Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-06-20

From the Augusta Const. Rep 50th ult = I
Large and Enth usiastic Neutrality-suspicious. of i
Messrs. Stephens, Toombs and Thomas.

III. H..
ing the shortness ofthe notice. it being announced
only on that day by placars at public places there
being no papers issued Monday morning, that Mr..
Stephens would address his ow-citizens the PEG.
pie turned out Ipasse to hear their distinguished
and patriotic Representative. The Hall was crowd:
ed to suffocation, and hundreds standing out
side unable to get in, and ciamorous for Mr.. Ste
phens to come out on the steps. This being suG-
eested to the speaker shortly after he opened his adj
dress, Mr. Stephens said he would acquiesce cheer
fully in the general wish, and proceeded to the nor
thern portal of the Hall. Here our citizens, to the
number of two thousand, were compelled to stand
on the damp ground for want of suitable platform.
Thanks are due, for the advantage, suppose, to
our Know Nothing Council, who have thus carried
out this Know Nothing principle of sitting discus
sion. We have never seen an orator speak under
such disagreeable circumstances but we have yet to
see more patient and attentive audience. Mr. Ste
phens commenced his remarks by expressing his re-
greet at being compelled to speak in the dark, for 1t
always his pleasure when he spoke, to look the
people in the eyes. He said that he had travelled
over than half the State, in order to meet the
people of Augusta tonight.
Since his communication to Mr.. Thomas had been
published it had been said that the of his re-
tirement from the in this District, was his
fear of being beaten For himself he was afraid of
nothing--of nothing under nor above the earth, but
to do wrong. Of that he afraid; of being beat
en-, he wouldn't give fig for man who was not
willing to be beaten in defence of what he believed
to be right. He had come there then, he said, in
response TO various calls, to announce that he was
Nominated, said he, not by any two-thirds rule, but
here upon this stand l nominate myself for Con-
gress from the 9Th Congressional District
Mr.. Stephens was here interrupted by deep and
enthusiastic shout of appreciation from the great
crowd he was addressing. He continued that this
Know Nothing order had been created it was said,
for the purpose of putting down demagogues small
men, tricksters. For himself he no trtckster.
Tricksters never walk in open day. They skuk IN
hiding places, and he warned the people to beware
of leaders who resorted to the dark in order to
coct their schemes
1t had been said by some who had commented up
on his letter, but of whom had had the bold
ness to come out, by those who were shooting at
him in the dark, that David and his adherents
formed a secret organization and that Samuel Adj
ans and others formed a secret clique for the pur-
pose of striking blow for American liberty. This
object of the Know Nothings revolution. 1t is
to overthrow the Constitution of the country; to
create religious test when the Constitution said
there should be no religious test. The Know Moth
ings knew that their object revolution they
knew that they had taken oath not to support any
Catholic for office. They might deny it, and explain
away the denial by some casuistcal slippery, Know
Nothing construction, but there monitor with
IN, which told them they had taken it.
Mr.. Stephens continued for some time in an elo-
quent strain the sublimty of truth, the founda-
ton of all honor and integrity among men; want
of which, as bad as the Know Nothings charged the
Catholics to be, could not be preferred against them;
and then introduced beautiful passage of sacred
history: at was after Judas had betrayed Christ
Lord asked, what is truth :" He called upon all
Know Nothngs but especially all Ministers of the
Gospel, who might have Joined the ORDER to repent
III sack-coth and ashes and to go about and preach
from the pulpit on that text, "what is truth ~
He here. eloquently appealed to Know Nothings
to burst asunder these oaths, which bound them
down with cords, and abandon this spirit of pre-
varication which they had adopted for the purpose
of violating the Constitution of the country! He
poured forth glowing, patriotic and forcibe appeals
in behalf of the principles laid down in his late letter
against Know Nothineism. He depicted, in master
ly style, the corrupting and disastrous influences to
result society from the decetful equivocatng and
fraudulent practices of Know Nothingism-the anti
American, anti-Republican, and unmanly character
of its organization The danger to liberty, to the
peace of communities and to social order of secret
political conclaves plotting in the darkness of mid
night for the advancement of purposes not disclosed
to the public they sought to govern, and whose
rights they aimed to control and dispose of in this
clandestine mode. He held that such conduct
unworthy Of men and freemen who held principles
worthy of success.
Truth never skulkcd from the light of day and hid
itself in dark corners afraid of discussion and in
vestgation. 1t the characteristic of error and
of falschood thus to hide, and there to work out
their bad purposes. Truth the foundation stone
of civil order-the very life and essence of social
integrity. Yet acknowledgement bowed to a spell
and influence more potent than TRUTH and recon-
cied the consciences Of men to resort to equivoca
ton and slippery construction to deceive the public
But there monitor from on HIGH in the breast
of every honest man, that must at times whisper to
him that this wrong.
Know Nothingism bound its votaries under the
third degree of its ritual by solemn oath to main
tain the Union; all hazards, against all efforts of
and secessionists. But nowhere bound
its members to maintain the Constitution; yet that
Constitution was the very life and soul of the Union.
1t could only have been made by it, and through it,
and the principles it consecrates. Without it. the
Constitution would be vaueless or worse than val
ueess.
There was the abolitionism of this order in dis
guse He called on Southern to notice it. He,
MIR. Stephens stood upon the Georgia platform
Should Kansas be rejected account of slavery,
he was for resistance Send him to Congress ana
he would resist it there; if unsuccessful, he would
return to the people and tell them to resist it.
1t had been said that the foreigners who came to
this country Joined the abotonsts in their crusades
upon our rights. 1t not so; he knew that it
was not SO. The foreigners who came here, with
a reverence for the Constitution. Where did these
foreigners mostly settle? In the North West And
from the North West came the best friends of the
South from Indiana Illinois, and Iowa, the last, the
only State which had never bowed to abolitionsnl,
and now for the first time, to be represented by
free-soiler, when Know Nothngism had sprung into
existence.
Every Know Nothing took oath that he would
support Roman Catholic for office. This
striking at of the fundamental principles of the
Constitution, which declares there shall be rei
gous test, qualification for office. He, there
fore, who took that OATH took oath inconsistent
with the support of the Constitution. 1t
oath in violation of the letter of that sacred nstru