The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1855-06-22
Know something Platf rm.

AS serViity to the Slave Power charae-
terizes the national organization Of the ex-
isting political parties, and as this seryihty
is perilous both to the Manhood Of the
North and the Liberty of the Republic.
We declare.-. &ls5it
Frst--That the issue before the Amer
ican People, is, sohether Freedom stall be
limited 10 tie Free STATES or whether Sla-
very shall be limited to the Slave States.
Second---That this issue has haen fnrc-
cd upon the. Coantgy-by ihswSlave Power
Ihroug h repeated aggression, and by acts
which have violated national faith, solemn
compacts, and sacred covenants.
4Aird-That these aggressions, espec.
tally the Nebraska outrage, with the Dru-
tai assault upon the elective franchise in
Kansas, have aroused freemen of the Re-
public to a just sense of their duty and
their danger; and though they will invade
no right Of any state, they will maintain
every rigM OF Freedom. and resist the ad-
mission Of another SLAVE State, or the ad.
dition Of another foot Of ,Staue soil.
FourM-That we shall meet this issue,
thus forced upon us, in the spirit our faith
ers met the issue of their day; and believ-
Ing, as they believed, that, rightfully, man
can hold no property in man, we will
maintain the NATIONALITY OF Freedom.
Eih--That freedom being one in aim
and end, the world over, the friends of
Freedom in this Republic shonld make
Prime piles and Character, not Birth place,
the test Of admission to citizenship, and
its constitutional rights.
and we further declars:-
SirM-That the right to worship God
according to the dictates Of individual con-
science being invaluable, we will labor to
strengthen this great immunity through
wise state laws; but We will repel every
lpolitico ecclesiastical interference, in poit-
zeal affairs, by potentate, pontif or priest,
or their abetOrs, as destructive alike Of
this Right and our common Liberty.
Sevnhh-That intemperance being an
evil, we recommend to the several States
such action for the promotion OF Tempe
rance as will extend and establish that
virtue. 5a-' .e
Etyhah--That Free Schools, Free labor
the improvement of Rivers and Harbors
an honest Repa5lican Official Representa-
ton Abroad, all measures that tend to ele
yase MAN, establish the material prosperity
Of the country, and give stability to the
Union, shall receive our hearty support
N'n@-That to insure practical success
we will strive to fill all offices with men o.
undoubted integrity and sobriety, of abili
W and OF nerve to resist aggression upor
Right, come when, where, or in what
shape, it may aH e3
i 1snM-That for these objects, vital alike
to Humanity and the Republic, we are
ready to unite with all men, under what.
ever name or organization, who will aid us
in carrying into successful operation, these
great principles. p. ..- ..r.,s =
The men who compose this Order, have
broken off their connection with the Whig
party, the Free Soil party, and the Fusion
party of last year, and the Know Moth.
ings. s
"Know Somethingp We doubt if any
thinking man will be abe to perceive the
aptness of this rather assuming and AFRO
giant cognomen.
The only objection the members of thi'
bastard and Contemplate Order have t.
continuing in the various parties from
which they have broken loose, is that al
old partiesare dead. They declare no new
principles--none but what, in various
! forms and modes, are espoused by eithel
Wings, Free Sellers, Fusionists, or Know
Nothings. The anti-Slavery portion hai
been long prdfessed by the Wings, it is on,
Of the planks Of the Know Nothing plat
form. and itis--orperhaps the Know Some
things would say adas-the great burther
: of the lsbors Of the Free Soil party. 81
; Know Somethingfsm furnishes nothing new
on that head, i,,. :, o
The resolutions making principles ant
character instead of birthplace the test o
admission to citizenship and politica
equality, as heretofore expounded, and a.
it means, is jesuitical cheat and swipdle
1t is a. .oowardly evasion of an ayoYal 0
! the real principles and purposes Of tn
order, It and the succeeding one meal
to say that every man who is not Catho
JIG, may be entitled to citizenship. ,Thi
/, Know Something order is organized upo
!, !, pretence of liberalizing the narrow polio
Of Know Nothingism. 1t finds Know
: Nothings waging war upon, men on tw
: grounds--Religion and Birth. Kno,
/ Something's drop the birth, and propose
4 to strip white men of their civil privilege
on account Of Religion only, If ma
holds to the ostracised old Catholic Faitt
: though American born, Know Something
ism says down with him, he has ba
: principles" his "character"is is unworthy
!, he is an calder" and "abettor" Of the Re
i man Pontiff. --he is in favor Of "politicc
ecclesiastical interference" 1r nn
81 On this point compare this order wit
e 1.-THE one which gave it birth. Know Notf
ingism proscribes foreigners of every re
q ligious faith, but proscribes no native borr
# Know Something's proscribes both toreig
i and, ,pdtige-6orn Of d particular faith.
Il We would not toss a copper to choos
!, between them, and so all liberal minde
4 and just people will decide. "A beautifl