The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1855-10-06
Gbs fslitisna 9suptrat.

LETTER FROM PRESIDENT LONG
STREET, TO THE METHODIST
| CHURCH SOUTH
Origin Of KnosO Nothingism--M pre;ud;
naI bearing upon The Wealth and Strcneth
Of the Country. - e'''
In my address to the Preachers of the
Methodist Church, have shown, that Il
all the foreigners who come to this coun.
try were both catholics and paupers and
that if they oil voted to man under the
dictation of the pope, still Know Nothing.
ism is not the remedy for these evils and
If it were, it is remedy with which Meth.
odist Preachers should have nothing to do.
Thus far have discussed the subject. nm.
der concessions, which confined me within
Q circle SO narrow, that its circumference
almost touched its centre. I am now tn
present it in its proper light; from whence
it will appear that no christian, no patriot
should attach himself to the "Amer;can
party" Hitherto I have not called il bv
that name; 1st, because that it is not its
baptismal name; and I'd, because it desig.
mates no attribute that belongs to It. But
as conciliation is my object, and the Know
Nothings are over sensitive at this moment.
l will compromise matters, and call It by
one name or the other, as may for the time
being, seem most appropriate for the occa.
sion. And here let me remark, once for
oil, that / know there are good men and
true attached to the American party; that
they Joined it from good motives, and with
the honest design Of promoting the inter-
est Of the country. To such, I can only
say, that whatever may be found in nv re.
marks that savors of bitterness, is not in.
tended for them. But for the Order-the
organization-its projectors, its mode Of
operation, and many Of its votaries, have
no respect, nor do they deserve any. OF
these shall speak according to nv estima,
ton Of their deserts. 1t is their privilege
to recriminate and if the good and virtuous
will stand aside from the conflict very well:
they will not be touched save BY implica.
tion, which at times, it will be impossible
to avoid. But if they will thrust them
selves into the contest, as some of them
have already done, they must share the fate
of their allies. l shall not withhold or a.
vert single shaft out of courtesy or kind
ness to them. OF all the parties ever con-
jured up in this land Of party legerdemain,
this is the only one that ever exacted
respect from its opponents, by reason Of
the wise and good that belonged to it--re.
spect, mean, such as would be due to these
men in the private circle. This is what the
Know Nothings demand; and that, too,
when they are begriming men whose char
acters have stood above reproof longer than
they have stood upon the face Of the earth.
While they are exacting so much, let them
extend little indulgence to one who veri.
ly believes that they are sapping the foun.
dations Of the Government-wh began to
write when one prediction of his concerning
it remained to be fulfilled; and who writes
now when it is entirely and lamentably full.
filed, who uttered his prediction, when the
party had not even q name-when he did
not believe there was o member of it with
in five hundred miles of the State of Mis-
sissippi, and when the wisest of five hun.
dred men who heard him, regarded it as lit.
tie more than Commencemen defamation.
The origin Of Know Nothingism seems
to be a mystery to every body. Even the
most erudite Of the order can shed no light
upon it. / think I can trace it to its cause,
if not to its author. Whether I be right
or wrong, our reflections will lead us to one
Of the most beautiful morals that was ever
addressed to self.ruling people.
1t was not until the year 1846 that Mas.
sachusetts abolitionism got completely be-
side itself. Up to this period it had been
held in check by the gravity, decency and
selfrespect of the more recently inoculated
Of its victims, and the yet remaining, but
fast decaying soundness Of public opinion
in that state. But in this and the succeed
ing year, it reached its grand climacteric,
and loomed out in all its hideous deformi.
ty. 1t threw off all decency, all selfres.
pect, all decorum, all patriotism, all regard
for public opinion, all principle. In Janu.
ary, ls47, there was grand meeting of
the Anti-slavery Society in Boston, headed
by President, twenty-six Vice Presidents,
Caroline Weston being one) two Secreta-
ries, one Auditor, and twelve counsellors-
three of them women, whose names for the
honor of the sex, and as being next in rank
10 Vice President Caroline Weston, will