Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-05-08
,NoluER LETTER PROM rl1oMAa J. McuIE ESQ
From to- s',auHton "Cuion Republican,
Sr tnriI Goth, 1881.

have prevented an earlier notice uf the editorial III
ynur pnpcr I'll the Eth iIls relating 10 letter :" mine
published III the Richmond Enc Iirer.
| The credit you give me for honesty and patriotic
purpose, is duly e-iinnted coming as II does from
| unlitica opponent, and Gcvnlves upon ME duty
| which readily meet, Of showing that have NOT been
| ..mslcd by the impulse at ardent temperament IA
charge improper design upon upnrty, III whose rank
are numbered many OF my warnc,t and .rucst friends
upon tie authority q" party hacks of 'mscrcant'
VIII" boldly proclaim til 'ns"lves guilty q! deihcrHr"
| perjury
On this subject Of nv private friendships let me
saw that will not voluntarily change my social rein
tinns with any 0nel rrr".mizr with pleasure, i!i'
inc., that many vi ms warI". ami trucst friends are
Eumhcr. with those wh"ry mphth>c with tie huow
Nothing party whether they, or Win" nr" members
| of tho order, | know nni.l AMI nothing could have
given ms more umsprnIlabe pan than tile hpri'ii'i'
sion rvru that the Ties which had =" long bound III
together i'll friendship and confidence are now t" b"
severed by the recent change, which high sense "l
duty 10 my country has compelled me- [" MAX" III my
political relations. | waS therefore truly grnihcd Ia
observe, tha. no bitterness has been exhibited t"-
wards he on the pArt al my former hSaoclh''-
On the contrary, that have received from nll men "i
all parties, except in :wo in7I%nc':a wihch
deem Orhy of note, IN expression OF condricc III
! the purity ut my motives.
Nothing, assure You, shall Intentionally escape me
| II disturb their kind feelings. Yet dScla;nnug HE
purpose 10 charge corruption against ANY man. may
surely be permitted and must iaisl0n the right, Tree
" to discuss criticize, and dcnuuncc il necessity the
tendencies Of u political party which aims to bear
rule in the country, and 10 point out such textures III
s organizations mode ri action and principles ns seem
to me dangerous 10 liberty. In doing This so far
from drnnuTcin. lis members or sympGthlsGra, the
iact n my undertaking the discussion proves lng cor
| idrnce in thum and the existence ot hope that by
! discussion they mnv be convinced. and being con
yinccd honestly reject the pnrtv. This, trust, will
satisfactorily cNplnn all have sud. III letter hus:'
| " p"nnrd III reply 10 m invitation to address the
| people OF Richmond.
| hal III, intended il fol publication, moi that il CON.
| tanned ANYTHING which unwilling should the
linht hut merely bccnu4. II was not lis carefully writ
ten rs il should have been Ia make il worthy of the
! public eye. But the gentlemen IL whom entrusted
IT, seem Ia have thought better ut II than did, md
do not coupluu OF their publication. | have rcad
that letter carefully over as printed ANA can ind ~"
charge in il ag ast ans mGn personal integrity. he
charges mad. agan1t the kno" Nothing "rgnn-
cation and its tendencies. ! know none ut s n'"liI-
brrSfhey unknown To the w3fid-l ca!!ho! ~ gu.
rnrugniGr YOU Mrs-rS. Editors, IT'D member. ~ ~"
ordcr--ald If could know any ol my hrsi and tra-
| est friends Is belonging 10 II. have lived long
| enough md sufficiently aware ut The power OF
party alliances, to find ready cErec IoT ihcin IN tii'
zeal of party rather than charge them with mora"
amplitude The history Of the world Is full ii in.
stances where the best nEd pur"-t men have lent ali
the force OF their names 10 the most dangerous "rghE
! zanns. The docir!n" ;hAt ''lh" end ju>i;ce IN"
means winch Is III iact nothing else than ia" doc
:rnc t the devil with ire j. held rather act
ed Gu, by many good men, who, verify believe, are
| not themselves aware OF the reason which im!cii
their action let it is not therefore less dangerous
error.
But You call :ur the authority which accuse
tie Know Nothing order of hnvrg, secret objects III
view urctinm the conduct 81 the Hrat" or Fcirfh
government, &c. cannot ""nc"Iv" how p"Iltii"
,urtY a. such can have object, not affecting ID"
government. The ritual Of the Kn wNoihins order
p.srrb.s ,.n All. t. H. administered I" every NEIL
br tia: he = Ill not DISGUISE Tie objects &" IL" "r.
snnizaiion." Il iaa political party Gn,i ~ ohy"cts
hcrri must nlirc! the government II The objects
have brrn published by member. he has done -o in !
violation Of III. oath. They could not have been
Published by aY "a. originally, :n":s Sarrcy;i-
tiously northumberland rs toe order procnds to ..oIng
0t TINT so.:wt 3rr Jeff Ia conclude the uiJccls pub
lishsG Gr, rot the true objects, but intended tn make
converts II ID rno.G charitable 10 believe this than
believe thhi lie" true oL ectJ are puhs"'i III Viz"
laun of oath. Yet al the ohCf -! t'Ss con-
cisoil, would seem inevitable. Thu" 20 n":hIng ~
the ritual or constitution authorizing conventions
or number OF Individual members, TO d" that which
each is sworn not IL do. How then can tie country |
conclude that the Winchester Convention have ven.
turcI 10 disclose the secrets Of the Order
TIas il n consolidated and controlling head lhe !
constitution of The o;Irr provides that thu Grand
Council shall have power ~ decide upon al ma!rrs
arpGrtg;anC II rational pOhtlca-ser Article ''ri,
sec 4til-.''G tie organization sh3'! h9 sn"rn ny TIE
name and title OF The Grand Cnnmcil %. the inca
States On North America, Gnd ia jurisdiction TN!
mower shu extend IN nil The Sh'rs, Districts ana
Territories oi North America. "--lsc" Article lsti--
juJs o. Iii. rive It Tor its controlling head great
consolidated cJ.n,ii--".,.. h"hcV"a II mus iI 10
Gated IN tie city II Sc~ York;
The objections IL the order insisted on in lc.c.
to Richmond are all cnDcns!v"ly mGd" good by It's !
rtGa, al ror:'uon. III" only question H. wic;i. !
fhut j. t.nr %: ia," ,!n'"!il-:t j. ""3 rNbN:Ed
a. true bv tie Richmond Enquirer on the "iIh OF |;
February Denial was challenged and proc" offered |
t. &c made il any re-p"nsb!c person would AFFIRM
that :Gc '!ycuIntGi ?G. Luf genuine. More than ~"
months hare ciLpscd-.r!I tlng-n 80 a." tod Il"
country abocnG- with members .. tit o.t.cT, /. one
hes :.hen Up the glove. Henry i. Wise very r"lin
bic ceneI.nn evr.I .7i.rrcs il biz public speeches
assert. it uuilortuv"ly, drrlafc- hC as Eesed i "''h
Know yOthings and found il true. Every iemoo,n.
i, ui;, .paakcr in the State AYERS lis truth. The
editor OF :oarccIabIo jo"rHnl at Abingdon Va, De.
carcs he tested its truth by passing hnar:i when he
pIensch on Know Nothimgs By means o! ITS drccti"ns
Ihis ogsci makes tncrably strong F'Md JHric Gaze
But hear your !::2Eds.
J. ". Barber, t,rc':q ~ .! To Sia" I"ii1S,! %
New York IL hi+ annual drcaa Ga;ri @"oc';..' -,
ru.uy 9Th. lSij, published i'll III" Hcw OK hcr'"',
.;l..s II Is TO b.. at..,..:rL thai "" Eavc had per
sons il, our raEks %hG haze been rcr!rha tn dufy
so indifferent To- lie .aarci obligations they i!nTo rs.
sumed 80 -n!!Gsed in mind, or 50 reckless OF mora!
character ~ il ,pO.c ill., work u! the Order: thereby
cnlnmtlir. Il moral pcEury before uoG an! ia:il'
Now If what these persons disclosed Wh; not 'he rae
work Of the order but Il concoctrl in.schGoj they
could not in publishing it have committed moral per
iurv ami 50 Mu lc"a IT," admission of n President OF
til" order that the true sccr"; Is .'-c;&5:h, $500
Tie Penny Post, of Richmond, "f the G'h al rcb
ruary 1855 referring to the Ritual amd E":.,iiG,.n
puLi.l.,i in the Enquirer OF fine day before. u"iIHci
the principles N lie order and rlniis the truth 81 tho
exposition in Ia" following manner io' "rr own
part We glad that thcr" has been sconndre among
iIs and thn that sconndr! has made his publications
Tie y. pe Gun now thu very ulnu,: u the object.
of THU assu..ni:am" How could tie people s'c III"
Objects oi the association it ia F"h'al'on WIS in>c
Here II umnhcr admission The Penny Post at tie
i; OF March, without; DENYING the gcnunencSs of the
- t..tu
init that il wa true, only for iii" sake "i argument,
&C. ii ID d!.lcult 10 interpret Es ar!Icr III 2't "l
February, 10 make anything oi II hui an u!GlnI-
flied admission of @rEiincnrss lie crrtni.y w"u!!
no, have Imposed M I'll" people hy telling them they
could nov see the utmost %. tie OBJECTS O:thS as
socia,0n" unless tie Enquirer oppose q! which Ii"
was speaking Lad contained mol only true bat
iu-t exposition OF the Ritual and Constitution ?-Iiut
AGAIN. on the 18th uf Mnrc;i, III" Penny POST seeming
10 have concluded that it Useless 10 affect secrecy
any longer, comes 0U III the most !lmpassnn"d siyc
and declares: awe have seen men III the old Do
nlinion prriuring themselves. The secret s iheh
out and is than folly 10 deny II any longer.
Nor does matter how it out il the party char.
ccd admits lie truth Even III Il criminal prosecution
tc culprir w"ld hardly csrap" conviction br !"s!-
ting ui ii" ,rr,i.y o, III. witness a9ainsi lHn!, II 10
nprn court he voluntarily Ec!...n.. .r. 1t ''i,t
with which hr stood ChuG,cd.
The fore guins only par! Of tn" evidences which
have convinced me ut tn" l:rEuIcn"s- 81 me In
quirer'- rypnsc. The whole country believe. II true
and the best policy Tor the order, IN my "lh'rh
;oula L.. To- admit aud Justly il il! they leave
YOU gentlemen, 10 tna' task leaving tho c0tchwnri'
sam" Ills Snm-hip" ".tmcrcau party AMI "Am
Americans Ia take N! themselves either d:'-
band or prove by cam logical argument that the Hr-
cnnlatio! in favor Of which you enlisted. Is j:st
rs il has been revealed such organization nj Pc
ltra party free and Intelligent people ought t"
adot In doing you mast show that il - proper |
and .Gtr organization for any and all political 'r.ti'-
nr YOU mu.. remember that Other par"f have !
ri,r Ia n, Al u.
ni thee thmgs and will be-, pardon of ia" order i"f
having sad nu.,ht agnnst it. You n:~In"c my let
ct in on. particular, INDEPENDENTLY nm sure You
Trurr=cnt me saying that have satisfied inyr1i