Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1855-07-21
Cor, E,gIer.s Speech Mt Brighton.


people, retire TO private life if such had
been The will OF the people.
Aware that rotation office was favoriie doctrine
wi h party neither sought nor desired nomina
tions and in reply friends uniformly declared thai
had 10 desire ior denomination. but that would
cepi It if rendered NE voluntarily. The nomination.
therefore, The work of the people, and il
cepted in spirit OF devotion TO the best interests
party and the people of California to whom owe
debt oi lasiisg gratitude.
Is perhaps, unnecessary here 10 refer to the action
Of The Convention further Than to say that 1t har
ihonioIss in iis proceedings and adjourned with firm
resolve 10 triumph IN September.
My friends have concealed foe to meet. and
discomht The fasvTie 0ea heretofore entertained that
candidates for office should fanky their opinions
On every question Of interest to The people ana pursue
open and manly Of conduct, has been repu-
dated by the enemies Of Democracy and lodges
organized for the purposes OF controlling the govern
men The members of these lodges, it is understood
are regularly ini.ited and bound by raadicia s
10 conceal from the public all The acts and things done
within the sane. These lodges organized for the
iexpress purpose of ling the politics of The coun-
try and waging bitter wurfare against al who refuse
Ito cooperate with them. For one, | am opposed 10
ecret peh,ical organizations believe. did Gen
washington, that all such associations likely in
the course Of time and ihiugs. become potent en-
fgincs, by which cunning, ampiiiois and unprnciped
uIen VIII be rnbi 10 su5Yeli the pos OF the people,
and to usurp for themselves The rens OF government
destroying afterwards The very engines which Lifted
them 10 uijnsi dominion" ! believe thai there should
be no secrecy II relation 10 the political opinions
| ,iVns Of pubic men.
II it that education and intelligence are nece
sly TO The maintenanso of institutions permit
ine here enquire is that intelligence TO be dis
semIna cd if controlled by oaih-bound secret assoeil
ti0ns associations whih reqnire not only II sacrifice
Of individually, bu bind obedience the dicaLiun
of others, without previously nalured opinions These
secret associations are composed o nen differ widely
IN ih.r opinions ID relation to the polio, OF govern
neni buI how Is the honest purpose OF the heart
carried Out i Terrible cath IS registered conform
the Will of The order. md The honest cun,i lotion that
right and coGnr, require different course, yield
10 The binding obg alton which has been taken 10 carry
uni q ftf ffrl
sideraiioA, IN my opinion, must satisfy every man that
secro pohiea organizations are not only IL variance
win lie spirit oil Tree instiutionS but dangerous 10
Ir liberties OF the people.
repeat, my friends thai am opposed TO all oath
bound societies or organizations TO accomplish political
ends, and MI Obligations which cmbarrlss the free
exercise ef Tie elective franchise which may be cal
cuAiei TO pr iudiee the sancily Of the Jury box.
| Allow ue here fellow Democrats, enquire is there
any necessity for secrecy III relation the political
fairs OF tho country What Is there il The organization
OF society which renders secrecy necessary? Why
should few men assemble, and after taking aud sub
scrbnS blhulng oalns never 10 eivulge their acts,
sumo Inc right OF controlling the political affairs the
country We have the authority Il the good Book
The saying the wicked choose darkness ruther
than hight. because their deeds evil Al there ex
Isis no good reason for conceamen where the conduct
Is upright and correct, We left infer that some
thing done at these meetings which The world
could not and would not approve
| l am aware thai several gentlemen Who claim 10 be
American par excellence, have Seen enli9hening the
people at different points the policy ANA lrinripes
Aof what they are pleased 20 call the American party
Yhaye heard TWO OF these gentlemen great length
mol word was uttered explanatory of Tie operations
aud doings OF these secret cUncaves Why let The
people know the form OF The oah which each member
Is required To take in each of the several degrees? WHY
not inform the people i'll relation the Tests religious
and others which have been By them adopted? Why
not act openly, III full view of every man DESTROYS OF
correct information in relation the IN inner in which
nominations 10 oilice nude? Why not threw wide
open the Lodge and invite all to witness the nru-
ceednss and ceremonies? All this must be done be-
lore tie orier can claim To BE- American In couduci aud
Character W hat man claiming 10 be an American, AMI
mated By the spirit which actuated revolutionary
fathers ashamed 10 his opinions and PUBLIC
" act his part IL the political AFT OF the country p
Why. il The OBJ ects and ends be accomplished are
consistent with The public good desire conceulncnt >
il all is as II should be, why bind under binding
oahs never 10 disclose the doings of orEanza ion
fOrmed Tor political purposes Ii there is nothing con-
nected with the organization which will not ber scruii
ny, why many freeman refused admiitdnce?
The ruth is, my fellow citizens the political Affairs of
LUIS great naioh as heretofore, should be publicly dis
cusscd, and The whole people permitted and hear
all that done All have rights and should be ,ernii-
ted to see and hear This yower 10 exclude from The
Lodges is dangerous as weltas unjust. As well might
he DesUcracy exclude the Wings and Know Noihings
iront Ttnes s'g the proceedings a iseis Con
and mass meetings The questions discussed ntere
The whole people, Why then exclude all W no unwiIl
my to take an oath that they VIII their return
homo give nei3hbor the benefit of INF lrnaiion nc
quiTed Ia relation TO public uffairs: You mast in the
consideration OF this subject bear in mind the mpor-
tant fact. that know-NOlhngism is a political orgauiza.
tlon and thai lis members in secrect cOnclaNc assem-
Dlcd. 10 control the government OF The
country by eieclInS men OF their order to Office.
Some OF The more Jealous Of the order, assured,
go the length OF denying the right Of members vote
tor Americana by BIRTH who are not members Of the
order. These men insist that Know. Nolhings cannot
vote Tor whom heF please in the great American family
but must vote for member of the order, whether
satisfied or not with his character and quail ications
can scarcely believe that rule repugnnt 10 repub
lichnsm has been adopted, and will affirm its cor
rectuess until further advised on the subject.
Ny fellow-cizens, have always been opposed 10 in
tolerance persecution. lam
proud 10 belong has advocated liberal and Just
measures has ever sustained the Constitution Of our
common country in letter and in spirit. nnd ever viii
sustain every man no matter how poor and humble in
the free exercise OF the rights and privileges guaranteed
by that instrument
The American Democracy. constituting m immense
majority Of the American people have ever been gov
orped by just and honorable principles and never have
conuienanced injustice. Is he honest-is he capable
IS he faithful to the Constitution? in times gone by was
the only lest but now man is to be deprived of his
privileges if not born within the limits fixed by the
dctaors Who control Within certain concaves
II matters not what his rights may be under the Ceis
luun aud laws Ui his adopted country If he is not
member Of the secret order be is 10 be prescribed In
justice such as this in my opinion will be universally
condemned by The American people AZ soon as properly
understood. The people-the masses, always act
esily and literally and will never ;roscriOc man
merely because born in another land They REQUIRE all
such confirm TO The Constitution and laws and after
having done soalter having abjured all foreign con
troll ana sworn allegiance TO our free government, will
regard them as citizens entitled 10 all the rights and
privileges guaranteed by the Constitution Ills proper
all will cUncede, 10 hold responsible for their 0w
acts and failure TO perform bouuden duy but not for
unPossibilities Ii you prescribe man after he has
concerned TO your Constitution and laws and acquired
all lie TIZhts of American ciiizcnyou prescribe him
for that which he could not cOntrO-you nroscrbe him
for the failure OF his parents this free land
before the day of his birth
If our naturalization system is wrong we are to blame
for it. The system is the work of American statesmen
w ashng.on Jefferson and other illustrious revolu
onary fathers sanctioned and approved il. We have
Invited the people OF other countries 10 come h re and
become American cItizens-He have impressed upon
the world the Guitar benefits of FREQ iDsliiui ons-we
nave boasied mat ours Is land OF civil and rclig
freedom an asylum Tor the oppressed where avery
could enjuy The high dignity of self government and
the inestmabie privilege OF worshippDg Sod agrceably
10 Inc dictates OF ms own conscience. Thus invited,
many came and now an effort is being made By secret
organ zaon TO override The Constitution and disregard
the pigated faith OF our fathers No such act Of inus
lice and political wrong should be permitted tarnsh
the far fame of America
Prescription and intolerance heretofore have never
been the characteristics Of The American people, and
am oah TO believe that even now with al the app-
ances OF spoiis seeking demagocues. of midnis h
cluves and Get bands, the American muses. can so
degenerate from the free. liberal tolerant Christian
principles OF their ancestors, to prescribe fellow
zens either because of foreign birth religious belief
To e-cupe such inioerance-to make for themselves
u home in land Of liberty where every could en-
Joy his civil and political rights and worship God in his
own way, our father, scarce Two centuries ago 1ed to
TIL. continent
Asansi such persecution and tyranny Tie men Of &c
ubfaried the banner OF freedom. and established ms
tons which have made land at the greatest.
the iFeesi, and liberal nation the globe But the
new order now seek 10 deprive their fellow citizens OF
the rights guaranteed by the Constittlon-io repeal laws
sanctioned BY The founders Of The Republic, and build
high wall Of prescription shut those who
not to the "Inanor born" The doctrines, contrary
hey are TO Tie teaching Of our Revolutionary Fathers