Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-05-24

and elevate his soul with immortal asphauou-,
were spurned imposture by these tef destroyers'
They would have depraved man from bis human
", as they attempted TO decree GOD Out u n.
universe. Not contented with France as 49,
for their ruthless EXP erimeuts--EuroPe Nse ,Sa;s
too narrow for their exploits, they senu -,
propagandists to the new wor!o, VIZ So
about as charitable as those WITH WHICH, 0''N-'
entered Eden" - oe tho sooo,os
oaetsa hv that self same party, which was at hrst
f,,od bv those who styled themselves "the friends
of 49, ronst;tntion." And where did these secret
G,.,n.;;so Jye now hear Of come from? Not from
Rance Il is true-but from that land of isms,
where the people would have gone into anarchy
long ago, if it had not been for the conservative
influence of the more stable minded men of the
South! And what scenes have we lately witness
ed in the Massachusetts, Legislature, where this
new political organism has more fully developed
Itself than anywhere else? What are its firstfrults
there? Under the name of "The American Psrty,
they have armed themselves against the Constitu-
ton of our common country, which they were
sworn to tupport-with every member OF the Leg
islature believe, eight belonging to 1.-THE Or
der, they have by an overwhelming majority vote
ceposed Judge Loring, for nothing but the DIS
charge of his official duty in issuing warrant as
United States Commissioner, to cause the arrest OF
tie fugitive slave Burns. In reviewing TINS most
unheard of outrage upon the Constitution, the Ma
tionGl Inteigencer at Washington says it shoulders
for the Judiciary" And if they go Oh as they have
begun, well may the country "shudder," not only
for the Judiciary, but for everything else we hold
most sacred. "If these things be done in the
green tree, what may you expect in the dry.
But have been anticipating somewhat. was
on the preliminary question; that is the Secresy
which lies at the foundation of the party-that at
mosphere of darkness in which 'it lives and moves,
and has its being" and without which probably it
could not exist I do not, however, intend to stop
with that l will go further, and give, now, my
opinions upon these questions, which are said to
be within the range of its secret objects and aims
The principles as published Tor those principles
which are attributed to the Order, though no body
as an organized party avow them,) have, as l IN
jierstand them, two leading ideas, and two only
These are prescription by an exclusion from Of
'fce of all Catholics class and prescription of
all persons of foreign BIRTH as class; the latter to
be accomplished not only by exclusion from Of
flee of all foreigners who citizens by natu-
ralization but to be more eectualy carried out by
an abrogation of the naturalization law for the fu-
| ture, or such amendment as would be virtually
| tantamount to it. These, we are told, are the
great ostensbe objects fer all this machinery-these
| acknowledgements sgns-equivocatons-
mails, and what not And what have to say of
them, s, that if these Indeed and in truth be the
principles thus attempted to be carried out, then
am opposed 10 both of them, openly and unqual-
6edly. - Z, .. -, g.. =
vas basis of party organization and upon their
merits as questions of public policy. AS the basis
| of party organization, they founded upon the
very erroneous principle of looking not to ho the
| country shall be governed, but ,0ho shall hold the
offces-not whether we shall have wise and whole
some laws, but aoho shall ''rule u.s." though they
may bring ruin with their rule. Upon this princi-
| pie Trumbu, who defeated Gen. Shields for the
| Senate in Illinois, can be as good @know moth
| ing as any man in the late 'Macon Council"
though he may vote, as he doubtless will to repeal
the fugitive slave law, and against the admission of
any slave State in the Union; while Shields, who
has ever stood by the Constitution must be reject
| ed by Southern men because he was not born in
the country. Upon this principle, a Boston Athe-
ist who denies the inspiration Of the Bible because
it sanctions slavery is TO be sustained by Georgia
'Hknow-nothings" in preference to me, barely be-
| cause will not 'bow the knee to Baa' this false
| political god they have set up The only basis Of
party organization is an agreement amongst those
who enter into it upon the paramount question of
the day. And no party can last long without
bringing disaster and ruin in its train founded upon
any other principle. The old National Wing Par
~ tried the experiment when there was radio al
differences of opinion on such questions and went
to pieces. The National Democratic Party are now
trying similar experiment. and are experiencing
similar fate This is what is the matter with it.
It's vital functions deranged-hence that disease
which now 'offlcts it worse than the dry rot
And what we of the South now should do is not to
go into any "know nothing" mummery or mis-
chief as it may be- but to stand firmly by those
men at the North who are true to the Constitution
and the Union without regard either to their birth
place or religion. The question we should consider
is not simply qUho "shal rule America" but tUho
the interests of America, and with that the inter-
ess Of mankind.
But to pass to the other view of these principles
that is the consideration of them as questions of
public policy. With me- they both stand in no
better light in this aspect than they do in the other
The first assumes temporal jurisdiction in forum
conScientG'-to which am quite asmuch opposed
as am to the spiritual po1UerS controlling the tenn
pOrdL One is as bad as the other-both are bad
am utterly opposed to mingling religion with pol
itics in any way whatever and especially am OPP
posed to making it test in qualifications for civil
office Religion is matter between a man and
his Creator, with which governments should have
nothing to do In this country the Constitution
guarantees to every citizen the right to entertain
whatever creed he peases, or creed at all if he
is so inclined; and no other man has right to priv
into his conscience to enquire what he believes or
what he does not believe. As a citizen and as
member Of society, he is to be judged by his acts
and not by his cresd. A Catholic, therefore, in our
country, and in all countries ought, as all other cit
liens to be permitted to stand or fall in public IA
vor and estimation upon his iadi0id4al merits
Every tub should stand upon its own bottom"
But think of all the christian denominations in
the United States, the Catholics are the last that
Southern people should join in attempting to put
under the ban fcivilproscription. For as church
they have never acarred against US or our peculiar
N ms mn nf
England Baptists, Presbyterians or Methodists; the
long roll Of abolition petitions with which Congress
has been so much excited and agitated for years
past came not from the Catholics their pulpits at
the North are not desecrated every Sabbath with
ansthemas against slavery And of the three hous-
and New England clergymen who sent the anti
Nebraska memorial to the Senate last year not one
was Catholic as l have been informed and be-
heve Why then should we Southern men ioin |
the Puritans Of the North to prescribe from Office
the Catholics on account of their religion? Let them
aud their religion be, as bad as they can be- or q,
their accusers say they are, thew cannot be worse
than these same PI,yitanicol accusers who started
this persecution against them say that 7Ue ore |
They say we are going to perdition for the enor-
nous sin OF holding slaves The Pope with all his |
followers cannot | suppose even in their Judgment |
be gong to worse place for holding what thew
consider the monstrous absurdty of the "immacu
late conception" And for my own part l would
about as soon risk my chance for Heaven with him
and his crowd too, as with these selfrghteous hvp
ocrites who deal out fire and birthstone so literally
L