The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1855-06-22

| from office they more prescribe them than you
do in voting agains, Wings?
A-Yes, but the falIacy of this reasoning is ap.
| parent. Catholics ard naturazcd citizens have
as much right, according TO the Constitution, TO
hold office and to as natives and Protesan,s
have. No Know Nothing will deny this. Wings
and Democrats, as such. have no Constitutional
right to vote or to hold office; the Constitution
knows no such classes parties. All cir,zcns
have right TO vote and to hold Uffice; but we do
not vote against citizens, but against Wings or
Democrats; that Is We do not vote against a man
because he is citizen, but. BECAUSE beng citi.
zen, he holds political principles which WE dsap.
prove. Surely this is not prescription, but mere
~ the exercise of The privileges which the people
have, untIer tie Constitution, of CARRYING ou
their views Of government. But when we vote
against man because he is a CaihoIic or because
he is Protestant, we erect standard. of quaIIf-
cation higher than the Constitution for that in.
srument expressly provides that religious test
shall ever ne required for office. We thus, while
We pretend to maintain the liberation estabs he'd
in the Constitution, make it practically nun and
void at the polls. Certainly every citizen has the
physical power OF voting t" prescribe either Cath.
ocs or Pro'esranrs; but the Know Nothing who
proposes to prescribe The Catholic, and who has
taken an oath SO to do. and also oath to sup
port and to be governed by the Constitution, must
tie Othpr?
Q-1hat, admit. appears TO be plain and rea-
sonabie. | have other questions to propound and
hope the conversation will be continued
A-Very WE'LL shall be happy to continue
The conversation, and 10 answer any question YOU
may put.
@ One word more: You have made certain
s'a'rmcnrs about Mr, Rayner; is he not now in
Philadelphia Iaborng tc thoroughly nationaIize the
Order?
A-Yes, he took his seat, suppose on Tues
day last, in the National Council, with such men
as NiIson, of Massachusetts, and Hale and Tuck
Of New Hampshire. If their credentials were
genuine, Mr. RayEer, il is TO be presumed, recog
nse0 them as brother Know Nothings and yet
such men, their past lives prove. would insli.
gate the slaves Of The South to raise upon and
murder their masters. Mr. Rayncr is a slave
hoId"r and doubt sincerely devots d 10 the rights
Of the South but in relying upon such men,
in attempting 10 make terms with them, he hopes
against hope. He is in the minority in that Coun-
eli !; and if q contest should arise in it touching
the question of slavery, he will be voted down,
and may be expelled. Yet he is bound, accord.
ing TO his oath Know Nothing, to submit TO
the action Of ma oriry of The Council, whatever
that action may be, or withdraw from the Order.
If he should agree to stand by the Union Of The
States under all circumstances, to ignore the
question oi slavery, leaving has Northern asSo.
ciates free TO ag,aTe it, as they have heretofore
done, in the halls of Congress, he vi" not be true.
in my opinion, the interests and The rights of
his Sale and if, the contrary, refusing thus
TO agree, he should withdraw from The order. he
will ihereby openly confess that !! is not national.
but sectional, and has failed t" accomplish for the
country wha; he promised it would accomplish.
Approval of, acquiescence in the 'compromise'
of 1850 the lest of both the last Wing and
\ IT.
will be imperIIled and the rights Of Norrh Caro-.
lima put IN Jeopardy, if any party which di~te-
CARDS and ignores this test shall obtain supreme
control.