Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-25
AMERICAN ORGAN.
Speech Of Hon. w. II. Smith.

hullI1GlOAIN OhUAN.
Speech Of Hon. w. II. smith,
| OF ALABAMA.
IN the House Of Representatives, Jan. is, 1865
Continued.
| FOREIGNERS WHO FOUGHT FOR US ALREADY RE-
wARDED.
But am told that we were aided in our reyo
lntionary struggles by foreigners There is a shad
ow OF fallacy in this. This hint is thrown out thai
we are ungrateful. Sir, gratitude is not, and ought
not 10 be, national virtue. No generation has .
right to burden another with its gratitude. Nc
government should be grateful at the expense q
It's citizens. Sufficient for the day is the evil
thereof" But have we been ungratefdl9 We re.
warded the men who fought for us in giving them
the best 81 homes and liberty. Wehaye rewarded
their relatives by the most liberal laws Of natural
zaton. That is enough. Individual gratitude,
consulting alone his own interest and feelings,
might go further. But nation should not be re.
CURED TO do more than we have already done Sir.
we never promised, nobody ever expected that
we would make this country the common recepta.
Gle OF the filth and rottenness of Europe II was
never IN the minds Of our fathers to fight for lber-
ty, and then surrender it to the Popel
put the foreigners who fought for us were a
part OF u.s. They remained with us after the war.
Our victory was theirs. Their swords made them
PATRIOTS and the constitution made them ,,atipes.
Inc homes they won were made comfortable
their fields bossomed around them, and after the
fullest enjoyment of the blessings Of liberty they
died and were buried in the land which their valor
redeemed. Their children were Jor. 4mericans
and are now part of us. Do they complain? How
absurd, Mr. Chairman, upon reflection, then ap-
pears this hackneyed idea, that gratitude for the
foreign aid that was received in the revolution
should embrace the unborn generations of Europe |!
that our gratitude should make America great
almshouse for the paupcr patriots of all creation
THE AMERICAN PARTY DEFENDED.
now propose to say something in defence of
the organization of the American party.
MEMBER. Do you know anything about It?
Mr.. SMITH. do not profess to know anything
about it. But if there be any such organization Of
I" NatiDe americans" am not ashamed of my
countrymen, and am perfectly willing to be con
sdered rs one.
The first objection which has been urged--and
BY no one with more earnestness and ability than
by my honorable friend from Mississippi [Mr.
BARRY lis the secrecy of tie order
The first reason of defence is that, in all poti-
cal movements, secrecy is the great element of suc.
cess ! take It for granted that the American par
ty, called "Know-Nothings," is in earnest They
intend to finish what they have commenced As a
matter OF party discipline, they have right to be
secret in their meetings. and upon the broader
A FOOLS mouth is his destruction. Whose keep
eth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from
trouble
! Old Polonius advises his son thus:
"Give thy thoughts no tongue
Nor any unpr.oportion'd thought his act.
Give every man thine ear but few thy voice
Take each mans censure, but reserve thy judgment"
Burns says:
Ay, free, aff ham your story tell
When wi a bosom crony;
But still keep something to yourself
fe scarcely tell to ony.
Conceal yourself as wells We can
Frae critical dissection
But keek thro' every other man
WI sharpen'd, sly inspection"
Lord Bacon tells US that secrecy is the helmet
Of Pluto which maketh the polite man go inyisi-
ble." Now, upon these " wise SAWS saw that.
as matter Of political sagacy Il Is not only their
right but their duty II they want 10 be successful
10 preserve in their halls the most nviolabe secrecy
Again, sur, as matter Of party tactics, this
new party has right to keep Its own secrets II
has the examples of the two old parties True,
political conventions are usually held with open
doors; speeches are made, and resolutions adopted
But this Is mere pubicationof the acts Of secret
committees. The ploving cause and reason for the
resolves being unknown and unseen When the
great elections are pending, does not each party
have its secret agents in Washington-meetinr
in dark conclave--fooding the country with sealed
packagess And does not the party In power keep
te KEY Of the post office IN his pocket2 Is not then
the finger pressed on the lips? "Say y,ofhiyg n
/" Keep dark r. These and other cabalstic words.
with all the mysterious inuendos of conspiracy,
are uttered with low tones and smothered breath
and all justified, commended, practsed and an.
plauded. Why then, sir, may not the American
party keep its own secretsp
But, sir, the great justification Of the secrecy of
this order s yet TO be stated. The Amvvs.~n marty
Is not earring Nth Americans. 1t is warning IN
Are not the Roman Catholic priests the keepers Of
he sccrets Of their congregational Is not the Jes-
nit sworn TO secrecy Does he not go prowling
about the country with his tablet and pencil, Gull
ing all information looking into everybody's busi
ness, peeping over everybody's shoulder; winding
himself into every mans confidence lifting the cur
tain Of every mans window; and, with his meek,
mysterious eyes smiling like a sant-does he not
hurry away TO reveal this information, whenever IL
Is Of sufficient mportancef This, sir, is the fear
ful and disguised enemy--an enemy whose name Is
iegion-with which the American party is at war.
Here Is the Jesuifs oath
al, A. b., now in the presence Of Almighty God,
the blessed Virgin Mary, the blessed Michael, the
Archangel the blessed st John the Baptist the holy
Apostles st Peter and ST. Paul, and the saints and
sacred hosts Of Heaven, and you my ghosty father,
do declare from my heart, without mental reserva-
ton, that-(Pope Gregory, or the present incum-
bent )-is Chrisps Vicar, and IL the true and only
head Of the Universal Church throughout the world
by that virtue Of the keys and Of binding and oosng
given TO bis Holiness by Jesus Christ he hath power
10 depose hsretical Kings, Princes States, Common
weaths, and Governments, all being illegal without
bis sacred confirmation, and that they may be safely
destroyed therefore, 70 the utmost Of my power
win defend this doctrine, and bis Holinesss rights
and customs against all usurpers, and all heretica
or Protestant authority whatsoever especially the
new pretended authority and Church Of England
and all sdherents, in regard that they be usurped
and hereticl, opposing the Sacred Mother Church o.
Rome.
81 do denounce and disown King, Prince or State
named Protestants obedience TO any Of their infe
rior magistrates officers, do further declare tho
doctrines Of the Church Of England Of the Calvnsts
Buguenots and other Protestants 10 be damnable
and those TO be damned who will not forsake the
same do further declare that will help, assist
and advise ALL any Of his Holinesss agents, IN any