Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-03-20
THE TESTIMONY OF a RECANrING KNOW
NOTHING.

y citizen oi frcIcrlck Nd, WHO was inNelTicV W.
to the Secret Order by the ,pccous professions OF the
managers, and who became disgustcd by clear III
sigh, into their miserable purposes, announced IN Ia"
public paper. his withdrawal from the know-N"ihmg
Cabal For this simple act hc was denounced by IN"
Frederick Examiner with riruIcncc hGd abuse. In
sc!.-vindcu,iou he comes out in the Citizen with n
fuI aYn,.i,jou of H., reason. that acuuicd him in
,yi,hJraviur and we make liberal extract from l-
cnrL shnwu. up tie Secret Order il! all lis CcIormi-
ties. We n-k honest men % all parties 10 rcrd his
testimony and 10 turn with horror from any "tia,om
will, the most nGrrow-mindcd dcspotc Gnd danger
ous organization that di-.rucci the country. No
words necessary to give point 10 the startling rev.
ela,ions Of the writer who deceived but promptly
rescued himself from the trap. Hear his words:
ain the first plncc, deny that any influences
used with view 10 procure my remuneration al the
Order, and also that the senior Editor OF the 'Cr-
zen, whom did not consult and who had no
knowledge al my intention until my Gard was
handed to him for publication, had any COM
necion with my leaving faction with whose
principles | had become thoroughly dis3ustcd.--
desire in this communication simply IN state my
reasons for nv net which was entirely of my own
will, ms sought council from no one Us 10 the course
should pursue and nm myself pcrsonoy y and other
wise sole, responsible for H. When ! joined the
Known NG,hincs. / had no knowledge of their charac
ter their objects, their ancs; had no means OF as
certanng them; | attached myself 20 them, firmly
resolved that the good OF my Country were the
end 10 which they looked would hdicrc most ihilii-
fully to them attended, think, but four meet
inrr certainly not more than six, which were amply
sufficient 10 convince lie that no man OF true patriot
ism and liberal feelings could rcInal! among them
without sacrificing his honor. and compromising
his freedom of will and opinion. Instead OF meeting
with the patriotic, The Intelligent, and the LIBERAL
.;,L g.,- I met
Grant, the proscrip,ionists, the superanuatcd, and
broken down leaders Of the old Wing party and the
disappointed oilice.seckns Democrat. lis political
complexion was decidedly wing tilc man pndy
being men of that creed. the residue, those who hnd
once acted with the Democratic party saw that lis
aim was to break down the party OF which had been
n member from my youth, and under whose wsc' re-
publican. and generous policy my country had
grown rich, great aud powerful ana hc'clhilcu 10
eschew it as thing oi cvil-cvil i'll lts origin and
evil IN its pursuits Under Democratic rule | had
nwuys beci free to act, think and speak for myself
hud never been controlled by c"ucuses or cIi4its'-
voted as pleased, and no one never dared I" G"ca-
tion the proprctv of my conduct; but there ! was
hound in will md purpose IN do as those N m.
fhoriiy m,ght dicI0ie, under pam ot the dreadiui
di.plcasrirc of those who seek power place an"
profit by the organization, anu VINO give u"tc
ton 10 it, ! regard il o. Il ioul egS Ia'cHG1
after protracted and elaborate nsuGn'.on ~ ~
Wing nest, and whose chick strongly resembles III
form and feature the CrarrR b'rd ancient FtdtrG'SM'
and advise all my Democratic lei cow-clizc!is 10 ENC
no heed 10 its outward and Specous professions "i
"imercaniSm' for these are f"rfI mos""y ;yhms, m
hc and 10 avoid il as they would the viper, wh"'e
presence is contagion, whose sting Is death. H"'l"T
been brought up in the faith oi froteS'ah''S''' ",
still believing in its doctrines, c0uld iio' "t.o"'
dou,, violence 10 is charitable teachings, hsS',t ia
DISTINGUISHING NV Catholic friend and brother "h"se
r,ht IN lis religious belief is Divine ms my "Wi''
and sanctioned BY the highest human auth"fhy.tne
Federal Consitution-hc organlc INV OF m! COUNT
Nor could endorse the deSp"tic dogma l,a' vi, WI"
crsleyc the fugitive from oplrcssioli W'o s%ut"'
or,or,, nc :, CITY of rcfcc-nn asylum where iHc =
r,nt'. mower could not reach him. NofwithstanndnS
.In dnnrul thai il has no sympathy WIN " 'i!-'
rcry il is fixed and indsputab.c tru'i 'hMl Il - M H..
old enemy of Democracy in disguise hoctiS ~ u VIZ
closest union all the dscordaht c'eHc''s ''t, l Lu
threatened our overthrow Us '"vcrnmcil,' anu ''uS
;n n ,,s embrace all the foul factions and Sis III me
Iom5 was un,hl.. TO discover amytiIiN9 Ike -,"'c
ric,ns,nr in IT, lis cardinal d"g'nas oeihS "Et"eeu
TO the spirit of our institutions. :.:s III uevii L.J,I
nism with our Bill of RGh'. o". H''e " or ,b Trcni
Constitutions uu,! are in contraNtht"h VI '''' go.
nrincn. of Rcpsblicanism, namely cFN eIHih'''S.
iLe fnrndation Stone of our Government ana "l'lou'
which il cannot endure. Il i me ""!"'"c ~ ,' ID =.
of the Ecvoutom-it is one "t INC iesuc' ..r,r
the war Of ISL! 1t i an oplr%sI%h'' Of Tree
dcspotsn, which the sober second noun n,,i -.
hr,nvrr impulsive people will crush ere Il, pt,' 'Ii
r;, have r;nrncd and ere IL lras-hke Dfta'! ,i'i
bnvc Llirhted the glory OF our i'''hc' W hn;L,.,.s
bnllowcd lustre that CLEANS in beauty am ~ nn,i
rom our Ss stripes and s'Scs md n the ns emp2 aS9 5o
demasosue the designing h"nke ke dr"wnnr d% M men, viii
as psfs at no FssSs and ,eS Ss M PFqs
meet sladowy though il be. q . ,eG
tSe true and patriotic who hsyS been cnmcs nfn,Iy
into its bosoni, have the in"s. "p. III. brtnr, t
and a. Of old the Da.on OF iGoi'idS ~, tt @ VA
Ak Of the Covenant, 30 will tne sisi y, IN; ri
fr'nzci ianaticsm be broken by the Suonie i ,"ra'
sse pomer Of true sH@i bss not aTs
remained in the Order rrci,. and bht in
scnptse anu could n"t do, aud therefore withdrew
'01ssisIis the mapnsr So Of ' my have ba: ihs
ppbc NJ ia' would have suited all my purposes ors as
wen. rs nnd s;gnted my Intention 10 friend
menoe' te ,be next meeting that did no, wish 10 be
considersd as connected with it any longer his he