The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-08-21

tIleSc UiiliiheiS iSSoI|, ~ s"S 'l""t"-
port of the South.
am, most respectfully, yours, &c.
+. GAlLLARD.
Hon. w. W. BovcE.
FoSrr FLORA, Fairfield Dist. S. c.,
August 81, 1855:
Dear Sir: proceed to give you my views
upon the Know Nothiug Party. This party
rests on two ideas, opposition to foreigners, and
to Catholics and its machinery is secret
There is no doubt but that the vast accession
to the population of the North by foreign i'm
m;rvs,ion is injurious to the South: it strength
ems the North, and consequently weakens the
South. 1t is not our policy to encourage. tii's
immigration on the contrary it Is our pollcy 10
discourage it. But the mode Of doing this Is a
question the remedy may be worse than the
disease and in this light consider the Know
Nothing party. Its Northern wing anti slave
~, and we cannot, without an infatuaton bor'
derinc on madness, coalcsce with it.
The Southern Know Nothings, however, do
not stop at hostility to foreigners at the North,
they extend their opposition to foreigners at the
South entirc!y differ from them in this regard; ;
think our policy is to harmonic every class at
the South, so that the South may be unit
The foreign element at the South is a mere tri-
fe, less than two per cent Of the entire Popua-
ton; so far from prescribing them, would ex
tend to them every sympathy, for they are
meritorious class Of our citizens, and, as mass,
true to their section.
As regards the Catholics, do not see that we
isve anything to fear from them. There are
very few Catholics at the South, and they arc
doing us ue harm. If any part Of the United
:Statss are suffering from the Catholics, it Is the
North, where they arc more numerous; but
don't feel that We are under any special obIiSa-
rions to 90 xpon crusade for the benefit OF the
Northern people. Let them cure their own dis
.srders the best way they can while they are
go engaged they will have less time to attend to
.eur affairs. But even If the Catholics were an
evil at the South, which | do not pretend to say,
for have too much respect for every form Of
religion to be so uncharitabe, vet do not think
prescription is the remedy. 1t will rather ag-
grsvate the disease. If YOU wish church to
flourish, persecute it.
However anxious might be to advance Pro.
testantism, anything like a crusade against tile
Catholics jars upon every feeling Of my heart.
1t is in violation Of the great principle OF :ell.
cious tolerance, the nobest principle engratted
on the Constitution, by our ancestors, and Will
never consent to violate it. The most revolving
paoes of history are those which illustrate the
horrors of religious persecution. And shall we
who stand upon the apex of civilization, put
back the clock of time, and recede to the dark
ages to light again the fires of religious intole-
rance? God forbid! What have to fear from
the Catholics of the South! Are they not
Southerncrs Are they not shareholders? Are
,hey not my brothers? And shall join in with
a party, the very scum Of the North, men who
hate me and my section worse than they 40
hell's pains, and would sink the whole South into
bottomless perdition if their power were COM
mensurate with their malice,-I say, shall l. join
in with such party aud bind myself by triple
oaths, to persecnte my eighbor because lie says
his prayers in different form from what do ?
Never, never, never
From the review which have thus taken of
the principles of the Know Nothing party, |
am compelled in general terms to dissent from
them, nor am better satisfied with their ma.
chinery. Secret political societies in a republic
are a monstrous anomaly, of most dangerous
tendency.
When consider tho situation Of the South,
am amazed and saddened at our party conten-
tions. We are like the Greeks of the lower
empire, who exhausted themselves in insane dis.
cussions, while the Barbarians were laundering
=at their gates. We are upon the eve Of a revo-
slutios, and occupying ourselves with foreigners
. and Catholics as though we had nothing at stake
ourselves. Strange pre-occupation! 1t seems
to me osr course is so obvious, that none can
avoid seeing, but tho 'e who will not see.
SIa.esy is the absorbing question. Our first
necessity is resistance, certainly so, as it we
:,already saw the banners of the Northern hordes
shauntins IN. oGr ,nidst. Lat us drop all minor
.,ouestions Snd 'sAite the whole South in one
great party for sdf preservation, and let Us well
come to that party every freeman Of the South,
who has heart to feel for the wrongs Of the
South, and an.:srm to strike in her Defence
.Ner SHOULD i inquire Of any man, whether he
was a foreigner or a'C&aaolic, but welcome all
v,eho were Isnettorte Susth, and her destiny
II would IseriSe,npon 'the banner Of the South
mo such weak ds1ice:ns '"iaSun with the Pope"
.or those words Of r,riseral1s deusion, Place
none but An,erieaas OF guard but those other
words which -si,odid Move every Southern heart,
."Eouality and Justice, OF Revolution"
Just at this time, too, there IS great practical
and immediate work before us -Rausas
+ Grganize, raise men
:and money, and let as secure tlIs empire for the
South am,reatiy to go into this great enter
;prse and press it to success ri every cost. and at
every hazard forupon kausas depends in my
-opinion, the future 6f the South.