Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-03

make our the land OF liberty and the asylum oil
the oppres sed OF every nation, have ever been
among the cardinal principles of the democratic
faith and that every attempt to abridge the
privilege OF becoming citizens and owners Of the
soil among us ought to be resisted in the same
spirit which, swept the alien and sedtion laws
from our st itute book.
Resoired, That we are hostile 10 secret political
societies in this land of political information and
free discussi on unnecessary and opposed to the
spirit of our institutions and dangerous TO the
perpetuity 0 our form of government, and that
we deem il more compatible with the manhood,
boldness anc integrity which should characterize
American c tizens, to meet in public for the dis
cusson of olir principles and to set forth our pur
poses and our measures for the public eye and for
public compr shension and Judgment.
Resolved, ] hat the unqualified hostility Of all
friends Of fre,a institutions should be visited upon
that spirit ofisectarian enmity which has been in
voked of late for partisan objects by designing
men in our mi DIST ; that we utterly oppose the
prescription from office or deprivation of civil
rights of any citizen on account of his religious
belief honestly entertained, and the enjoyment
Of which has been sacredly guaranteed 10 him
under our State and Federal Constitutions, and
that the man who will deliberately in this the
nineteenth century, and in these United States of
America, lend his voice or his vote for the build
ing up of political parties upon religious differ
ences, is unworthy Of the honor Of American
citizenship.
Resolved That we reiterate our opinion former
ly expressed, that to the course of the present
administration due all the disasters and defeats
which the democratic party has experienced for
the past two years that the administration has
insulted and outraged the great national sentiment
of the American people, and that the only safety
of the democracy and of the whole country now
lies in an unconditional reputation of the admin
istration in the nomination for President of the
next National Democratic Convention of some
sound national man well known to and confded
in by the country SUCH and in the adoption ola
platform which shall furnish further guarantees
of the rights and interests of every portion of the
Union, and which shall resist the aggressions Of
Northern sectionalism upon the rights of the
South and restore tranquility to the whole nation.
Resoiped, That we congratulate the democracy
OF Virginia upon their late victory the secret
and proscriptive array of their opponents, and
attribute their success to the absence of any en-
dorsement by them of the administration, the
contrary cause having produced the absolute
overthrow OF our party in other States in late
contests; and we recommend that in our own
State, with view to future successes, a repudia-
ton of the administration be insisted upon, by
which means and by union upon the true non
Intervention platform can consolidation ofdemo-
Gratis alone be secured, and triumph obtained
for cause.
Resolved, That among the acts passed at the last
session ofthe Legislature fthis State, and promi-
nent even in that long array of fanatical, ultra
and hypocrtical legislative experiments, we espe-
cially repudiate and denounce that attempt at
coercive and prohibitory legislation, the so-called
" act for the suppression of intemperance, com
monty known as the Maine law-that as an in
fringement upon constitutional guarantees, upon
doctrines of law as old as Rupnymede, and upon
every true principle of political justice and econo
my ; as a reckless and wicked trihng with lawful
property and vested rights absurd attempt
to prohibit what the Scriptures, and the practice
OF the wise and great and good of all ages, have
sanctioned an exhibition of narrow, malignant
and jealous bigotry and asceticms we stamp this
law as unparalleled and especially iniquitions
that we demand and expect It's repeal as legiti-
mate result OF the re-ascendancy of democratic
principles in the councils Of the State, and as n
reasonable consequence of that reaction against
fanaticism which such enactments, from the ex
tremity of their absurdity, invariably produce in
the public mind
Resoired, That the hypocritical course ofthe
faction hailing from that +" house of refuge" for
knavish politicians, Tammary Hall, and claiming
to be democratic, IN nominating four members of
the Know nothing orderfor prominent offices al
the last election, and in now pretending to be
opposed to the principles Of that order, can only
be equaled by the barefaced duplicty Of their act
on the prohibitory liquor law-two-thrds of the
members of that faction in the Senate of the State
having first voted for that law, and Tammany
Hall having subsequently passed resolutions
against the very act its representatives had aided
to communicative, by advocating both sides Of
these questions, and being true neither, hoping
to succeed with all upon the base principle so
often avowed by their leaders, that call is fair in
politics." that such rascality Of profession and
practice demands the execfaton of every man
who values truth or recognises honesty as prin-
ciple of manly action.
Resoir.d, That the National Democracy Of New
York cordially respond TO the call for Demo
cratic State Convention on the 9Th day OF Sep
TENDER next, issued by the Democratic State
Committee at its recent meeting in this city; and
that we rejoice that the members Of that commit
tee did not undertake to exceed the powers with
which they were invested, by making presdon-
tial bargains or plotting for the sale and division
of valuable offices, with those who approached
them, we nevertheless, their constituents free
ly invite all who agree in the principles set forth
in these resolutions, and who desire the redemp-
ton and regeneration Of the State of New York,
TO unite with us in giving to our beloved com
monwealth and our proud city, administrative
and Legislative officers who shall be neither Free
soilcrs, Prohibitionists, Know -nothings, or ia
natics Of any other class, degree, or color.
The allusion in the resolutions TO Hon. Daniel
s. Dickinson, was responded to with three cheers
The denuncntons Of the Know -nothings, the
Pierce administration, and the Prohibtory Liquor
law, seemed highly satisfactory to the meeting
OF the following letters only two were read
those Of Hon. Daniel s. Dickinson Of New York
and Hon. f. P. Stanton Of Tennessee:
Letter from g. vi. Dallas.
GESrLEMEN: Gratefully acknowledging the
obging civility Of your invitation 10 attend and
address the national democracy Of the city OF New
York, at mass meeting on the 9th inst, am,
nevertheless, obliged to forego that pleasure
Your Democratic Republican General Commit
tee, by a resolution adopted on the eth of June,
evnce Just desire that the people, in public
gathering, should "take into consideration the
condition and prospects Of the National Demo
cratic party" Unable as | am to meet you, il
may not be wholly objectionable or intrusive, if,
as one of the mass, | venture TO express to you
the opinion that our "condition" is reforming and
improving every hour, and that our prospects y
have, by two recent events, been relieved Of all
clouds Of serious doubt, and frightened BY the
sunshine Of an assumed success. Very respect
| fully, gentlemen, your friend and obedient ser
want, G.. NJ. DALLAS.
To +. w. GLOVER, T. J. BARR, G. G. GENET,
&c, committee.
TUESDAY, June %, 1856.