Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-09-26
Falsehood and Representatton OF re
5 Alien Party.


tion- In their Address TO the people OF Feul-
sylvania they missta;e and pervegt tie posi-
tion, of the American Party in The following
manner:-
1.-The insignificant and minor subjects Of
difference that have for some time past diri-
ded the public men of the country. are III
obliterated by the magnitude of the a7'e-a.s.s,
now before you. Your opponents, under
deiuding and tempting cry demanding sat
.sAmericans shall rule America" have u Isl
with forced and eompIilsive capdor,s acEaexl.
edged that they wish to establish Two Pr'rcl-
pies.
81. That none but those born ii t'jis coun-
try, shall enjoy the rights of Citizenship.
s'II. That there shall be established reli-
| gious test for office .i.rE
ssTo reach these ends the Constitution OF he
! United States must be changed OF sts jlrayi-
| siona evaded; and the spirit Of ouF pcu.ycra-
tic Republican forms of government thus sjro-
| gether subvertcd- =
| So it would appear from the admission of
the Democratic Party, that the Brit Thrift
and Slavery questions were an insirnif
cant compared with the interests oi II cir irish
and German allies. When these questions
were canvasSed at former elections, tac Deo-
| pie were informed that they were al iu.r0r-
| tant 10 their liberties and 10 the existence Of
! the Union Of the States. The prcserYatiaa Of
| the National Union was the great question at
several elections because the agitation of
slavery was said to endanger it, Slavery is
! still topic of common and vehement discus
! sion, but the Democrats have assured shs r.a5-
! lie that it is matter of comparative insiau.-
/ hcance.
The Democrats have grossly perverted t7p
! positions of the American party. It IS rot
true that the American Party holds the doc
/ trne that none but natiye-born Bug~eaaS
should have the right of voting. They hold rae
doctrine that there should be an essau-an
! of n I
/ if they obtain the power, they have = cc1s;i-
! tutional right to change the law Of Eatuia.i-
zation through their Representatives. iR lun-
| greSs.
/ 1t is not true that the American Party holds
| the doctrine that 4 religious test To- oa5ee
| should be established either by law or Cousti-
1 tuition. They hold the doctrine that tho ag-
| gresssiye policy and the corrupting tau5cn-
cies of the Roman Catholic Church Ought -
be resisted, and they will not vote for Roman
! Catholics because they are the enemies of rs-
/ ligious and political Liberty. Protestant c'-
zens do not trust them, because they .shcId
| no faith with hcretics.'' The Republic sheL 3
not trust them, because they are entirely un-
der the influence of their clergy, and thus they
/ are bound by foreign allegiance.
The American Party in forming a political
organization and resolving whom it viii sup
port and whom it will oppose, only eXercis
/ privileges that have been exercised since tbs
| formation of the Federal Constitution. Whigs
I have pledged themselves NOT TO vote for IL
| mocrats, and Democrats not to vote Tor Wh.ss-
No Catholic will vote for 4 Protestant aCsiHzt
4 member ef his own Church. Roman UaEhJ-
lies always vote tor the interests OF tuvir ol,fs-
Church. They always have had u religious
test in fact, and if they had the power t1s5
would establish enc in law.
The Democrats quote against the A71e-z-
can Party two extracts from the Cons. tuition
of the United Stztes=-to Wit ;--s
No religious lest shall ercy BE- Etqnir7 -
qualification 10 any Office Or Ff,yiic fr"'! nas.-
Tie United States"
And again
.'Congress shall make 10 Eg,r resaeciiHe !Ee
establishment Of religion pioki5ifins The free
erercise tbereof.'
Now if is for the purpose of preserving and
maintaining not only the iciter hut the spirit OF
these requirements of the Constitution that
the American Party has been organized. The
Roman Catholics in the United States ara
nearly two millions in number. They are
entirely under the influence of the CiyrEr-
Their Clergy are under 4 foreign allegia1ea
and are sworn to pcrsecutc all Protrstauts "a
unbelievers. The Roman Catholic Chu~el.
dangerous on account Of its numbers. wrs.i,,
| organization and Intolerance lad bccamo
more dangerous by close alliance VIA
great and powerful party. Devotion 10 ne
interests Of the Catholic Church had become
necessary for political success. and every
| election witnessed new bargains between Pa
piSt Priests and locofoco demagogus.
/ The Central Committee of the Democrats.
in giving the reason that induced the trainers
of the Constitution to insert in it clauses. for
bidding Congress 10 make any religious test,
or establish any system of religion, make the
following eloquent remarks =
1.-The bloody record Of fanatical pcrsccU-
tions was spread out before them, and in it
they read of those atrocities that were the
darkest stains upon the character of the hu-
man race. From the earliest days down to
their own time. had the history of mankind
shown that its adyancements in civilization
had been retarded and sometimes almost sti-
fed, in the ferocious conflicts between con-
tending sectS and cXterminating propagan-
disn. In all parts of the world had fire and
faggot, the sword and the spear brutalized
men into implicit obedience to religiousopin-
ions they did not understand, and faiths at
which their consciences revolted.''
Who persecuted in bloody and flnatical
manner! The Roman Catholics. Who re-
tardcd the advancement of civilization Tie
Roman Catholics. Who used fire and faggot,
the sword and the spear in their erteTmladTtHg
propagaadism The Roman Catholics Who
brutalized men into implicit obedience to re-
ligious opinions which they did not under
stand The Roman Catholics The Ameri-
can party has been organized to prevent the
Roman Church from doing in this country
what it has done in all others, where it had
sufficient power to butcher. burn, prescribe
and persecute.
The alien party has the impudence to de-
claim about religious liberty in favor Of
Church that has always prosecuted, that is
now prosecuting Protestants in Tuscany, that
has just quarrelled with Spain, because She
will not any longer permit persecution, and
whose Clergy eren an the Urifed States, ere
sworn to persecute all persons who are nat
Roman Catholics