The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1855-07-28

Louisiana Know Nothings sent delegates
to the Convention ut Cincinnati and that
those delegates were refused admittance
because there was q religious test which ex-
cluded them. The Know Nothings Of this
State afterwards sent delegates to the
Grand Council at Philadelphia, and there
likewise they were rejected on account of
the same religious test. Thus Louisiana
stands alone in the Know Nothing party
an orphan whom no body will acknowledge.
Twice has religious prescription been ex-
ercised upon her--twice have her delegates
been excluded from Know Nothing Con.
ventions. 1t is indeeda sad, and q strange
spectacle, in the nineteenth century, and in
a free country to behold delegates to po-
litical convention, begging and imploring
and yet rejected on account of
their religious opinions. And this is the
party we are invited to .join-this is the
party which boasts Of its Americanism.
II is not long since the Grand Council
of Know Nothings assembled in the city of
Philadelphia, and thence promulgated what
they call platform of principles. And
what is that platform? Why, it acknowl-
edges the existence ola Supreme Being and
opposes the Catholic religion on account
OF what it calls the aggressive tendencies
Of the Catholic Church. In relation to the
vital subject of slavery, the Know Nothings
have presented a platform on which you, as
Southern men, cannot stand. In regard to
religion the eighth article in that platform
says: 'H-
Resistance to the aggressive policy and
corrupting tendencies of the Roman Cath
olic Church in our country by the advance
ment to all political stations-cxecutiv
legislative, judicial or diplomatic-o those
only who do not hold civil allegiance, di-
rectly OF indirectly, to any foreign power
whether civil or ecclesiastical, and who are
Americans by birth, education and training
thus fulfilling the maxim," AMERICANS
ONLY SHALL GOVERN AMERICA"
Here, then, we perceive systematic as
sanlt upon the Catholic Church and its
votaries. But the Louisiana Catholics say
that they make no assault on the Catholic
they have rcpudiatcd this
proscriptive feature of the national creed.
TO test the correctness Of this assertion, let
me call your attention to the Louisiana plat
form. | will show that in spite of their
declarations to the contrary, they do pro-
scribe Catholics. They approve, by their
ninth article, the whole of the Philadelphia
platform; they even approve of the princi-
pies OF the eighth article, and only reject
the application Of that principle to American
Catholics. And why do they make this
exception? They were ostracised by the
Know Nothings of the North; they could
not get into the Cincinnati or the Philadel-
phia Conventions, and having no hope any
where else, theysare compelled TO resort
to the Catholic vote of Louisiana. And
what is their position on the slavery ques.
ton? 1t is well known that whenever the
Democratic party met in Convention, it
has always taken high ground on that sub
ject. II has always proclaimed It's attach
mcnt to the great doctrines of State rights,
and has ever defended the South against
the assaults of her enemies. The Know
Nothing Convention, ON the other hand,
by expressly pretermitting any expression
Of opinion on the right of Congress to es-
tablish or prohibit slavery in The Terrific
ries, left the question open, and suffers the
rights Of the South to be submitted to the
will of majority, which binds the minor
ity to obedience, by secret oaths and obli-
cations.
AS | have said, fellow. citizens, il is no
time now for me to discuss the question at
issue. This is but the commencement of
the fight. ] will be back among you be-
fore the ides of November bearing with
me good tidings Of greatjoy. Let the Dem
ocratic party but do its duty and all viii
go well. Let it bring all its strength to the
polls, and see that every voter is protected
in the exercise ofhis legal and constitutional
rights. Let them not succumb to that par
ty which would tear down the monument
that gratitude has erected to Kosciusko;
which would destroy the shaft that in Sa-
vannah stands in the MONDAY sun, as a
tribute to the memory of Pulaski; and that
would cross the blue ocean and exhume
the honored dust Of Lafayette, forgetful
that the plains of Brandywinc were once
with his blood. Let us romem
Der that in our time Of need, generous and
high souled foreigners have ever been ready
to rush to our assistance; that every battle
field, from Bunker Hill to Mexico, is fer.