Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-02-28


ines Of Christ, and al good NET, and 81 uuctn
promising deter nnailon 10 effect by The torch ami
dagger Whatever conli not be accomplished oy I
threats OF violence and riot imprisonment IN iena1'
dungeons and branis Of iatamy. The Jacobs /
were more yio'eBL perhsp@, than any ass OF nsn
that ever attempted btfore them to suoVetl al 'u
foundation of society. The STREETS oil the mos
beautiful capital in TIE world rau with blood; me 7
innocent and the guilty, the yourg and the OLD |
the learned the chvalrous, and the good, ieii un-
der the stroke of secret organized band OF assas-
sins In the dead hour of the night, the destined |
yict m was dragged from his bed by hired bulles
and r1lffans and after the ceremonies OF the mock
trial, before perured judges and witnesses, led to
the block and butchered like brute These de-
mons in human form could never have accomplish
ed their ends, except through the medium OF that
secresy which characterizes the Know-Nothing
organization of America. Much, however, as we
abominate the Jacobns of France, it must be adj
mitted they were far more deserving our respect
than their brethren this side of the Atlantic
The JacobIns prescribed a comparatively small
number ofthe citizens the names of these they Of
ten published to the world, so that they enjoyed
the opportunity to vndicate their characters from
the malignant aspersions of their fierce and unre-
lenting enemies. The Know-N0thngs prescribe
millions OF men in our own land, and the entlTe
world beyond our borders; and their operations are
conducted with such secresy that it is next to I'M
possible to know who even are the prominent lead
ers Worst of all, the very oath Of the order en-
| Joins perjury of the most solemn character. The
members of all secret political societies have been
compelled under severe penalties, to conceal al Sc
crets whatever but never before, in the history oil
| time have any set of men been directed to commit
between the rising and setting of every sun, posi-
tive perjury of the deepest dye. The ancient Spar
tans are often charged, improperly, with counten-
ancing falsehood the know-Nothings OF the Uni
ted States are enjoined to lie upon every possible
occesionl
Nothingism is simply more vilainous
| type Of Native AmericaRism as it existed in Phs-
delpha The latter prescribed ell professors OF the
Roman Catholic religion; the former, modelled upon
the same basis makes the same distinction be-
tween the different religious creeds. The idea that
Catholicism IS destined, at an early day, to over
turn all the mighty sects of Professionalism is so alb
surd as not to merit even posing notice from in
| teigeut men, The Catholics of this country form
but small body when compared with the myriads
that profess Protestant Christianity. Who but
fanatic IDIOT believes that the powerful sects
standing in opposition to Catholicism, can, by pos
sibility for many years. at least be in any danger
of losing the ascendancy2
But, admitting that Catholicism is gaining upon
Professionalism, can its onward march be checked
by resort to force? Are we to re-enact, upon the
virgin soil of America the terrific religious scenes
of the iron times of Cromwell and the Puritans?
Are we, of the "model republic" of the world, to
forget all those lofty principles upon which our gov
eminent was founded, and that noble destiny which
we have hitherto INDUCED, and become in our
turp the prosecutors of all that dare to differ with
us in our religious opinions2 Should we erect an
altar and compel all the inhabitants of the earth to
bow down and worship according to our own par
ticular ideas of revealed religion? What hope can
we indulge of succeeding by trampling under foot
the sacred obligations of truth and virtue and be-
Al c1ftb Ial l,,of2
Shall we not by the course which we are pursuing,
rouse the Catholic spirit of the world and give it
vitality which it has hardly known since the reign
of Leo Tenth of Rome, or of Edward the First of
England2 The memory Of man runneth not to the
time when any religious party was crushed hyper
secution. Calumny and vituperaton possess no
power to injure the objects against which their
shafts are hurled; we have sowed the seeds of a
mighty tempest and we shall reap harvest of ter
ror and gloom; the moral heaven of America is
darkening now with the clouds of approaching
srocco whose fearful elements will waste like the
avenging sword of the angel of death; we have
drawn sufficiently near the brink of that dreadful
precipice of ruin in which SO many noble barks of
government have foundered forever; we have pur-
sued far enough that well beaten path of error
where drops of blood and evidences of carnage
already be seen; let US ''whle it is called to day."
get back to the old ground Of the Constitution.
The record of religious persecution is fearful be-
yond the power of the Imagination to conceive
1t is narrowing TO turn over the pages of his
tory, and contemplate for a moment the terrible
violence which Christianity has suffered at different
epochs at the hands of Heather, Mohammedan,
| Infide and Christian rulers. Religion was intend
ed to enighten the mind, elevate the affections,
and purify the heart persecution is therefore wholly
| incompatible with its nature and design The
Son of God, when on earth, set an example of pa
tent endurance, Of magnanimity, of liberalty, of
universal beuevolence which should be regarded
by all who would initiate that pure and spotless life
| which placed him as far above imperfect humanity
| as the heavens are above the earth. He told US
the weapons of Christian warfare were Spiritual"
| not temporal and to all the tribes of earth who in
| dulge good will towards their fellow men he has
promised peace: par in terra hOnainibus bone
atntatis The New Testament abounds in advice
to all Christians to propagate their creed by mild
| and peaceable arguments, and not by resort to
the sword or the faggot. In the language of one
of the most learned prelates of modern times "let
either the btterest zealot, the most bigoted in
| idel show, if he can. one instance in which the
gospel gives the least pretense for pous cruelty
| Every where it breathes mildness patience, for
beaIance; enioins Christians of ever so different
| opinions to receive one another in mutual charity
and even those who not Christians it permits
US not to Judge hardly, much less to use them I'M
mercifllly.
| TO BE CONTINUED.