Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-07-26
NUMBER 215.
AMERICAN ORGAN.

The Huntsville Advocate contains letter from
Colonel Clemens late United States Senator from
Alabama, In relation to the American party, in
which the principles and objects of that party are
ably set forth. We subjoin the concluding portion
OF the letter:
Perh ,ps no party in this country has ever been
the subject Of so much invectve as the American
party. All the depths of the language have been
sounded TO fish up degrading epithets TO be applied
10 men whose sin consists in loving their own blood
something better than that of the stranger Prac
tices which are In daily use by other parties sud-
denly become heinous sins when resorted TO by
the Americans, and editors in the excess Of their
Zeal not untrequenty run into the most ridiculous
Inconsistencies. have seen one column OF news
paper filled with denuncations Of the secret feature
Of the order, while the next not only purported TO
give the principles OF the party but even the very
forms OF initiation. One thing s certain. either
those forms were forgeries, or all the indignant
lenunciatons of secrecy with which we have been
favored were hypocri.ical pretences in no way
credable to those who employed them All par
ties observe or less secrecy in relation TO GER
tain portions of their tactics The secrets of a
Democratic caucus are as profound az those Of u
Know-Nothing Council and the will of every mem.
her is more completely subjected to the control Of
the majority.
Know-Ncthing, after his party have made
nomination, may abandon the Order, and then rid
himself of all obligation to support ii. but Demo.
crat who has once taken part in a caucus Il held
III honor bound to abide the decision Of that can.
"us, no matter how distastcful IL may be. II the
term Dark Lantern Party" was applied to the
midnight plOttings of those who manufacture in
caucuses and conventions candidates W thout CON
uting the will Of the people, it would be much
more appropriate.
The State and the National Councils having both
uaI ~ ;,,, 20
is disposed Of In point of fact, 1t never existed
Their principles were known from the beginning,
and he must have been Ignorant, indeed who had
any doubt OF the aims and purposes Of the Order
But it is alleged that it is Whig trick gotten no
to iniure tho Democracy. Such arguments are the
usual resorts OF weak men, who, when reason fails.
attempt to enlist prejudice in their behalf The
head of the Order is an old-hshioned jackson Dem.
ocrat.
Wherever they have nominated candidates. tbey
have taken the larger number from the Democratic
ranks Judge Cone. Of Georgia. who reported the
platform adopteda ut Philadelphia, isan oldine Dem.
ocrat lie was amember of the Baltimore Conven-
ton, in S44, that nominated Mr. Polk and reported
theresoutons adopted by that body as the principles
of the Democratic party. How stands the case on
the other side Mr. Wise confessedly owes his
election to the Wings. Messrs. Toombs and Ste
phens, Whig leaders in Georgia, are at the head Of
the anti American party, and with Mr. Preston,
in Kentucky. Everywhere you find Wing leaders
among the bitterest opponents of American prip.
ecpes and, if it is Wing trick, they have been
long time finding it out
There is another branch Of the question which
approach with more reluctance, because am
afraid with more prejudice than will enable me 10
consider it dispasssonatey. Without belonging
to any Church. grew up in the Methodist per-
suasion. IL was the faith in which my mother
lived and died, and could not change il II would
Among the earliest books which fell into my hands.
/ found accounts Of Catholic prosecutions of the
early Protestants-of men, women, and children
thrown into dungeons, stretched upon the rack,
tortured with thumb-screws, and finally burned at
the stake, for the crime of worshippipg God as rea
son and conscience dictated Then came the sor.
der of Jesus, with the Inqusition in its train
For centuries, every page of history is blackened
by the iniqnities Of that Church whose Pontif ar
roganty claims TO be the immediate representative
Of the Almighty, and who has not hesitated at all
times to exercise powers in accordance with that
claim. Subjects released from obedience to their
legal ruers-murder, perjury, incest--every crime
made venil, II IL tended 10 the advancement of
the Church. know IL is said that these power
are not now exercised or claimed. Where 1as1t
ever been abandoned when they had power TO EN-
force IL? What Is the use of the confessional II
the priesthood do not still claim the power of for
giveness for sins committed or TO be committedy
have searched in vain for any authentic docu-
ment which shows that they have ever abated one
jot or title Of the pretensions which characterized
them in other years, and characterize them now In
other lands. have visited two countries in which
the Catholic religion is established by law, and
found IN both the same intolerance, the same big.
otry, the same hatred ofthe Protestant as Of yorc
Even the dead bodies Of Protestants are denied
the right Of burial in Catholic graveyard. Tho
masses are taught to believe that the rotting
corpses Of the faithful would be polluted BY the
neighborhood OF Brother who held In life DIFF
ferent creed In Spain sssemblage of more
than fifteen Protestants for the purpose Of religious
worship Is declared an unlawful assembly, and all
the remonstrances Of England have failed to anne.
liorste this detestable tyranny. What we see eI.
isting elsewhere what we know has always existed
wherever Catholics had the power, we may surely
dread for ourselves without being liable 70 the
charge Of excessive timidify particularly when wo
the rapid strides they are making 10 power and
influence among US. From 1910 TO 1850 the num-
Der Of Catholics in the United States doubled, and
now they exceed two millions Of souls At that rate
Il viii not take them long 10 acquire an the power
they want, and when acquired they win not fail to
exercise IT, In the very nature OF things the Cath
ole must be prosecutor. Wen he believes that
every Protestant is on the highway TO hell. When
he believes that II Is charity to torture, and pieiy
10 murder those whom he looks upon as enemies
yt
look for federation.
Another great danger we have to dread Ia the
prevalence fthe mischievous dogma that the Pope
Is superior TO the Constitution, aud can absolye his
flock from osths to support il. | know how Bit
terly this Is denied but II American Catholics do
not acknowledge Il they are widely different from
their brethren elsewhere. History Is full OF in
stances Of Kingdoms laid under nterdict mon
archs excommunicsted, and whole people doomed
to Purgatory for some real or imaginary fault Of
their rulers. We all remember that a king Of
France was assassinated by priest at the bidding
Of bis snperiors. We all remember that king of
England was compelled 10 walk barefooted, in
sackcloth and ashes, to the tomb Of Thomas
aBecket, and that the great Bruce wandered for
years an outlaw, hunted by assassins and blood
hounds, for daring TO punish traitor to his coun-
try within the precincts Of Catholic church. The
best way Of judging a tree is by It's fruits, and
these fruits are familiar TO MS all II is objected,
however, that the Constitution secures 10 every
inan the right Of worshipping God as he pleases
aud that in prescribing Catholics We are guilty Of
violation OF chat instrument Not at all The
same Constitution which gives To them the rights