Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-05-25

ing to "the order" they have by an overwhelming
majority vote deposed Judge Loring, tor nothing bu
the discharge of his official duty, in issuing war
rant as United States Commissioner TO cause the az
rest of the fugitive Slave Burns. In reviewing TIM
most unheard of outrage upon the Constitution, thu
{" National Inelligencer," at Washington, says II
shudders for the Judiciary" And if they go on as
they have begun, we'll may the country 'shudder,'
not only for the Judiciary, but tor everything else
l we hold most sacred eff these things be done Ii
the green tree, what may you expect in the dry
But have been pating somewhat was on
the preliminary question that is, the secrecy when
lies at the foundation of the party-that atmosphere
of darkness in which "it lives, and moves, and has
its being, and without which probably it could not
exist | do not, however, intend to stop with that
I will 90 further and give, now, my opinions upon
those questions which said TO be within the range
of its secret objects and aims The principles as pub
lsbed for those principles which attributed to the
Order, though nobody as an organized party avow
them) have as understand them, two leading ideas
and two only Those a prescription by an eX-
cuson from office of all Catholics, as class, and
prescription of all persons OF foreign BIRTH as class
the latter to be accomplished not only by an e1clu-
sion from Office of all foreigners who citi-
zens by naturalization, but to be more eectuay car
ried out by abrogation OF the naturalization law
for the future, or such an amendment as would be
virtually tanamount to it, These as we are told
are the great osensble objects for all this machinery
these -pledges-secret sgns-equlvocations
I-denials, and what not. And what have to say
of IL EN- u.s. that if these in deed and IN truth be the
principles thus attempted to be carried out, then
am opposed to both of them openly and unquallhedly'
am opposed to them in double aspect" both
as basis of party organization and upon their merits
as questions of public policy AS the basis OF party
organization they founded upon the very errone-
GUS principle of looking, not h0W the country shall
| be governed but 1vho shall hold the Offices, not to
whether we shall have wise and wholesome laws, but
Uto shall rule us; though they may bring rum with
their rule Upon this principle Trumbull, who de-
feated Gen Shields for the Senate in Illinois, can be
as good Know Nothing as any man IN the late
g Macon Council" though he may vote as he doubt
less will 10 repeal the Fugitive Slave law, aud against
the admission of any slave State in the Union; while
Shields who has stood by the Constitution must
be rejected by Southern men because he was not born
in the country? Upon this principle Boston Atheist
who denies the inspiration of the Bible. because 1t
sanctions slavery is to be sustained by Georgia Know
Nothing" in preference TO me- merely because Will
not bow The knee to Baal, this false political god
they have set up. The only basis of party organza-
ton is agreement amongs those who enter INTO 1t
upon the paramount question OF the day And no par
ty can last long without bringing disaster and rum IN
its train, founded upon any other principle The OLD
National Wing Party tried the experiment when there
was radical differences of opinion such questions,
and went 10 pieces. The National democratic Party
are now trying similar experiment. and are expert
encing similar fate. This is what IS the matter with
it. It's vital functions deranged-hence that d.
sease which now afflicts it worse than the dry rot
And what we of the South should do Is, not to go
into any " Know Nothing mummery or mischief, as
it may be, but TO stand firm y by those men at the
North who are true to the Constitution and the UNI
on without regard either to their birthplace or re-
ligion The question we should consider Is not SIM
ply 1rho shall rule America" but qCO will vote tor
such measures will best promote the interests OF
America, and with that the interests OF mankind:
But to pass to the other view of these principles
that is, the consideration of them questions OF pub
lie nolicV With me- thew both stand better
light in this aspect than they do in the other The
first assumes temporal jurisdiction in ''torum consct
entlG - to which am much opposed as am to
the spiritual po1cerS controlling the TEMPORAL One
is as bad as the other-both are bad. am utterly
opposed 10 mingng religion with politics in any way
whatever; and especially am opposed to making 1t
test in qualifications for civil office. Religion Is
matter between man and his Creator, with which gov
eminent should have nothing to do In this country
the Constitution guarantees to every citizen the right
to entertain whatever creed he peases or no creed at
all if he is inclined and no other man has right
to pry into his conscience to inquire what he believes
or what he does not believe. AS citizen and as a
member of society," he is to be judged by his acts and
not by his creed Catholic, therefore, in our coun
try, and IN all countries, ought all other citizens,
to be permitted TO stand or fall in public favor and
estimation upon his individual merits. Every
tub should stand upon its own bottom"
But think, of all the christian denominations in
the United States the Catholics are the last that the
der the ban of civil prescription For as church
they have Uarred against us or our peculiar in
situations. No say much OF New Ell G.
land Bapsts Presbyerians, or Methedists; the long
r0l of abolition petitions with which Congress has
been so much excited and agitated for years past
come not from the Catholics their puIpits at the
North not desecrated every Sabbath with anathe-
mas against slavery. And of the three thousand New
England clergymen who sent the anti-Nebrdska me-
mortal to the Senate last year, not one was Catho-
Ill, e.
should Southern join the purtans of the
North to prescribe from office the Catholics on &C
count of their religion Let them and their re-
hglon be; bad they can be, their accusers
say they are, they cannot be than these same
PuritdniCai accusers, who started this persecution
, say that Ue They say we are gong to per
ditlon for the enormous sin of holding slaves
The Pope with all his followers cannot, suppose
even in their judgment, be going to Il worse place
for holding what they consider the monstrous ab
sugdIty of the '' Immaculate conception" And fol
q my own part, would about soon risk my chance
! for Heaven with him and his crowd too, as with
these selfrghteous hypocrites, who deal out fire anC
birthstone so literally upon our heads. At any rate
have no hesitancY in declaring that should much
sooner risk my civil rights with the American Catho
lies, whom they are attempting to drive from office
than with them. But, Sir, am opposed to this pro
script,on upon principle. If it is begun there
is no telling where it will end. When faction once
tastes the blood of VICTIM it seldom ceases lis raw
ages amongst the Iold SO long as single remaining
one, be the number at first great is left sur
vving. 1t was to guard against any such consequen
ces would certainly in this country, if thl
effort at prescription of this sect of relgoniss shou
. be successful, that that wise provision, to which
have alluded, was put in the fundamental law Of tn
Union. And TO maintain it intact, in letter and spirit
with steadfastness, at this time, hold to be mos
a solemn public duty.
l. And now, as to the other idea-the prescription
e foreigners-and more particularly that view of
which looks to the denial of citizenship to all thos
1,,lo Lo-o boro