The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1855-04-28

rs at the crminc and jury-box. ltproscribes
the sexton, and lays its hand upon the watch.
man. j rattle Other national organizations
have connected themselves only with na-
tional interests. They professed to take
|cognizance only of such matters as were
common to all by the stipulations Of the
constitution; this organization gldcs along
beneath the very foundations of the States
and mangles them, interior, federal, and
foreign, into one totalily. Its members are
secret, are silent, arc know notilings! Sir,
their designation is aptly chosen, for if they
succeed, they are nlutes in the funeral pro.
cession of the republic.
| object sternly to this new order, because
its march is over the ruins of the Sta tcs.
State sovereignty is the cornerstone of our
Federal Temple, and upon it rests our des-
tiny. Consolidate this government and 10
human power can save you from dcspotism.
Can we, dare we, triac with this great prn.
ciplc? The cause of State sovereignty is
grand and a sacred one. Escorted by the
memories Of the past and the hopes Of the
future, and crowned too with all the royal
ties of intellect, comes ii to us. Il has been
won through too much blood, and hallowed
by sacrifices too august and tremendous, to
be shattered by the haud of tyranny.
will not give anght of encouragement to an
association which filings even shadow ovez
the integrity of this principle.
| object in the second place, to this Sc.
scret organization because it attacks the
character Of the American people. Their
character has ever been frank, manly, and
magnanimous. They have never paltcrcd
with principle upon fimy subtlctics, nor
stilled the voice of public faith upon petit
fogging teehnicalities. They have not stoop
ed to sophisms snd subtcrfgcs to vindicnie
an equivocal honesty, nor have they "hid.
den in misty eenoraltics their violations of
char cred rights No, they have been proud
even in error, and brave, even in wrong.
God forbid that the manhood of the Amer
lean character should sicken and disappear
under the poison Of trrkcry and insin.cri
ty. EvasiOns and sophisms are an ethical
poison. and corrode the hest character.
This order requires evasion as the sacra.
mont of admission into it, and under the
sophism of individuality itcleayes down, in
secret, the rights of Others It avows not
its principles in public, and courts not the
light; but it plots at midnight and strikes
under mask. The elements of manly cha
racter arc not nursed in secret and matured
upon snbterfuges, Against this secret or.
ganization, the common manhood of tho
country rises up, for it insidliously attacks
the very foundation of magnanimity and
frankness in the character of the American
people. Private worth is the foundation of
public greatness; strike down the one and
you destroy the other.
In the third place: because it inyades
the sanctity of society. Does it not invade
the relations of life and corrupt tie faith
between man and man? If it does not
preach, does it not cOnniye at morally
which permits you to betray friend and
deceive an enemy? Will not political trca
cherry, even if it does not fasten upon the
at least produce chronic and in
curablc distrust, alienation and seliishness
Have not men belonged to this secret order
while they occupied high places under the
old party organization. und thus betrayed
their old allegiance? Have not associations
of men accepted the candidates of their
former party and carried them with hosan.
nahs from hustings to hpstings, while they
were active members of the new order, and
working for its success? If these things be
true and they are affirmcd--do they uot
poison nil herelations Of men? Whai dead
lier wrong can onin0i,t upon society than
to oblitcrate all confidence and blast fdel-
ty between man and man? DO this, and how
know you that the hand you grasp in polit-
cal fellowship is not the hand of a political
enemy? tlat the man You shelter is not
spy? lnfuse inGdelity into your relations,
and how know You that treason clnys not
around your hcarthstone. and stoops not
over the couch Of friendship? Are great
principles to be thus achieved? And can
the car of party only be rolled on over the
softest charities of the heart, and the sacred
ordinances of society?
examine in the fourth place, the appli-
'ation and bearing OF the new organization
upon the South. Why should the South
it? Is her system of labor threat
sned with pauperisrn, or does she want to
Guild up castes among the whites? Have
not her institutions been assailed and by