The true Democrat., 1855-11-13
Letter from Y. B. FlournOy,

Alter an absence of some four months 1 am but just returned home Will you allow me the use of your most valuable paper, to re- ply to many invitations of democratic commit tees, and many private letters from friends in different portions of the State, which find here to my address. And after thanking my friends, for the very fattering tones, which they have thought fit to employ in urging my at tendance at their public meetings, for the pur- pose of contributing my mite to the discussions of the occossion, l wish to say to them, that absence alone prevented me the pleasure of a compliance with their wishes Had been at home, should most certainly have been with them. Not that have the vanity to believe, that l should have contributed more than the widows mite; but 1 regard it as a crisis-the death grappe perhaps, of this great republic, making 1t the duty of every patriot in the land to come forward with his mite. and stand hv the constitution, for one of the cheif pillars oc that gorious instrument, is attack ed and souobt to be trampIed in the dust by base appeal to what they know to be the religious preiudices
 
 must have been deat to the warning of history and dead to patriotism, else they never could for the sake of hoisting themselves into power have gotten up such all unholy crusade aga inst the freedom of conscience. and 10 make manifest theif want ol honesty and insincerity in this matter, and that they are only pandering to the sectanan bl9otry to promote their own political advancement, we have but to look to the fact, that wherever Catholicism is strono they rem dlate the Catholic plank in the platform, and openly pledge themselves that at the next grand council, the Catholic test shall be strick en out or they will repudiate the whole thing. Do not our people know, that in Catholic States they run Catholics for offices
 Their want of sincerity is equally manifest Tn their prescription of those whose great crime 1t IS to have been born on the other side of the waters
 When we reflect how short is the time, since no music was half so delightful to the ears of these same Know Nothing gentlemen, Gas the sweet German accent, and the rich Irish bro- gue,' can any one believe that their hue and cry against foreigners would ever have been heard in the quarter it is, had they have voted for their candidate. "Let the truth be told though the heavens fall"
 But then this is not the issue. The great issue, and paramount to everything else, is this abolition question. How do the Know No- things stand on that issue-are they national ? Why at the north they have not only repudia- ted the platform but tue whole thing itself out and out, anl have become thoroughly aboli- tlonized. Where are their triumphs Ifthey have elected to congress single individual, north of Mason's anl Dcksons line, out of some 13O members elected since th. Know No- thing organization, who is not an out and out aboltionlst, making war on the fugitive slave law, the kansas-N ebraska bill. and repeal of the Missouri Compromise so-called-I say if there is single northern Know Nothing eIec- ted to Congress who is not pledged to all these abominations, l am willing to stand convicted of falsehood before this people
 Well, as ths assertion looks so broad, and the penalty great, will amend by saving two, for some national Know Nothing north might have been elected that nobody south has ever heard of, and I now challenge any and every Know Nothing in Arkansas, to name the two, and if fail to prove them aboltion- lsts, will take the penalty.
 The doctrine of non- intervention, so iustlv regarded of vital importance to the south, Tor on I. hangs the whole doctrine of State sov- ereignty, regard as openly assailed by this American party. History and experience, alike prove that it is an absolute condition of the exis- tcnce of society, that one half the world must serve the other.
 In the South we prefer slave labor, it being the most consenial to our climate, and the on ly labor suitel to the production of the great staple. Whilstin the north white labor is pre- ferred, as best adapted to their climate and circumstances, and is as indispensable to them as black labor is tous.
 Now with what sort of consistency could a southern Know Nothing, say to his abolition brother oi the north-Slr, our institutions are our own private concern, with which you have nor can have anything to do; we insist on the doctrine of non-intcrvention. Could not the abolitlonlst reply with great justcc-Sir, the wrong you charge on me, is it not the identical wrong you are perpetrating on us are you not making war on our labor, as necessary to us. as your black labor; first cast the beam out of your own eye" First let our labor alone be- ,f
 own. donot see how the American party south is to evade the force of the argument
 Well sir, desire to do the American party south full justice; l believe they are antpodes to their northern brethern, on the slavery ques- ton, coming fully up to the democratic stand- ard so far as pro-slavery is concerned, which is the great and paramount issue. That being the case, and having common interest and com- mon destiny in this fight with aboitiomism, what manifestly becomes the duity of this south ern American party under the circumstances? '? With their party beaten and overthrown every where in the south, except Kentucky, ought they not as men and patriots forget old party animosities, disband at once their Know Noth- ing lodges, and for common cause, make con- mon fight, with the great democratic party against the common foe To do otherwise would be to give aid and comfort to the ene- my" Should they hold out and nominate candidates of their own, would not the effect be to weaken the great democratc-the only national party at this moment doing battle to the death, both north and south, in defence of our constitutiana al rights? That great party was never stronger or more imposing than at this moment; there is a moral grandeur before her never before equalled, for she has purified her. self, by sluffing off all those who were not de- mocrats from principle, and in their room, she has welcomed to our bosom, thousands of honest old line whigs, who preferred the country's pOod to indulgin1 and char;o b;po ,,,oI,,, ,;