The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1855-03-02
Sentiments of Gen. Casa upon Know
Nothingisn.

Sentiments of Gen, Casa upon Know s
Nothingisrp. II
We take pleasure.in laying before our
readers che following extract from brief
ut'eloquent speech of General Cass, in
which he aludes in pointed and severe.
terms Of disapprobation TO that secret Or
ganization of intolerance and bigotry
known as Know Nothings. Gen. Cass
possesses weight of character, resulting
from his distinguished Talents, his long
and eminent public services to the country, |
and the purity and acknowledged rectitude
of his private life, which gives his coun-
ellis and sentiments great weight with the
American people. Among our illestrious.
statesman he now, by universal consent,
takes the first place, and in Che digni6ed
body of which he is a member he inspires
universal respect and veneration. To
the Democratic party especially anything
emanating from General Cass is sure to
receive the highest consideration. Tie
distinguished Senator from Michigan has
now reached point in his career when
the temptations and ambition can pos
sess but little interest, and when his
only desire is the : future happiness Of
his country, which he has served SO faith
fully and well for half a century.
To the party which falsely calls itscl
American, while strenuously advocating
the most anti American sentiments we es
pecially commend the sentiments of Gen
Coss as eminently worthy of their atten
ton. Where can they find mo re glor
ious patriot, better embodiment Of thu
American character, more thoroughly i'm
bued with American principles than thu
great statesman of the West? If thei
tenets were truely Ameaican, calculated
to advance the interests Of the Union, nj
individual would be more prompt to adyo
cate them than Gen. Cass. The ties o.
influence of party would have no Influence
with him if they came in the least con
flict with what he regarded as the welfare
of the country. The condemnation o
the Know-Nothing doctrines by such I
man as General Cass will do much t
strip from them the false and hppocridea
guise of American patriotism in whicl
they haye been clothed by the arts of dem
agogues and designing men.
When The most illustrious American
now living stands up in his place in tn
q United States Senate, and warns his coun
tryman of the pernicious political heresie
G trught in the secret political councils @
f Know Nothingism, and calls the efforts c
thofe who are endeayoring to render ther
6 popular dangerous " 10 the permanenc
8 of our institutions it is time for the organ
ization to pause and carefully examine it
claims to the appellation of American
Tn the tented field and in the council Ger
: Cass has rendered services to the country
S he is intellectually one Of the giants of tn
e nation-and if the Know Nothings wei
;, truly patriotic in their organization woul
: it escape his notice or fail to receive hi
e sanction ? 1t is because the venerabl
n Senator knows that their principles al
: directly in conflict with those upon whic
: this Government is founded--tbat the
are hostile to civil and religisus liberty
If that they are anti American and anti Den
) ocratic, as well as intrinsically unjust th'
e induces him to throw his influence again
= them. Were Henry Clay and Dani
Webster now living they would most hear
D. ly respond to the sentiments OF their lllu
Ne trious colleague and rebuke, i'll tern
Id equally decided and fchvitous, that tntf
IN erance and bigotry which is now so rife
= the land. Says Gen. Cass;
D. "Mr. President, strange doctrines a
IL abroad, and strange organizations are er
If ployed to promulgate and enforce thel
# Our political history contains no SUI
chapter, in the progress of our country,
s. that which is now opening. The gra
Ie, questions of constitutionality and polio
he which have been so long the battle-cry
parties, are contemptuously rejected, al
:, intolerance, religious and political, fin
g jealous, and it may be they will prove su
M cessful, advocates in this middle of t
las nineteenth century, boasting with mu
nd self-complacency Of its intelligence, and
this free country founded upon emigrati
and 10 system of prescription viii
would exclude the first general who fell
. the head of an organized American arr