Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-26

/ TO get subscribers on any route he may travel.
4 Lay q BRoTHERs, No. 70 South Fourth st., Pha-
delpha are authorized to obtain subscriptions for the
American Organ.
Sc Monies parturient ct nascitur ridiculus
! Mus.,'---,rhe mountains have been In Ia
| Dor, and mouse is born! M
We suppose the resolution offered in the
1 Senate yesterday, by Senator Brodhead, is the
child Of the seventeen fathers Of the Senate,
| who have, for some days past been deyising
ways and means to resist the torrent Of Amer
| icanism. 1t reads ..
| Resolped, That all secret organizations, for po-
litcal purposes, are contrary TO the genius Of our
institutions and dangerous to the liberties of the
| people.
Well, 1t has at least the merit Of brevity and
condensation. 1t Is "multum IN parDo."
1t has always been our opinion, that the best
mode Of enforcing precept, laid down by any
teacher, either in religion, morals, or politics.
is to set an example in accordance Herewith
When the Senate Of the United States shall
adopt the resolution offered by Senator Brod-
head-if it ever shall do 1.-THE best mode Of
showing their sincerity in the belief of the
danger of secret associations, viii be to throw
open their doors to the public, instead Of closing
them for secret political consultations
Now, be it observed, we do not advocate this
measure, for we consider it wise and prudent
that consultations upon political matters should
sometimes be secret, but il the above resolution
shall be adopted, we insist that honorable SEN
ators enforce their precepts by their example
We opine that the only danger to be appre-
hended from the secret consultations of freemen,
are those feared by demagogues.
There is danger, great and imminent danger
to be feared by political schemers and wire
workers, when the sovereign people confer to
gether to thwart the purposes of such men.
Senator Brodhead and his co-workers in this
movement to arrest Americanis,n, ought to re-
member that twenty years ago, the same hue
and cry was raised against secret societies, and
that the aiders and abettors in that ridiculous
TRADE, amongst whom were some of the great
est intellects Of the age, have ceased to be
known amongst public menl He ought to
know that in the days of the Revolution, our
fathers, to avoid the Argus eyes of Tories,
held consultations in secret and formed associa-
tons from Massachusetts to Georgia on the ba-
sis Of secrecy
These gentlemen should remember that the
6allot-bor is a secret institution, intended to
give every man the privilege of exercising his
right Of suffrage freely and secretly. They
should remember that in every year since the
foundation Of our government, rival and oppo-
sing parties have held secret conventions and
caucuses, to concoct and carry out their prin-
ciples and their plans Of operation. The peo-
pie have done it in neighborhoods, in towns,
and in counties, and they have done it by dele
gates 10 State and National Conventions Mem
bers Of Congress have done it regularly, in
order to consolidate the strength Of their res
pectiye parties and even the scpenteen fathers
of this newborn child have done it, both du-
ring the past and the present week
| To 90 further, we may add, that there is q
secret organization in this city, opposed to
| Americanism, whose meetings are held al
places well-known to us, and We even knor
the name Of a distinguished member Of the
Cabinet, who addressed them at recent meet.
ing We know the hieroglyphics at the cor
ners Of streets, and we think we could " work
our way into their conclaves If we were SC
inclincdl OF all the ridiculous objections
made to our order, the most ridiculous is the
objection ON the score Of secrecy. II is the
very quintessence Of Jesuitism in those who
themselves belong TO secret associations, to
make this charge against us, and they do il
simply and only because amongst the ignorant
prejudice is easily created thus against oui
mode Of cooperation, when our principles are
almost universally popular with all classes Of
Americans, demagogues eroepted.
But IL seems that Senator Weller was moi
satisfied with the simple proposition of Senator
Brojhesd, and proposed the following in add
ton TO the one above copied, to wit:
Resolved That in our system Of government
free speech and open discussion essential, mo-
only for the purpose of consulting the public mind
but also to secure due responsibility to the peo
pie in regard TO political action, and that all socie
ties which deliberate and determine upon measures
of public policy secretly and apart from their Eel
ow-citizens, pursue course which must become
dangerous in popular government and viii de-
stroy in the end that fraternal feeling and sense Of
common interest 30 necessary among citizens o.
the same State or Confederscy
% Resoiyed, That the establishment Of religious
freedom in this country was one of the great OBJ
jects ofthe Constitution Of the United States which
provided that other qualification for Office; in
point Of faith, than oath to support that const
tuition, which prescribes that no religious test
shall ever be required qualification TO any Of
fee or public trust under the United States and
declares that Congress shall make no laws respect
ing an establishment Of religion, or prohibiting a
free exercise thereof; any political combination,
therefore, which in any manner seeks TO attain
ends thus pfohibited through the elective franchise
violates the spirit although Il may not eysde the
letter Of the constitution fully and completely
Il the same objects we're accomplished under the
forms Of law
In reference 10 the first Of tho two resolu-