Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-09-05
From the Detroit Free Press.

General Cass on Know Nothingism apd the
Power of Congress over the Territories.
Below will be found letter from General Cass,
defining fully and clearly his views upon know
nothingsm and the power of Congress over the Ter
ritories:
DErRo1T Aug. %, 1856.
To the Editor Of the Detroit Free Press:
SIR: The public journals contain a letter dated
July oath, written BY General Houston which has
just met my eye, and in which he says he perceives
by the papers of the day, that General Cass has
approved the platform of the American order, as
proclaimed to the world by the convention at Phil
adelphia." had observed the statements to which
General Houston aludes, and had let them pass I'M
noticed for it would be hopeless task to endeavor
to correct all the misapprehensions and msrepre
sensations to which it is my lot we'll that of
all other public men, to be exposed in these days of
party strife And, indeed, could not suppose that
such assertions would deceive any who had
heard or had read my remarks in the Senate of the
United States, the 9Th of February last, upon
the presentation of the resolutions of the legislature
of Michigan instructing the senators of that State
to vote for an act of Congress prohibiting the intro
ducton of slavery into the Territories of the Uni
ted States Upon that occasion, while declining to
comply with those Instructions took the opportu-
nifty to express my sentiments in relation to the
political movement, which sought to acquire and ex-
ercse power by secret combinations, bound togeth-
by the sanction of an oath, which, it is said made
it the duty of its members to surrender their ind
vidual convictions to the expressed will of major
ity of their associates then observed Strange
doctrines abroad, and strange organizations are
employed to promulgate aud enforce them. Our
political history contains no such chapter in the pro-
gress of our country as that which is now opening
The questions of constitutionality and policy which
have been long the battle-cry of parties,
temptuously rejected, and intolerance religious and
political finds Jealous, and it may be they will prove
successful, advocates in this middle of the nine
teenth century, Boosting with much self-complacen-
cy of its intelligence and in this free country, found
ed upon immigration, and grown prosperous 1T and
powerful by liberation. We want
no new parties, no Platforms, organza-
tons and the sooner these dangerous efforts
Abandoned the better will it be for and for those
who are to follow US in this heritage of freedom"
l might we'll suppose after the expression of these
views upon the floor of the Senate, and under cir
cumstances of peculiar responsibility, that any fur
Their action on my part would be unnecessary to
prove my consistency disciple of the school of
Washington and Jefferson, and Madison and Jack
son, in the rejection of dangerous innovation, in
consistent with all the principles those patriots
taught and which, in effect, aims to transfer the
great political duty of an American citizen from the
light of day. where it should be exercised in this
land of freedom, to secret cOncaves, unfriendly
to calm investigation as to wise and patriotic deci
sion. But the extract from the letter of Gen. Hous
ton has shown me that these reports have received
more credit than had believed, and this considera
ton has induced me thus publicly to notice and to
contradict them. My opinions, indeed, upon any
subject are but of little consequence, except to my
sell, but, if they worth referring to, they
worth the trouble of making the reference a true
have no sympathy with this plan of political or
ganization-none whatever neither with the means
it employs the objects it seeks attain Its
crecy its oathbound obligations, its control of the
ballot-box, its SYSTEM of prescription, striking both
at political rights and religious duties, and its inc
vtable tendency to array one portion of the COM
munty against another, and to carry deadly feuds
into every of the land, of which we have just
had terrible proof, written in characters of blood
and are doomed to have many more, II this move
Ihent goes on--for this is but the first nstament of
death, and how many others to follow, and to
what extent and when the last is to be paid, and
after what lamentabe vicssitudes, is known only to
Him who foreSeeS events and can control them
these characteristics mark it the most dangerous
scheme which has ever been introduced into our
country to regulate its public action or its social
condition. 1t is the OTGngeism of republc-scarce-
ly better in principle than its monarchca prototype
of republic whose freedom and equality justify
as little they invite the introduction of machn
cry whose operation is concealed from public obser
walton, but whose consequences arc as clear as they
alarming.
Gen. Houston gives credence to the report that
approve the platform of the American order, as
proclaimed to the world by the convention at Phila
delphia" | am aware that changes have been made
both in the name and in some of the principles of
this new organization. But these changes do not
my objections to it. Its spirit OF exclusion
and intolerance remains, and with it, its evils and
its dangers. 1t is book to which l cannot be rec
onciled, whatever edition, whether the new one or
the old one is offered to me. There is, indeed, one
principle laid down in that convention which meets
my concurrence-and that is, that " Congress ought
not to legisate upon the subject of slavery within
the territory of the United States" regret, how
eyer, that the body which thus pronounced against
the exercise of the power did not also pronounce
agains. its existence, but carefully pTetermitted-
to use its own words-the expression of any opin-
ion upon that point. STILL IaPprove its action upon
the subject far it goes. 1t is a step in the
right direction, and should rejoice to see it follow
ed by every political party in country. 1t is
step, too towards the security of political rights
this opposition to the Legislation of Congress over
the internal affairs of the people of the Territories
and among Others the relation of master and
servant, that of husband and wife, parent and
child tor these matters of domestic policy sub.
nities and divest them of the power to regulate
them is an act of unmitigated despot:sm. The ne
cation of all power of interference by Congress in
the internal government of the Territories is the
true constitutional doctrine, and the only safe and
practicable one, and am rejoced that, after years
of opposition-of obloquy, indeed-it is fast estab-
fishing itself upon impregn able grounds.
The misapprehension which has prevailed upon
this grave subject is among the most extraordinary
political events of my time One would naturally
suppose that in this country the dogma of internal
government by irresponsible legislature over a
distant community, unrepresented in the ruling
body, would find but little favor, and that the pow
establish and put in operation a government
might well be defended, while the power to control
all the of human life would be left without
an advocate. The difference is broad and practical
and should be the dearer to us, as it the very
consideration urged by revolutionary fathers i'll
their contest with the mother country which began
bv aroIIment but ended by arms. IL WAS asserted