Eastern times., 1855-04-05

was pledging principality of fortune, ne add
ed the words 'of Carrolton.' (Cheers.) He
was Catholic representative from Catholic
colony. "a voice tn the crowd, But he was
native born American.O
And. sir, before George Washington was
born, before Lafayette welded the sword, or
Charles Carroll the pen, for his country, six
hundred and forty years ago, on the 18th of
June, 1914, there was another scene enacted
on the face of the globe, when the general
character of all characters of freedom was
gained, when one mana man called Stephen
Langton-swore the barons of England for
the people, against the orders of the Pope and
against the power of the king-swore the bar
ons on the high altar of the Catholic church at
St. Edmundsbury, that they would have mag
ma charta or die for it. That charter which
secures to every one of you to-day, trial by
jury, freedom of the press, freedom Of the pen,
the confronting of witness with the accused,
and the opening of secret dungeons-that char
ter was obtained by Stephen Langton against
the Pope and against the King of England,
and if you Know Nothings don't know who
Stephen Langton was, you know nothing sure
enough. daughter and cheers.) He was
Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury. IRE
newed cheers.) l come here not 10 praise the
Catholics, but come here to acknowledge
historical truths, and to ask of Proiestants
what has heretofore been the pride and boast
OF Protestants- Tolerance of opinion in religious
faith (Applause.) All we ask is tolerance.
All we ask is, that If you hate the Catholics
because they have prescribed heretics, you
won't out-proscribe prescription. If you hate
the Catholics because they have nunneries and
monasteries, and Jesuitica secret orders, don't
out-J Jesuit the Jesuits by going into dark Ian
tern secret chambers to apply test oaths. If
you hate the Catholics because you say they
encourage the Mschiaveelian expediency of
telling lies sometimes, don't swear yourselves
not TO tell the truth. (Cheers.)
Here are your oaths-the oaths that bind
you, under no circumstances, to disclose who
you are, what you are, and that bind you not
only to political, but to social prescription
Here is your Book-your Bibie-which re-
quires you TO stick up your notice between
midnight and daybreak. (Laughter.) Idon't
object to secresy. am member of Sc
cret order, and | am proud to be brother Ma
son; cloud cheers,) and am at liberty by my
order to say, that as to its ends, its purposes,
its designs, Masonry has no secrets. Gre
newed cheering.) Its end, its purposes, its
aim is to make brotherhood of charity
amongst men. It's end is the end of Christian
law, of religion. | know not how any Mason
can be Know Nothing. Masonry binds its
members to respect and obey the laws of the
land in which we live; and when the Const-
tuition of the United States declares that no re-
ligious test shall be made a qualification for
office, Masonry dare not interpose by conspir-
ing, In secret association, to attempt to make
religious test qualification for Office
When Virginia has act of religious free
dom-an act that is no longer mere statute
law, but is now part of the organic law, and
which says that no man shall be burdened for
religious opinions sake-Masonry dare not
conspire TO burden any man for opinions
sake. Masonry has no secrets but the simple
tests by which it recognizes its brotherhood.
1t is bound to respect the law and to tolerate
differences of opinion in religion and politics.
do not complain of secresy, but | complain
of secresy for political objects. What is your
objectt 1t is to assail the Constitution of the
United States, to conspire to contradict the
Constitution and the laws of the land it is to
conspire against the Constitution and laws
and swear men by test oaths-the most odious
instruments of tyranny that intolerance and
prescription have ever devised.
1t is not only to prescribe Catholics and for
eigners, but it is to prescribe Protestants and
natives, too, who will not unite with you in
prescribing Catholics and foreigners. 1t is
further than that: 1t destroys all individuality
in the man. You bring in your novitiate !;
you swear him 10 do-what! To give up his
conscience, his Judgment, his will, to the judg-
ment and the conscience and the will of an as
socation of men who are not willing that 9th
ers should enslave themselves And to what
are they swornl They are sworn to passive
obedience, to non-resistance, to take the sign
and grip. Here is your organization. Hold
ing up document.) will not take time to
read it but l will state the fact that your
Grand Council of the United States is organ
lied by the appointment of thirteen men from
each State, a council of thirteen, an oligarchy
of thirteen from each State, who assemble out
side of the State to form the Grand Council of
the United States, with Mr.. Barker, of Wall
street, New York, as President. Power over
original Judgment, power of appeal-all pow
er-is connected in that National Council
And has it come to this
Has Virginia been so provincialized in this
Union that her sons will consent not to be
guided by their own individual wills, by their
own individual consciences, by their own in
dividual judgments, but consent to be sworn
by test oath, to take sign which comes
from outside the State, and which may be
passed to you from Mr.. Barker, of New York
When that is submitted to by the people of
Virginia, no longer call yourselves free,