The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1855-11-23
The Know Nothing oaths.

Extracts from the Address on Kaow-Nothing-
ism delivered at Lancaster, Pa, on the 9th OF
September, by Col. JoHy w. FoRNGY
There can be no offence more narrowing than
that Of perjury. The vow taken in the sight Of
God, and broken in the sight Of man, c0rrodes
in the conscience forever. Perjury is the ap-
parili0a which compelS the corrupt witness TO
sp-ah the truth, and the whole truth. Perjury
Hthe keen vengeance which Pursues the shrlnk
ing guilty soul through all the avenues OF life,
and Is satlaed only when that soul escaprs to lis
God. But who would have believed, before this
midnight conspiracy afflicted our country, that
political party would assume the right 10 en-
force its ra-judicia oaths by holding over It's
victims the terror OF perjury! Who ever heard
before that mans hope Of redemption was lost
because he would not, Or could not fulfil a vow
70 prescribe bIS frlow-beingS because he would
not drive home the steel Whetted to assassinate
the reputation OF bis uninitlaled friend be
cause he had fled from the recesseS of an under
ground lodge, which had been dedicated to in
tolerance and wrong And yet 1t Is notorious
that the admitted member OF this order Is OATH
5ound to obey lis DEGREES oa penalty Of ''be{ag
dcnORaced Us wiifu{ traitor 10 It's God and to
Aj8 coQatry," and that he is next assured BY the
high priest Of the conspiracy that for the viola
Ton 0! his oalhs ''the deep and bLjgbfing stain
Of perjury wH rest npo4 their Soai." | have
already specified some OF the works 10 which be
committed IRON the moment he enters one OF
these caves of persecution, aud which he must
accomplish, or be denounced as traitor to
bis God aud his country" II is new thing in
the history OF American parties to see men as
samlng obligations TO prescribe others, their e
qlaiS, and often their neigbborS, and conspnting
to the lHputatIon OF perjury should they fail or
her IN thiS pIouS pastlne.
Men have taken oatbS to destroy their coun-
try's opPressors, and Heaven has approved the
act. The august ceremonial which inaugurated
and completed the Declaration OF Independence
was made IN the sight OF an approving God, and
ieyrr such approval was given, it consecrated
'ar immortal vow. But are our trl!ow-freemen
whom We meet in the daily walks of life, OPP
PfeSSorS and enemies, that We should crawl into
corners 10 take oahs against them, falling in
%hieh the SIN OF perjury is to rest on our souls!
No good angel blesSes such irreverence: no vir-
'ue Is to be saved by it; no right protected, and
10 wrong made right.
But will ask whether the profane oath I
nave quoted, and the equally prolane assump-
'.oa OF punlshing the violation Of such an oath
should not cali down the thunders of indignant
protest from every christian pulpit in the land !?
instead OF turning thoughts upon the imaginary
hangers OF distant prelate, whose power to af-
'FC' our happy institutions would be as inefEect-
'di as the attempt of the naked King ofthe Mos
quito coast TO capture Gibraltar; instead of ncit-
''s political party in its work of fdanunciation
@Aa dlSiranchlsement-as has been the case with
700 many OF the protesting followers Of the
,'eek and lowly Sayiour-l humbly refer them
70 'ne spectacle OF vast muliitudes of men wal
'o"ing IN the most reckless oaths, glorying in
,'f most abandoned prosecutions, and arrogant
y assuming the right to punish rebellion to their
S'a';aTd, by hurting the anathema of perjury,
aeiegated vlcegerents of God on earth
surely no American citizen, however deep
:! TeludIced against an opposing creed, can for
moment be msled by the plea that this mid
nlsnt order, with all its professions, has adyanc-
% "ue religion. The ritual and platform ofthe
p'oeF D both declare their belief in 'a Supreme
nelns as an essential preliminary Bat there
" great reason TO fear that the managers want