The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1855-08-18

" Nt VTWCIteS ana VOceT O Me A1Olt
Nothing Order Of Connecticut, Founded q,
the Actual Experience Of Council No. LAT
Located IN Lyme.
UNANIMOUS ACTION IN Council.
Whereas the State Council of Know.
Nothines, at its recent session in Norwich
in the grossest violation Of its constitution
and laws, by which it processes to be gov.
erned, and contrary 10 every decision foun
ded upon evidence and justice, did revoke
the charter of this Council on the repre-.
sentation of the presidents of two other
councils in this town-Nos. 105 and 1OS;
that. a majority Of its members voted at the
spring election in accordance with the die.
tates oftheir own conscicnces, without fear
or favor of any man: Therefore,
Resolved, That we can regard the action
OF the State council, in thus revoking our
charter without even notifying us of such
intention in no other light than that of a
base and tyrannical usurpatiOn of power,
oppressive alike to us and every subordi.
nate council in the State. 1
Resolved, That the action has fully open.
ed our eyes to the manifest determination
OF the order to crush out both freedom of
speech and action on the part Of its mem.
bers; to utterly disregard its assurance and
obligations, professedly made in good faith,
whenever it shall best suit its secret dark
and unhallowed purposes; and henceforth
to regard no other law than that of passion.
ate impulse and arbitrary prescription,
which has ever been the last resort of those
powers only that have attempted to shield
the most gigantic wrongs under the danger.
GUS plea of necessity and absolute authority.
Resolved, That in our opinion, the time
has arrived for the alarm to be sounded in
the ears of the people of Connecticut, and
to inform them of the existence of a secret
order in their midst, which is striking q
blow in the dark against our institutions
of civil and religious liberty, and which,
if suffered to 60 on, will soon destroy all
we most prize most dear in religion, poll.
tics and morals. e.
Resolved, That we feel we should prove
false to our obligations to our God and our
country, if we were to keep silent at such a
time as this, and that we hereby set forth
to the people, the following exposition of
the order, and the objections which arise in
our minds to the principle of its organiza-
ton and action.
On our admission to this order we had
given to us the solemn pledge and assn.
rance that no obligations would be impo.
sed upon us which would conflict with those
we had already takcu, and owed to God,
our country, and our families. For the solo
reason that we acted as we were bound to
do under the constitution of the State, and
that we honestly complied with our sacred
obligations as electors, we were elected
from the order, anathemized as unworthy
of respect, undeservng Of any trust or con.
fidence in any business transactions, and as
deserving, only the scorn and reproach of
all good men. We were subjected to the
most fearful dcnunciations because we would
not surrender up to this most accursed of|
all despotisms our freedom of citizenship,
and degrade ourselves down to the igno.
minious servitude of wearing a mastiif 5
collar.
In view of all such things, what honest
man would contend that any obligations
which might be imposed by the order are
in the least binding or entitled to a mo-
ihCHp ICspcCb1 w HO WOulu UOG Talncr 90
one step further, and say that man is guilty
Of perjury in the highest degree who would
act with the order against his own solemn
We believe if the parent for such cause
disowns the offspring, the obligation to
keep secrets of such parent is forever alb.
solved and the light of day should be per,
mitted to penetrate into the dark recesses
Of this institution, SO worthless, and at the
same time SO dangerous and destructive to
the genius Of American institutions. It is
arrayed in warfare against the whole ma
,hinery ola republican government.
1t has enticed the people from their homes
in the still hours of darkness, and at it's nu.
merous places of meeting bound them to its
soul and fearful purposes by administering
the most horrid oaths with one hand res,
ing on the Bible, and the other raised to.
ward heaven to yield themselves unreserved-
y to the control of this secret power, and
,ven to deny to their families and the world
hat they hold connexion with the order
No person is permitted to hold an opinion
which has not the sanction of the selfcon.
III tuta1 mouth piaooc of tha n,,t,, WA, l.