Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-05-11

has condcscendcd to cater TO this unnatural
taste. Authors of the Ned Buniline aud
Hogan school may enjoy the exclusive hon
% OF being the opponents OF Know Moth
ingism. We hope they will be true TO their
calling, and that ere long we shall be favor
ed with Buniiine's History of the biunders
Of the Mass. Legislature of 81 We
would also most respectfully advise the BEN
edict Arnold Of the Catholics to issue re-
yised edition OF his " Popery Exposed" and
add thereto an " .4ppendir coatnpipg full
account Of The recent risiis of The Mass.
.Nunnery COMMITTEE 10 the B0TdinF Schools
q hs Ladies Of Charity in Rorb,Vy and
Loc,H."
Although these means which have been
so assduously employed have not failed to
create Wild excitement against the Caiho-
lies, we believe that the pretended arguments
of the Know Noihings rest on the most irail
foundation. Ii Is said that the Catholics of
this country aim at the destruction OF all our
liberties and II is further believed by many
that the Pope of Rome has such power over
4 the Catholic citizens of the United States
/ that he can accomplish by them whatever
I designs he may plot against our government
But we consider this an Illusion. We be-
lieve that the intentions of the majority Of
our Catholic fellow citizens arc good and
patriotic. If there be those among them
Z Who cherish such purposes as are attributed
I TO them, they are more To be piiicd than fear
ed. Were they ever to rise IN rebellion,
/ they would but put the sword to their own
nccss and would lind ilat their insane and
frantic designs would be punished as they
justly deserve. But 1t may be urged that
] the Catholics are bound 10 carry ont IN eve
/ ~ respect the will of their Pope, whatever
that Will may BE-. In reply 20 this assump-
ton, 10 i sufficient to remark that the tenn
purnl power OF the Pope Is most cmphan,i.
caiiy denied by nearly every intelligent Ca
ih1lc among MS and we are certain that
If hc should ever attempt to enforce such I'M
Just claims upon the Catholics Of America
he would meet with s'ern and mhexlble
resistance. BESIDES this, even were the Ca
thohcs Of our country guilty to the fullest
extent of such purposes as the Know Moth
ings would have rs believe, their number Is
so small us to eScte no fears. According
TO the Census Of 1850, they numbered less
than 100000, and this number cannot have
/ been Increased to more lhaua n'llun at the
present tune. IL Is erroneous TO include the
whole foreign population IN the number of
Catholics, for the latter do not number more
I thdu one half of the former, and are only IN
a proportion Of per cent 10 our whole pop
ui4ton.
We cannot leave this part of ogr subject
without a remlrk upon the prescription Of
Catholics from public Offices. Il has ever
been the boast OF America that here alone IS
nan free from persecution loo Op.nion's sake.
We need but refer to history to show that
to the Catholics whn, under Lord Baltimore,
settled the colony OF Delaware, are we iu-
debted for the first example of perfect free
dom Of conscience. From their day To the
present, religious liberty. although some
times violated, has yet been faithfully pres
ened and fondly cherished by the Ameri-
can people. The early founders OF the
Republic were not uninudiu OF this prin-
cIplc, and in obedience to the demands Of
the public sentiment, it was Incorporated in
TO the Constitution, and thus made one of
the fundamental and paramount laws of the
land In the last clause Of the tlh section
ct the Constitution, il Is declared that mo
Religions Test shall ever be required a
qualification 90 any office public trust un-
der the United States" FRung entablature
, TO that column of civil wisdom, which is
, based upon the broad principles OF nmu;a-
bic Justice, and which is the fortress Of all
our hopes, the impregnable buwark Of our
liberties Unul the appearance OF this
knownothng faction, the spirit of this pro-
VISION had been preserved invioate; bat we
now present to the world the Illuminating
aspect of nation pretending To have baD-
lshca religious intolerance but suffering the
existence OF u secret faction whose members
are pledged by oath 10 remove from office
and public trust every believer IN the lo>
man Catholic iaIth aud TO prevent such bo-
levers from exercising their Just rights and
guaranteed liberties as citizens. These pOll-
teal Paul Prys have recently revealed the
astounding fact that al the general Off
GERS Of the State Department at Washing
tOn. aud all the subordinate employees, cX-
cept one, are Catholics" and they ask with
fear aud Trembling" Are not these suiii-
clcn, Ia arouse the nation to action ~ Shame
upon these base endeavors to invade the
slnctlty of mems religious opinions II IS
no vision to suppose that ihe departed fathers
Of the Republic, who watch ike guardian
spirits over that Constitution which they
established, frown Indignantly upon these
unholy attempts to violate us most sacred
requirements.
We have thus far confined our attention
to consideration OF the objects Of the Know
Nuthings. But we regard the means which
they employ to carry out their purpo-es as
still more TO be condemned. Street political
societies are dangerous 10 tie eristanco Of
Republican form Of Government. The hos.
tile divisions and angry feelings engendered
by the ole political parties, have often threat
ened the dissolution of our Union but since
their actions have been open To the inspec-
uon Of the people, and subject Ia the ecu
sures ofa free and untrummelled press, their
Otherwise banoful influence has been de.
stroycd. Is not, then, the existence IN
free Republic Of party whose designs are
formed IN secret cODclavc, well calculated to
excite our alarm II may be urged, tina,
since the AIMS OF this party are not unknown,
no danger is to be apprehended from it. But
the mere fact that the prominent objects Of
the Know Nothngs are disclosed, does not
make their secret operations less ohlecuona-
bic. II is to every intent aud purpose Sc
cret society, vast combination, whose mem.
bers are bound together by Illegal oaths, and
Obcdient to the viii of the unprincipled
schemers who control It. This Know Moth
ing order cannot be justified from precodents.
Masonry, Oddiellowship end all other secret
organizations which have ever existed IN
Our country have been estl bished for pure
ly benevolent purposes. aud have not inter
fercd with the rights and consciencrs of their
members. But the chains which these Know
Nolhings take upon themselves, bind them
body and soul. Wherever they may be- by
their firesides, in society, at the ballot box,
in offices OF public trust, upon the jurors
stand, or the judges bench, these shlckles
attend them, and they can lay no more claim
20 the proud title OF freemen, than could the
Jesuils Of past ages. The extra,ludiciul oaihs
which they are compelled to take. virtually
nudity that oath by which, as citizens 0. the
United States, they had sworn to support the
7 Federal Constitution; for by these former
oaths they are pledged to yield strict obedi-
ence to the edcls of the "Grand Councils"
and carry Out the principles Of their " Grand
Masters" even though they know many OF
those purposes 10 be in direct violation of
tho Constitution of their country. But tho
81. 4