The true Democrat., 1855-07-31
From the Louisiana Cour The Charms of Mystery.

Since Eve indulged her appetite and her cu- riosity in Eden mankind have always been prone to pry into the unknown and to test the mysterious. Lock an empty chest, and curi- osity will be sure to break it open Put myso terlous air on the countenance, and public opin- ion will be on the alert to fathom the depths of that which is covered with such an inscruta- ble surface. Hint to man something which he ought not to know, and he will be sure to exert his utmost ingenuity to ascertain it, Yelled beauty is ever the most enchanting and many poor wight has been bewitched by what is concealed rather than by what is seen. Even so is it with uncertain terrors The cour- age that would face regiment by day will at night be overcome by the hooting of an owl.- The soldier that would mount the rampant of an enemy with almost certain death before him, would scarce go down into burial vault at midnight though he were to win a kingdom.- This inborn curiosity, and this propensity to exaggerate the unknown, exert magic power upon secret societies of all kinds, and this very means by which some honorable and noble as- sociations have been established and preserved, has been abused by conspirators to the ruin of the fairest fabrics of human government the genius of man has ever produced.
 This prurient curiosity, this ruling propensity to fathom the utmost depths of secresy, this itching for yelled mysteries, this puerile pride of knowing something that is not known to the common mass is the great lever of kn noth- ism. It tickles the vanity of it's m lbers as 1t is always fatterng to the pride to DO the re- cipient of confidential communication. Every member of the order therefore feels himself it's peculiar favorite, especially and individually interested with its important secrets. Each feels himself the Atlas on whose shoulders rests the burden of mighty mystery and the God like task of saving the country. He is cone of them" and he manlfests 1t in every move" ment. Internal dangers are conjured up in his imagination from Pope, Bishops, Jesuits and foreigners and he stalks around with the cour- age necessary to meet them. As he is leagued to his confreres with new and secret ties he hates their democratic opponents with an in- tensi6ed enmity. The reasons on which his enmity is founded have entirely escaped his attention. Offer to discuss political question, he will only reply that Americans shall rule America. In fact he does not deal in discus sion; he knows that he is supported by sworn band of coadjutors who will vote, right or wrong, and knowing this he is contented.
 We, plain homespun democrats, what have we to compete with his potent magic of mys- tery? Nothing but candid truth and manly, open honesty. We meet, if at all, by daylight, ouu No iiOo CAOiuuO Oui oPPolOhoS' "O OP0ii our mouths, and the truth is spoken. Each for himself and in his own way speaks his mind upon public affairs and the character of public men. We are plain blunt men who think truth and right will prevail in the end, but who pre- fer being right to being in power. We stand out in broad daylight and proclaim our princi- ples. We meet to select worthy and proper men for offices, and there is no password re- quired to gain admittance to our conventions. We have no exclusiveness-we are no aristo- crats. We have no mods or signs, no grips nor wnks, no passwords nor rallying cry. When we wish to assemble our friends to an open council it is by plain words which all may un- derstand. As our deeds and purposes not evil, "we love light rather than darkness" Our faith is founded on the rock of truth-we know it must ultimately prevail. Every good demo- crat has taken within his own heart the oath to advocate political truth and abide by it through every phase of good and evil-but we are sworn neither to men nor measures and would scorn to obey the dictates of a secret conclave. We rebuke secret political societies and refuse to recognize their members as democrats, but we look upon their errors more in sorrow than in anger," and are ready to welcome them back as soon as they honestly and manfully acknowl- edge their msdeeds, and return to the ranks of truth