Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-03-09
KNOW OTHINGS.
IN N. Y. AssEMBLY-Frp. 5, 1855.

der misn1med American. -hnli 90 50 llpHl
a sense Of duty and Ia dong SO, snail
hold back nothing -" nothing exiennatei nor
set down nught IN malice" II ! could open
my heart TO the gaze of the world, IN vindi.
cation Of the purity Of my motives, would
not hesitate TO do SO.
Sir, one year agn | was member on the
floor Of THIS House. | then became acqnain'
ted rs | now have. with men whom learn
ed To love. One evening M the month OF
March few men gathered around me. ana,
without scarcely a word of preliminary, ask 4
cl me If would accompany them 70 hear
lecture consented tu do 80. They were /
nv friends could suspect thcm of no de- I
sign They escorted me To certain room
in this city, which entered. These gentle /
men, and the officers Of the association To
which was presented, assured nc thtt
was TO be asked to do no act, TO take no OBJ
legation, which would, in the least degree,
interfere with my duties 10 myself my
f,mly. my country or 20 my God" Upon
such a broad platform ! was willing to stand.
The promise 10 be exacicd vas cad. took
that promise, not an oath. In stating TINS
do | commit perjury? II 50. let my enemies
make the most Of il. BIT, SIR, whatever my
course may seem 10 be IN the eyes Of man,
! am justified. believe, SIR. IN an hereafter
And. -ir, with full sense of my responsible
itv to a higher power, aud wiih conscious
ness of What say here now. desire but To
repeat it what ! have said shall appear, IN
the eyes Of my foes, as involving perjury
Jet them make the most Of o..
But. sir. no honest unparalleled man viii
charge me or my assocntcs with the viola
ton Of even an honorable obligation, much
less au oath This one evening WIS the eX-
tent of my connection with The order; !
mover returned again there or elsewhere.
am, sir, opposed now, as shlll ever be
opposed. % che order known as koow Moth
inrs But mast not De mistaken IN this
connection. approved Of some of the prin-
ciples OF that order, as proicssol when the
order was originally instituted. But de,est
'hc base uses 90 which u has been reduced,
and ahhor the principles to which 1t has
been prostiuiod hy those IN whose hands
II has become a huge and corrupt political
engine.
But propose TO enter upon a brief review
Of what believe to be the present priuci-
ples. purposes aud tendencies OF the Know
Nothug order. And here | viii state, what
! omitted 10 the proper place, that when
left the room, into winch had been beguil-
cd to hear a lecture, never returned agtin,
was satisfied with what | had learned.
was satisfied with what | hai learned. was
convinced that IL was or would soon becomc
no place for an honest man. But ! locked
no in my bosom the names Of those who &C,
oompanied me and whom | saw there; ant
ut the day OF my dcath those names wlil no
be revealed Thus fir deem myself hon
oraby bound; no father.
For the facts which shall state | am in
debied not 10 that one brief visit for what
then learned has long been puhlc) bat 4
information derived from gentemen OF char
acter, gentlemen formerly high ia AUTHORITY
IN the order, and upon whose statements
can implicitly rely Further, have IN m
possession the books COMBINING the oath
and obligations, as used up % a recent dat
Those now % use are still more iniameu
and exactng. ! refer 90 those oithe secoa
degree, to which the mass Of members q
not belong.
Heretofore, in our elections, ioreigneI
have eXcred an undue influence. Leadm
men ia both parties have too much sought
influence the foreign vote. have looked
broad tn see which party was most AZ fauli
aud reached my conclusion by results
success secured to whatsoever party that vol
was given. Tint was the best iesti and
Its application, found that this vote vi
most generally unuedly arrayed against a
Wing party; and particularly wa this u
case III the last presidential election. Ut
entire foreign vote was cast against &c
Scott although Mr.. Seward who Is char
ed with excessive friendship for and nhlc
ce over those who cast that vote very an
iously desired his election. II be had h.
a L.. - D
over this VOTE DO you suppose lint Il won
have been cast against his iayori;c cane
date? No, sir.
But, sir IN what have said do not wi
TO be understood as desiring to intcTie
with tho emigration 10 this country. l.
the oppressed and down trodden come amor
us. They will be welcome. Homes, Ia
piness and protection await them. But
would not have them rulc as OF So comb
then power as to work mischief upon q
institutions In this many synplthize VI
the oripinators Of the American movcme
They thought II right-to resolve 10 vote
no man for high Office not native born.
this the original purpose of the order, b
been adhered TO- not lIOOdO, hui half n
lion of freemen would, to-day, have be
enrolled in the ranks Of the so called Am
icanibarty. But the organization Tell II
dishonest hands. UDprincipled men 5eca
its masters, and diverted Il from its purp'
TO meet combination by combination, and
render It for the interest of all political p
ties to give position and prominence to
tive. rather than To foreign born aspiral
This is what it WAS designed to be IN
purity; that is, not political party, bu
communion of men OF all parties. to &C
pei political parties To make proper nomi
tons Bat what has il become! Is It
institution to which a free and honora
man should or can belong--lo which a CHI
tan or patriot can belong? Not, SIR, wl
he Conner to understand lis designs ahd
character of ,he men into whose hand
has fallen. The great mass of those
are in il are honest. They went into il
aid in the accomplishment OF good !
pose, or were inyclgled into It by polii
Ircksters aud managers. But they can
remain in il To do so, renders them
ties to the base purposes 70 which tue or
is being employed.
In July last u state constitution was aS
ted. The grand lodge was combined '
some other organization, and IT is now
led the grand council. What are its p
ent objects? find II has an officer ca
The grand president. The name of that
Ger IS known; aud here there must
been violation Of the oath, Otherwise
name of this grand president Of the q
council OF the State of New York would
have remained a secret. He exercis
power. today, equal to the power exerc
by any monarch in Europe. And yet
know not of it; nor can those who have
examined into the secret and intricate
chnery of this order. What is his pow
OF what does il consist? How can
exercised? | Twill tell you, sir. This g
president was and is empowered II app
upon his own motion, aud without the KIN
edge, permission, sanction or counsel OF
other man, one deputy for each count
Now, with such power, what would a
signing, ambitious man do? lie would
lect "a such deputv a persou who woud