and Clergy
men should have nothing TO d, with PoI;tic,!'-
Fright" cries my brother, 'od nan you'll ruin your
self II you nedde with politics." say to him "your
uaths are against the laws of God and your Church.
Sir it responds, edo you thus dcnounce tho plos
nj my or,rr-havc You Respect for the thuch III
your pacc! dcnuumcr ill.,: SINNERS uf the band and
this Saints rcpr0ve me- rcpr"ve the SAINTS and the
sinners denounce me. The Saint shields The sinner,
and the sinner the Saint. II such 4 combination Is
not enough tu make the Church and State both shuG
der, know not what would.
On me the Order bears with intocrable pres
sure. 1t rises before me like the ghost OF anIuo ut
ny every step i'll the pathway OF duty.
am prcackcr: II preach upon the sancity ri
ous. il regards itself iusuIted aud attack. ac-
eurdugly. Ii preach to christians to come cut from
tho wicked, it insults Inc for aSsning know.Noih-
ugs. If preach TINT the love OF Christ is not bound-
cd by State lines, it charges with attacking the ar
ticlcuf its creed against foreigners.
/ am Il teuchcr: II teach that unlawful promises
are not binding, shall be charged with ustiiying the
exposure OF kmowNOthing secrets. ii set the les.
son TO my pupils wherein j. Is. Say says that every
accession of Il mdu to a country Is III accession ui
treasure, ain IL be published to the wuri'l a. Imd"c-
trulting my pupils IN autI-know ~ othing politics.
40 am ever 10 be sored 10y ihs young mad bull,
ind rs we'll take ii by the horns at Let c ~
der keep il. hands of NE, the Church. and the Ioi-
siiution. and will never disturb it,
~ word to the good people Of Mississippi and
have done. You have University of which yam
may justly feel proud. For harmony and kindly
feeling. among the Faculty, for good order, good mo-
rails genelnanly dsmeanor, study and progress
among the students, and for ardent attachment be-
tween prcceptors and pupils, you ncy teGrl=ssly cll
lenge comparison with any other Kindred imstIti-
ton in the world. For lis NE, it has not lis equal III
these respects il stands at the head "f 3 out ri lis
Colleges IN the United States; aud OF those above IT,
u large majority are over fOriy years older than Itself
aud three over one hundred years older. And this
rank It has attained through more adverse fortunes
than probably ever besc Institution before. Fvar
not isIu; il will be school ul politics. Your
sos graduate in politics before they come t" tie L
vcrsity.
1t is now in its palniest days. and this y"u see is
on. of the objects of Kncw-No thing vaTdniism. 1t
hus alrcudy fear, thrown fire. brand into liz pence
iul halls. appeal to you TO come IL the re-cuc-
Rise UP as one against II, when u iENadcs the
sanctuary of literature, Instead OF requiring Your Iro
esSUrs To kncel III ifs presence. 0"' sure ''S a'e
yet more than ten M0usoHd Christians Ill aud about
tho State rho hare not get bored khr E"ec 10 bnHf-
call them to ito help! Honest yeomanry, ant farm
ers OF tho land who always mcur right; ah'i WHICH
not deceived, will always do right come fe 10 lis sue
cor. Honest, volunteering Know NotmngS' VINO III
u lhougItloss mOmont havG been drawn mic tli' Ut
DER come out of it, and rally to tho support o! your
University. regret having been constrained To an
attitude which may, perchauce, Iyurc the lniIerSy
for II time: bat be The fault on the hcni "i NhoW
N0thincs, not mine. Look at their fruits already
scattered through tn. land, and surely yau will ap
prove of my opposition to it. II you do not, your
children will. "ly their fruits shall yc know them
What urc theyl Most desperate nnI dangerous aS,
ta,inn--C Churches rending neutrality-suspicious. ana
horks at variance-Christians losing all confidence
in each o;hcr-Saints and Sinners i'll close cnbrnce-
Preachers Of the same church getting Lul hall con-
srcgaIions and half superior looking on APPROX
inclt, while another is ubuscd-Tcachers lettering
their pupils in midnight clucs friendship scver;ng
-raso taking thu place of lovc-ialhcr against SOIL
brother against brother. These things now Are: and
they proclaim, trumpct-tongued, what IL coming,
il the monster be not crushed at once. And all for
whatl In honest truth, get in the 0t; md get out
the ;ss This is the true object of the order WELL
it must take It's course till reason resumes her seal
Nations, like men. mad at times AMI nothing
but time aud Glood-laitng can cure them. still while
there is hope all good mcI should strive IL relieve
thom. Nv course is taken--cn.ctnlly, thnughtfuy
taken. | ain no Catholic. Pit Nchodism aud Re-
mauism on the field OF fair argument ana will stake
M all upon the issue but am M" snrl, a coward
rs "a Zee the field of honorable warfare, lpr savage
ambush fighting or ouch fool as TO believe, that
mans religion is to be reformed by hnrassing his
ncrson MIR am [ quite 50 blind rs not IL Sec that