The true Democrat., 1855-05-01
A True and Striking Picture.

The Washington Sentinel, says the Richmond Enquirer, publishes the following as being in substance the conclusion of Senator s. A. Dou- glas' powerful speech in this city. Our memo ry confirms the accuracy of the report. It is a happy and forcible application of an interesting lncidentto the a,ctI s,oearing done by the know nothings:
 In conclusion, my friends if any of you, under false allurements, have, at an unlucky hour entered the know nothing council and as- sumed its obligations, let me conjure you, as you revere the Constitution and love the Unon in- stantly to withdraw your allegiance from coun- Gil whose forms of proceeding and principles of political action are inconsistent with your para mount duty to your country. Let no false scruples in regard to the binding obligations of unlawful oaths-no timid dread of the resent ments of idle, illiberal, and unworthy asso- cates, impel you forward in line of conduct which your conciences cannot approve. Take warning from the fatal example of Herod as srecorded in the Holy Scriptures That monarch, we are told, in the plenitude of his power and his pride, at feast in honor of his birthday, became enamored with the charms and dancing of the daughter of his wife by her first husband. In the fullness of his heart, and the delirum of his passions, he said to the dam sel: Ask of me whatsoever you may choose, and 1t shall be given unto you, even to the ex- tent of one-half of my kingdom And as an evidence of his sincerity and devotion, he affirmed his promise by an oath as solemn and terrible as was ever administered in know nothing council.
 "The damsel, after consulting her mother said to Herod, 1 will that you give me, by and by, the head of John the Baptist in charger Herod was exceedingly sorry, for he feared and loved John, and knew him to be true and holy man.
 "'My oath! my oathn he exclaimed, and ill obedience to that unlawful oath he directed the executioner to bring the head of John the Bap- tist in charger, and give it to the damsel, who immediately presented it to her mother in atone ment of the mortal offence of having said that her marriage to the brother of her husband was unlawful. Let the example of Herod be a warning to all men how they violate their con- sciences in obedience to unlawful oaths. Are you prepared, my friends, at the bidding of know nothing council, to become the execution CTS of that great party with whose organza- tion you were born and whose principles you vndicate? Are you prepared to become the instruments of a secret cabal to bring in the heads of the democratic party in charger, and to present them to this dancing know nothing mistress, that she in turn may present them to her mother federalism, in atonement for the unavenged injuries which, in former days, the J efersonian democracy have inflicted upon her pride and honor? Better had it been for He rod, yea, thousand times better for his fame in this world and for his salvation in tho Ofher had he acted in obedience to his own conscience by recalling his unlawful oath, and preserving the life of the holy man whom he feared and loved! Better for you, yea, thousand fold better for your own reputation and honor, for your children and your country, that you should act in obedience to your own conscientious sense of justice and right-that you should instantly withdraw your allegiance from these know noth- ing councils and prove your fidelity to those principles for which you cherish a hereditary to that political organization whose triumphs constitute the chief renown of this glorious Old Dominion that gave you birth"