The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-09-19
NUMBER 27.

live in society and enjoy its protection
without incuring obligations to correspond
with the benefits which they receive The
world has a right to know whether those.
who live in it are for or against its trans
guilty. Society has the right to know
whether those whom it protects are it's
friends or its enemies. The church has
the right to know whether those who have
professed the religion of Christ are careful
to live according to his precepts. The
respectable man who, in these days per-
mits himself to be brought out as vouch-
er for Know Nothingism, what is he but
the endorser of its acts. and practices?
The remark of the Savior, "He that is not
with me, is against me-" is as true of this
as of any other cause; and no man who,
under existing circumstances, continues
his connection with the order, has right
to complain at appearing, in the sight of
God and man, an accomplice in its crimes.
Society, therefore, which has been in
formed that this or that gentleman of
wealth, social standing and respectability,
member of the Christian Church, or Min
lister of the Gospel, entered the Know No
thing order, has the right also to know
whether he has come out again. Many,
doubtless, have skunk out in silence, and
endeavored to satisfy their consciences by
that process. Others remain in, because
they are either ashamed or afraid to leave
and others again, closing their eyes and
ears against all that has been done and
proven to demonstrate the falsity of the
principles upon which the order, is con-
Istructed, and the wickedness of its prac-
tices, clothe themselves in garment of
bigotry and demand that the blessing Of
God shall descend upon cause that they
have dignifed with their countenance.
From all these, society has the right to
hear His position, his fellow men have
a right to know; and he who would shrink
from communicating to the world all that
is necessary in his social history for the
world to profit by, or take warning from
his example, is a moral coward, of little
value to his generation, however much he
may fatter himself upon the dignity Of his
lposition or assume to stand upon the ex-
: cellence of his character ssssyy
4 We hold that no man has the right to
consider himself a faithful member of sos
!, ciety who has, in any manner, by his own
act assumed obligations which he holds to,
be paramount to the laws of the land. He
who has taken a solemn oath that be win
not, ain any way, directly or indirectly, ex-
pose any of the secrets or objects of the or
DER" of Know Nothings, has put himself
, in position where, under circumstances
| easily to be imagined, he can neither act
, impartially as a judge, fairly as q juror,or
r tice of the land. To one party or the.
: other he must be perjured, and society has
!. the right to know, and from himself, which
5 obligation it is that he intends to obey,
S and which to contemn. Here it is that
Know Nothingism has placed itself in an-
tagonism to the primary bond of the social
system, and this is why it is that it is not
matter of Indifference to the public
whether or not, man has assumed its OBJ
t legations. Society has the rightto know,
t not merely by profession, but in the light
e of their acts, who are its friends and who.
= its enemies. & -A
E We do not hesitate, therefore nconclu-
, sion, to say that it is the duty of menswho
! would conseientiously perform their duty
: to society, to signalize their coming. out
S of the Know Nothing order. We will
t not believe that, at this moment, any can
f be ignorant of its tendencies and its offen-
e ses. The time to pretend such ignorance
! has gone by. Among men of. ordinary
0 intelligence, who mingle with the world,
b read the newspapers, or listen to the news
e of the day from the mouths of others, it
: cannot exist. Know Nothingism has writ
: ten its history in blood Murder has
G marched at its side, and conaagration
] roared at its heels-and these are. not
/, matters to be overlooked. When the
n homicide and the incendiary preside over
our destiny, or walk unpunished among
S us-when the perpetrators of ON outrage
upon the ballot box, done in the face of
4 hundreds cannot be discovered and bTo't
s to justice, it is too late for men to claim
: credit for their own ignorance. There is
o not man in the community who does not
S know enough, if he is honest, to convince
3 him, beyond the right to cavil, where lies
S his duty. Then let him come out, and By
S doing SO, in a public manner, atone to So
: ciety, in some measure, for the force of
: his bad example, ~
Did Not Like His Company.
Sixty-two Withdrawals from the Know
: Nothing order have occurred at Bayou Ma
; con, in Carol parish, Louisiana, The
: ). Baton Rouge Advocates correspondent
: is responsible for the following (;
"An amusing tale is told about q man
!, : out there who found himself in the wrong
: crowd, after joining K. n lodge. AE
= : ter being duly taken through he cast his
y eyes around and saw L. W. Watts He
II asked if 'AIr. Watts had anything to do
= = with the thing? oh yes, he is the head
: man.. Picking up his hat he left the
- ,,loco cor;n0 sTf Ton, Wet, L., H.,