The true Democrat., 1855-10-09
Letter from Beni. U. JacOwav.

R. II. JOHNSON, EsQ-For the benefit of the public and the accommodation of my friends, permit me, as a lover of civil and religious li- berty, to make few statements in the columns of your interesting paper, relative to my politi- cal position. My past life is characterized by an untlinching defence of the unerriDg prnci- ples of democracy and with my feet firmly placed upon the democratic platform, and my shoulder at the wheel of American prosperity, 1 have faithfully and diligently discharged, to the utter extent of my abilities, each and every duty devolving upon me patriotic Ameri- can citizen. Upon the merits of such principles alone, my fellow citizens of "Yelr' honored me with a seat in the last Legislature, where I was ever found at my post, us'ns every energy to facilitate the interest of my constituency. But before the session closed, i'll the month of Jun uary, 1 yielded to the solicitations of many friends, and actually became a member of the dark lantcrn' clique, generally known as the "know nothinS' party. The motives that ac- tuated my union with this party were good and sound, believing as was represented by l not the least cause to doubt,) that it was com binatiou of the pure and undeflcd patriots of America, who had united for the sole purpose of working reformation in the present agitatcd affairs of the political world. First, by quel- ling the indomtable spirit of abolitonsm, free solism, fanaticism, demagogueism, political ami mosltles, internal disselsions, etc. Secondly, by prohibiting or checking in great measure the increasing tide of fore ign immigration, which was represented as annually inundating the chosen land of liberty" with the paupers and criminals of the old world. Thus reduc- ing America to that prestine purity, which crowned the administration of the immortal Washington. Ever ready and willing to give assistance ln cause so magnanimous and moved by jealous heart, entered into the work, in good faith offering my services, and willing to use my whole influence in aiding Americans in the attainment of diadem so brilliant But after having been duly initiated and received into the council, guess my surprise on looking around and surveying the members of that order. Instead of finding the pure and undefled only, found mixture of all grades, including the low and the high, the infdel and the christian which carried chilling shudder of suspicion to my mind, saying their object is power not principles. But having joined, my next object was to examine their principles, Gf principles they might be termed which, though done with scrutinizing eye, am proud to say, it was with an impartial and unprejudiced mind, that pronounced them in open violation to the Constitution of the United States and antagonistic to ourrepublican institutions. The party being within itsef proscriptve to its own members, my rights (of course) were curtailed and by means of binding oaths my suifrages, as a freeman, were placed at the disposal of an anti-republican party. In July last, while these views of the subterranean order were prevailing my mind, and being determined to extricate myself from the organization Ireceived com muuication from the committee of the State council desiring my attendance at the mass meeting held in Little Rock, the 9th of August last, for the purpose of ratifying the Philadel- phia platform; in answer to which requested that my name should be withdrawn from said council-and this would have been the end of my communications, had it not been for the ac- commodation of my soliciting friends.
 Therefore, as I, in unison with many unsus- pecting democrats, have been decoyed from a platform of principles into secret conclave, where, instead of finding the unrestrained pro- mitigation of republican principles, as was an-