The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1855-06-01
From the Democratic (Miss.) Flag.
haow Nothing Exposure
gnofhey @Iem6er Reaounces TIE .Hidnfght OaM
Bouad Organization Read his Letter.

siderable excitement has been produced IN the cOfn-
unty by the exposure OF an organization yeiept the
know-nothng party with its aliases OF s.stars and
stripes,n ssnaiive American, &c., &c., with which
exposure my name has been associated aud subjected
10 asperson by the Inscriptions OF the adherents of
that party. As an incumbent OF public oiiice-as
an asprant for promotion, and private cIttzen--I
feel II a duty owe 10 the public aud myself 10 give
brief history of my connection with the order, ana
nv for abandoning and exposing il publicly.
here beg leave 10 stale, however, that was not
the hrs lift the veil of secrecy, but having declar
ed 10 its members my absolute determination 10 do
so at what | conceived 10 be The proper time have
now disposition shrink from he responsibility,
nor from making this still more public exposure OF
an organization which ! had denounced TO ITS
befs early in the outset of my bastard
ly-corrupt IN lis aims, and hyPocritca IN It's pre-
tensions.
Sometime in July August OF last year, gentle
man, or, il YOU prefer, Yankee piano p.,lder--a
whis-iHtTodGced the order IN our town through Two
other gentenen and myself. ! was most solenniy
assured that it had NOT could have, the remoteSf
connexIon with either of the old partles--that its
principles would not clash with any political or reli-
sious sentiments heretofore entertained, provided
not myself Cathoitc-that the secrecy OF the
identity OF the Order, to which offered serious oh
ectio6S, merely policy for the protection OF
members from The violence eff Foreigners the cities
and that, when it should have attained Sufficient
numbers and importance Tor seltprotecton, the mask
was TO be dropped. With these, and many other
implicit confidence from curiosity. and uuwll-
Hgness TO condemn anything thus plaHsihly present.
ed, and which bad already attained degree of con-
sequence in The land, without some better grounds
for doing than had hitherto enjoyed. | IN
tnediaiely made president oi the council al this
place; presided over some three four meetings at
which many intiated-wmgs rushing INTO it
with great eagsrness; sometimes democrat
presented, which latter occasion line esRckte was
rather -suppres,ed.
4 bn
we'll calculated TO enlist the sympathy OF reli
gious Proiesant~ds seized upon for its availability
by the wing party al once, and has swept over the
country like wildfre-embraein at this time within
us pale the entire Whig party, with bat few soa-
ted exceptions, and considerable number OF the
democratic party, imposed upon by its pretexts aud
unsuspcious of lis aims in all about Twelve hundred
(in this coHnty) initiated, eight hundred OF hom
regarded by the leaders reliable In emergency
It is somewhat remarkable that among lis jealous
supporters are men who heretofore have been harIas
ed by dread from foreign political Influence aud
made their indifference 10 all religious creeds rather
a boast, but suddenly warmed into iervid
enthusiasm and serious apprehenslons for the safety
OF Our political and protestant Institutions abau-
doned in disgust; but with careful attention its
various modes and phases till The time Of It's recent
public exposure. | denounced II at best aiIoit
party wing trick, irand practced upoa myself and
other democrats under the gu!se OF religion and love
of country the desperate hone. they admit ed
of he Wing party in This State and country ! elt
that was presiding nHhallowed ceremonies at
the holocaust of the Democratic party the party of
the government the party OF Jefferson and i5e parl-
OF President, the party OF my early adoption and
support through life, over which / was called
upon 10 pronounce ''Amen - as choking to the Ut
terance : that OF Macbeth.
The obligation Of the order requires the candidate
for admission TO swear that he 4sw reveal none Of
the secrets, signs, grips words exc, OF the
der, and furthermore, 10 ''prorIsc and swear that
he will for tkc Of the k8on-8of5iDg lzry
f he conscieBtioHsly do If he cannot he teiH
not rate against him - and of ''ihp secfet>'
of the order, stthat you not 10 let II be known
that You are ,br that yon know Of any else be-
ing member Of this order; do you know that
such an order exists in your community. Bat hen
asked question IN reference 10 1t, YOU 10 say
That you @Ho'r tothi2g about II, glYe al least an
evasive answer" 1t may here be remarked that
the express direction OF the charge is to convey de-
Hberatey talse impression, 10 lie on the plea of
public polcy--a plea which IN this receives
patNatien In moral sense
When you wish 10 get f,iend TO join The order.
the precise mode Of enrapping is enionrd in SOL
charge. ssYou are first 10 ascertain his views
of the order. II he denounce it. yon drop the
subject for the time being. IL his view, are avora-
bic however, you are 10 express an anxiety yourself
TO learn something ruoFe about II, perhaps TO loin II,
il you thought you could discover their place Of
meetings that YOU have suspicion that such an
der may exist in the communtyi then propose that
yoa and be join together, and that w'll eudeaVor
TO ascertain their place Of meetlng," &c,. &c. The
unmanly dupIicity Of such conduct IN an order
contemplating great religious and political reform
needs comment.
The reasons which offer To the public for an in
fraction OF what the order claims 20 be sacred ob
CATION, and 10 which invite the attention Of my
cnSers, the following:
FIRST n obliga administered by the represent
tative officer OF incorporate body, IN this
case, is nu4aforv. Whatever the obligations Of Free
Masonry and Odd Fellowship may be, the are
not analogous. These corporate organizations,
operating under the sanction and seal OF The State
where they exist have chartered right 70 sue,
prosecute recover, &c; without which hrr obIiga-
ton, il they have such, would be nugatory. This
position no respectable jrrist will question.
Secondly. moral obligations the preservation of
which euIorces the commission OF moral wrong
(to create false impressiou--to lie, in krow-noth
ngisH) is void because every rational accountable
creature is under prior obligation TO his Creator 10 do
what he knows 10 be right or, to adopt the precise
language OF Pa!ey, whom none, dare say, question,
'Promses (or proml>sory oaths) not binding
where the performance is unlawful, even where the
unlawalness IS known to the parties al the time of
making them where assassin promises his en-
ployer 10 despatch his rival his enemy, servant
10 betTav his MASTER friend to assist IN scheme OF
seduction, &c, &c. The parties in these cases are
not obliged 10 perform what the promise requires
because they under prior obligation 10 the
tryl Their promise; their own act and deed. But
an obligation from which man discharge him
sell, by his own act, IS no obligation ar all. The
guilt, therefore Of such promises lies in the making.
not in the breaking of them and if, in the interval
between the promise and the performance, man
so far recover his reflection TO repent his engage
ments, he ought certainly TO break through them.'
Thirdly. Aside from the above reason, feel my
self absoved from the fathessness Of the reprrsen-
fation OF the designs OF the order from the imposition
of fraud upon myself and its members, in IT'S proving
TO be party trick, thereby cashng with my sspo-
litca sentiments and liberties; for, to quote from
the same authority again in point, when the promise
Cor promissory oath) is understood by the promise
proceed upon a certain supposition, or when the
promser apprehended 10 be understood, and that