Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-05-04
GOV. yoHNsoS's SPEECH.

Gov JoHNsuN's speech, in which valuable extract
was embodied. We now publish this portion;
Gov. johnson then went on and stated that the
Catholic was no new question to him, that many
years ago, in the Congress of the United States,
in yindcation Of President Folks election and bis
administration, he had partially travelled over the
same ground and would now invite attention TO
what be had then said as proof that his position
was not now taken for the purpose Of getting any
advantage that it might give him.
The extract is as follows:
he did not appear here, Col j. said, to defend the
Catholic religion there but few Catholics in his re-
glon. and there preiudices there existing against
then But he protested against the doctrine here ad
vancsd BY the gentleman. The Catholics of this country
had the right secured TO them by the constitution OF wo
shipping the God of their fathers in the manner dictated
By their consceDces They sat down under their
vine and ig tree and no could interfere with them
This country was not prepared 10 establish iBquson
try and punish men for their gous belief and those
who sssaed any religious sect in this country would lind
majority OF the people ariayed against them He said
he desired to knoway he demanded know of the gen.
flman from North Carolina what he meant by the EN-
ployment OF the language he had Just read from his
speech? Dies the gentleman there is TO be
spirit OF persecution aroused which sweep away any
one OF The numerous religious denominations that now
prevail In this country Is the guotne to be erected in
this republican form OF government and all who dare
dfer In opinion with the whg party to be brought to the
block Is there crusade to he commenced against the
church to saiate disappointed party vengeance Are the
prosecutions oil olden times 10 be revVeds Are the ten
thousand temples that have been erected based upon the
snerings and aonement Of cruced Saviour with their
gtteing spires wasting themselves in the very heavens
all to toppe and fall crushed and buried beneath the
rayings Of party excitement? Is nan TO be set upon man.
and in the name oil God tol his hand against the throat OF
his eow2 Is the hand that gave brother birth 10 be
waeted with brothers blood? Are the boodhounds of
persecution and prescription be let loose upon all for
egneIs ana Catholics because of them have acted
WIN the democratic party in the recent contest? Are the
hres oil heaven that have been lighted up by the Cross
and now hurn upon so many affairs consecrated to the
true aud living God be quenched in the blood of their
AMI ha
our streets made to flow with human gore? This but
faint reality Of what is Swallowed forth the genemans
Speech but Tor the purpose Of showing the country how
Ignorant the gentleman Of the fact and how reckless
he was OF bald Statements he would read from pamphlet
he held IN has baud which written by wing in the
CITY Vi Nashville, Tennessee and dedicated TO the Hen
John Bell late member of Gen. Harrson's cabinet,
which shows, eoLcluSely that the whg party had the
dement, OF The Catholic influence iu the late presidential
contest The chang had BEEN his section Of he
Try, that the Catholics were all democrats he now
avaed himself as the door had been opened) of the op
portuy of setting this matter right upon good wing au
thority. He then read from the pamphlet as follows:
u am a whig-a Protestant whig-bOth in my feelings
and sentiments and while live expect to be. But
should regret to any portion of the great wing party
denouncng and prosecuting any religious sect for its pc
ica tenets and preJudices If persecution commences
against the Catholics do you think it will end here! Do
nant party knded its fires against the Catholics be-
cause they were opposed TO in political principles, when
its flames shall have consumed this sect, will they not
tend to all other religious sect for the reason Some
of newspapers speak of the liberation of the Catholic
religion The Constitution says that that sect well
every other shall exercise and enjoy their religious Opn
ions. The right is guaranteed to them by the Constitution,
and cannot be destroyed till the Constitution itself des
royed Therefore the Catholics and the members of every
other religious denomination free TO enjoy and exer
else their religious and political sentiments, any par
ticuar party its peculiar tenets Why array ourselves
against this denominations Is it not composed also OF
tive American citizens? The whole number OF Catholics in
the United States according the last 2
Out OF 900 persons forming its population upwards of
100000 natives of America. Will not have all these
our political enemies? Have not the Catholics ntermaried
with all the political and religious parties of the Unont
Have we not something 10 lose here also! Did not Catholic
Maryland vote for Mr.. Clay2 In Pennsylvania and New
York where there than $4,000 Catholics in each
State did they not there vote thousands of them the wing
tcket Did they not give the strongest wing vote in their
parishes in Louisiana and also in their counties in Kentucky
Are not even many OF bishops of the States of Maryland
and Massachusetts whgs Is not the bishop of
city, Nashye wing also? Do you think then that any
political party succeed which exctes against it.
self two such powerful combinations the Catholics and
naturized foreigners Is it possible that only fifteen years
have elapsed since the Catholics of ireland have peen
cpated though for unnumbered years such mighty genuses
Chatham, Burke, Lord John Russell, Grattan Canning
Bell and Brougham have abored break their chains
And yet, in land that boasts itself to be the asylum of
the prosecuted and oppressed seis kndng The same fires
commencing the crusade =
But is true that the spirit Of Catholicism is anre
pubiicanr
As lam member of Protestant church. and citizen
OF Nashville, where there but Catholics and where
the citizen; generally somewhat pejudiced against Them
COULD wished, with impunity derogaoTily
hls sect But be done though the heavens should
a From whence or how obsined the idea that Cath
olcism hostile liberty political or reigi us During
tie RefoImaton-ha great mother of revOutions-when
by erupons volcano did not the demon of per
eeuton rage Hereby the Protestant among
these and The Catholics Did Cavins
and Armnians oft themselves against Did
Britain with dire vengeance each otherand have
they not done so in Germany France Euro
lessns, Purians and Quakers DISTINGUISHING and
waging relentless OF persecution against other
not Catholic Maryland open her free bosom ALL and
Clare IN her domain that should be prosecuted
sha mt from Fues th.
sanctuary of the oppressed and only Amer
lea, but of Europef And when the seven
years revolution burst burst with all its destructive wrath
were not Catholics fighting in the of armies
and minglng their of blood Protes
in defence of American liberty and Independence
Was there an ocean, bay, stream, empurped by
lher blood was there hill or plain not whiened by
their bonesf And is Catholicism liberty? Is Ire
lands Catholic Isle the nursey Of slaves, though her
Shamrock longer wresthed of war
orhough her palaces are in runs her cities in
slave and thy incesan commissions but the struggling
throes OF that unextnguishable spirit Of liberty which shall
ytt burst forth with Irresistible impetgosy, and shake
naughty England TO her very anchor though down deep in
the main Was Catholic Poland birthplace of slaves
combined Russia, Austria, and Prussia in death aayed
herpatno bands few but undsmsy ed ;, or Freedom
said The bard did she when Poland
Madansk and Koseiusko, fell? Were Lafayette PnIaski
Mcneil, De Kab, and O'Brie, toes liberty Was Charles
Carroll Of Carronn the last survivor of the Signers Of
the Declaration OF Independence, friend desposm
Was Thomas Fitzsmmohs the immortal revoiuion-
airy spirits that framed the Constitution liberty
Have we forgotten What Washington The great Father
country, said Of the Catholics He said hope sUer IL
see America foremost among ths nations Of earth in
justice and IberatItg and
CITIZENS NIL HsUer forget the patriotic Catholics
TOOK in the GccOmPs hsHt Of their esob
shmsHf Of Their government, the
hich they received from France heaThe Catholic reg
prCfessed Therefore, If persecution proof
the antrepubican spirit OF any denomination, does
every Protestant sect stand equally condemned if
lighting for liberty 10 ali and in all governments, any
proof Of the republican spirit of any creed
Roman Catholicism stand justified g"
-HTNwe-AFD DECEPTION induce democrats to |
enter nothing councilsthey have been told that
the Order was composed of men Of both the old par
ties and who were as friendly to one as the other;
that their aim was to advocate the claims Of native
born Americans for Cifice, in opposition to men Of
foreign birth and Roman Catholics; and that there
was no feature in the organization which made it
inconsistent for democrat to join it, and TO act
with it in the promotion OF its oil jects There is,
however clearly marked difference between the
profession and the practice of this sect, which
proves it to be living and organized deception
Where is the know-nothing paper in Tennessee to
be found that does not oppose with bitterness the
election of ANDREW JoHNsoN2 Where is the coun-
Gil, or even prominent member TO be found that
will vote for hmi And yet he is neither foreign
er nor Catholic. Hei an American native born
protestant aud Of sober habits
We advise the few democrats that may have been
influenced bV MISREPRESENTATION TO mite with tbis