Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-06-14
LETTER FROM JUDGE IoNGsTREET.

"A D..
dent of the Mississippi University, at Oxford, NIL
is known by reputation to many Of onr readers-
He was for many years aJudge in Georgia. He
Afterwards became a Methodist preacher, and
was CONSPICUOUS as one Of the first pulpit orators
Of lbe South He is siil Methodist preacher, al
theaeh filing the position Of President of the Uni
ysrsity of Mississippi
President LoEGsTREET has lately written letter
on the subject of know-nothingsm Tie letter
was drawn out by the course Of the Eagle a,sd E.-
3irer, published at Memphis, in this State, WHICH
had charged that the University Of Mississippi was
z political nursery, and attacked President LoNG
STREET for preaching against know-nothineism.-
The President defends the University and himself
the letter referred with trarscendent eloquence
and carries the war into the know-no.hing camp
with an energy and force which is absolutely ter
rible. After setting old score with the Eagle
ond Eaqarer, lee takes Up lis last charge preach
ing against know-no,hingsin, and deals that paper
aud its :nlorlnaIts most summary justice.
We commend The extract from his letter to our
readers not only as summing up the leading OBJ
actions to know-notiingisul, but as specimen of
powerful writilg which has not been equalIed by
any thing which the present Issues have ELECTED.
President LoNCsTREET says: e
Governor Foote, referring to 1850 and 10 subse-
event events, was shocked, and saw in it the
loss Of at least fifty students to tie University
one Of my best friends ia the Board OF Trustees
was wounded,--bot blood was manifested all
around me- and the Memphis Etgle 10 sooner saw
that disturbing its nursing (the College, in
this way, than it made stoop upon me Of awful
portent Foote grew calm, my friends wound
soon healed over out the rage OF the Eagle il seems
can never be appeased. No gosling editor, 10
yelled abolition knight of the goose qaill, no bat
iron the Order, no muck worm from the slaugh-
fer-pen Of character, attack me or creep on
me, but here is the Eagle in fast fellowship with
The anneyer TO be sure it is too young as vet
10 do more than scratch and did rot some people
believe it to be the full iedged bird Of Jove and
respect it accordingly, | would let it scratch ou:
but for the sake of sueh and yet more for The sake
of truth and comfy, will give it notice that may
be of service to it and its colleagues
The State of Tennessee gives us clever patron
age; and therefore tor rather the patrons-have
? right to be heard, and will be respectfully and
thankfully heard, in any matter which touches the
interest of the College. But this eternav agrees
sive sheet, which, with the emblem OF liberty at
its mast head, is ever making piratical ncursons
into our State, and firing into our most sacred
structures in the mere wontoness of mischief
90 the College2 By what authority does il SET at
defiance all the rules Of comfy decency and pro-
prety, which prevail anlorg ct'z ms OF different
States2 In all fairness, no man should assa anoth-
er in a matter involving character, private or Of
fclal, upon vague rumoT who absolved the Press
from the obigationI The obligation is ten fold
stronger, where the assslant and the assailed have
10 common interests, and live under different gov
ernments. By the ethics of the world, age is en-
titled to respect, and dotage to pity but the hedg-
lings of the Etgle and Enquirer, seem to regard
them crimes and hold them up TO public con-
demnationl And this they Do nnon no hstitlFoss-
nothingsml ra
Well young men-sl Of you who have forced
me before the pubc-I hope when you shall heve
numbered your three score and four years. YOU
viii find that the press reVeres age and enccuraoes
the youEg TO do the like. You viii then have en-
j3Yed the pleasure Of Fudeness to 1t in yonih with
ust its pain in the evening of life
In July last | bad just heard of new organizs-
ton in the country-secret in its movements. and
going under the name of know-nothipgs Its
principles, understood TO be, opposition TO Cath
ulcs and Foreigners, 10 be planned in the dark
strengthened by oaths and manifested at the ballot
box. 1t filed me with alarms
/ saw in IT the elements Of rapid expansion and
awful explosion. | exhibited them to the class
that graduated in that month, aud forewarned
them TO have nothing TO do with it. Hsd | been
inspired l could hardly have loreshaiowea its
history more accurately then did or nv prfd die
ton nothing remains 10 be fulfilled, but the out
pouring of more blood My forecast in relation 70
IL, ought TO ensure respect for my judgment in and
about Oxford st least but it is that very forecast
which is raising buzz of discomfort against NE in
this vicinity now This is the sin which brought
oui against me the reconcile Presses which have
naulel above Il is called 'doJ51n7 in politics :"
hut its true name IS " JapalqtaJle, Ti4stad Tbisis
the SIN for which am soon perchRnce to be sacI-
Iced. They that stoned the Prophets of old ara
vet alive, and why should expect a better fate
than theirs? Well, Go not know that better
use could be made Of my old carcass. than the !
Offering Of it IN on the altar Of this Amercqa !
Baal An incense might arise from it that would |
10 more to purify The Church and the State from
this modern abomnatioa, than any thing which /
can eInanate from my poor frost covered brain.
The public he's nov the sum total Of my political
sing public and private. / shall speak a. iarc, of
the new order, in an appeal to my Church at some
future day, if ] may be allowed to do so. am
committed against it, and shall oppose it for ever
not in the class room. but every where ese--uot
as pertisar but as aCbrs;ian. This the par,ops /
Of the University should anow. For al the hon
ors and emoluments ofearth. could not be induced
10 assume position Of neutrality in regard 10 it.
IF all experience be not ialsehood, and shistory
fable, it will throw this country into ceaseless
commissions, if it b. not crushed and that speedily
In my view, every man who hiss scTuple's III
fnence, should rise against it--now-immediateIv.
ere it be forever too late Indeed it allows no nej-
irali,y. With all its prof=sscd Amercansm, it
assumes an absolute Dictatorship 1t will allow
! o man to question lis purity or its policy II gath
ers within its pale men of dignity, talent and piety
preachers and teachers, and with them, the most
Genyaved, abandoned, desperate, God-defying sin
ners upon earth; binds them by oaths ia the bonds
Of fellowship and SETS them all to work in politics
and nothing but politics. find a christian brother
among them--I read to him II Cor, VI. II and on,
and implore him TO come out from such corneC- .
IONS: and it addresses me 10 tones Of despoGc au-
hority in this wise: "Sr, my name is p jlcs-you
ne a Clergyman. aud C'ergymen should have moth !.
no TO DO with Po1iticSt' Fright" cries r5v BROTH
r. Goldman you'll ruin yourself ii you NEEDLE with !
.oliticsl' say TO him your oaths against the -
avs of God and your Church Sir itIesponds
do you thus denouuce the pioUs Of my order
lave you no respect for the Church your placer"
denounce the sinners Of the bard, and the SANS
prove me. | reprove the SAINTS aud the sinners +,
enounce mel The Saint shields the sinner, and y
e einuer the Saint If such combination is u
u erotch to make the Church and State both N
,udder | know not what would. q
I'm me the neU Order bears with infalara HE |