The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1855-09-12

Gen. Cas- on Know-N0thinglsm,

POWER OF CONGRESS OVER THE
TERRITORIES. Fl
Below will be found letter from Cen
Cass. defining iplly snd elesf9 his views
upon Know Nolhingisun and TIE PewsF q
Congiess oyer the Territories: I
Depot. Aug. p, 1855.
TO the Editors of the Free Press:
s1R-The public journals contain letter
dated yuly 2 u. written BY SAN Houston.
which has Just mel my eye, aud IN which
he says be perceiyes, By be papers Of the
day. Il :: Gen, ,c~ss has approved of the
platform Of the American order, as pro |
claimed 70 The yoIJ by the convention at
Philadelphia I bad observed tlhs state
menls 70 which General Hous on alludes,
and had let them pass unnqliced, for il wo'd
be hopeless task to en- ieavdr TO correct
all tae nisaPprehensions and misrepresenta-
tons to which il is my lot. as well as that
CT al. otter public men, y be exposed in4
these days Of party strife. And, indeed,
could not suppose that such assertions
would deceive apy one who had read py
remarks 10 tina Ssnate Of the USitef States. 4
on the 5th Of February last, upon the pre-
sentation ofihe resolutions Of the LegiSlas
ture of Michigan. ipstrqcting the Senators
OF that State TO vote for au act Of Congress
prohibiting the Iptreduetion sf slavery into
the Iergitories of she United States. Up
en- that oeeaFou, whiIe declining to .cem-
ply with these ius4 uetions, took the op,
poitunity to express my sentiments in re-
lation to the new political movement, which
sought to acquire and exercise power by Sc,
eret Combinations, bound together by the
sanctions Of an oath. which, it is said, made
il the duty Of i!s members to surrender their
individual Yconyictions tq the expressed will
of a majority Of their associates then
observed:--"S Strange doctrines are abroad
and strange organizations are employed to
promulgate and fpforce her3. Our poljp-
cal history contains no such chapter in the
progress of our country, as that which is
nav opening. The questions cf coustitu-
tiopalsty and policy, whieh have been So
long the battle-ery Of parties. are conternp
tuopsly rejected, and intolerance, religious
and polite j, find jealous, and it may be
they will prove successful advocates in the
middle Of the pineteenth century, boastng
with much self cqmplaeency Of its i4telli
gence, and in this free cogntry, founded up
on immigration and grown prosperous and
powerful by toleration. y y y Y
We vapt no new parties, nonew platforms,
no neE organizations, and the sooner these
dangerous efforts are abandoned the better
j, wilib for US and for those who are to
follow us in THIS heritage of freedom"
might we'll suppose, after the express
sion Of these views upon the floor of the
Senate, and under circumstances Of peculiar
responsibility, that any further action on my
part would be unnecessary to prove my
consistency, as disciple Of the school o.
Washington, and jefferson, and Madison
snd jackson, in the rejection Of a dangerous
innovation. inconsistent with all the prips
pies those patriots taught. and which, il
effect. aims to transfer the great political
duty Of an American citizen from the light
Of day, where il should be exercised in this
land oi freedom, teseeret conelayes, az IN
Fri ,ndly TO calm investigation. as to wis
and patriotic decision. But the extract
from the let.er Of General Houston hai
shown ne chat these reports have receives
nqore eredit than Ihaa believed. and this
Consideration has induced me thus publicly
20 notice and u con iadict them. MY opin
ions indeed, upon any subject, are but Q
little consequence, except tonnyself, but,
they are worth referring to, they are worth
lhe trouble q Hakipg The reference a true
ONE. @
have no sympathy with this plan Of po
|itical organization none whategeF neith-
RI with the means it employs, nor the oh
)ects il seeks 70 attain.--It secresy, it
9at4-hoan.as blgatioRs, its control Of th
ballot boy, its system Qf PR seriptiop, stri
king bath at poiGcal rights and religious
duties, and its ineyitable tendency to arra,
qne portion Of the community against an
q her. and 70 carry deadly feuds into eyer
corner Of ihe land. Of which We haEe jus
hada terrible prool, writteu in character
af blood. and are doomed to have man1
more. l this movement soesqns fer this il
but the irst installnenta af death, and hoz
mn1y others ARE TO foilog. and 10 what ex
trnf. and when is the last to be paid ane
ates whet lameptable sicissitpdes. io know
pnlyto Film yho fqFesees events and car
eonIroi thernr-these charaeterislics mark i
rs the most dangerous scheme which hal
ryeI been intrpdaeed INCUR eqaHHy TO reg
iiials its pqblic action itg social condi
pom Etisihe 0fangeiem of republic
scarcely better in principle than its monar
ehial protolype--of arspublie whose free
iom and equaltg Justify a. little as they In
si;e The i1tfo4acsipn ofs machinery who's
operation II concealed from public obseTva
ion. but whose consequences are ~ cleaI
A. they Sie alarmipgst