Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-04-25

and trusted crew. as she plowed her msjes-
tic way, unmoved by the storm and unsha-
ken by the billows. to go ou.in misera-
BILE yawl, under the command of such a
" straggler" of a captain-such Lat
ter Day Saint" as this Henry NJ. Fuller ?
| But it is said that Mr.. Fuller is Know
Nothing. aud therefore Ifshould have
given him my vote. The contest for
speakership developed the fact that there
are now three parties in the county
The Northern Know.Nothing and Aboli
ton party, fused under the name of Black
Republican. the (so>called) National
Americans" and. the Democratic party.
This Nothing party was born
amidst the factious excitement manufac.
tured BY the Abolitionists and disunion>
lists out Of Ghe passage Of the Kansas Me-
braska bill. 1t sprung at once. like
I Minerva from the brain-+of Jove," full
armed, and entered the political arena.
In the. morning of its existence. it was fall
OF promise. II declared that it would
say to the angry waves, peace-be still ~
that it was the only broad, national, con-
servative party ;-that its great, paramount
mission was to save the Union. which was
imperiled by agitation. Relying upon
these promises. confding in these assur>
ances. many good men every where
many in my dlstrict-went into this or
ganization. went twice (and but twice }
into their councils. l '' saw Sam" 1t
took two visits to see him all over. i
made them l saw enough, and deter
mined to never look on his face again!
In dealing frankly with you. it is due l
should make this acknowledgements.
would not have the vote Of an anti Know
Nothing in my district without his know
ledge that had been in their councils :.
nor would l have the vote OF Kaow>
Nothing without his knowing that am
not Of his order. may prove wanting
in ability TO serve shall never prove
wanting in candor towards you. 1t has
heen the habit Of my life to defend my
course against all odds when believe it
is right, and to acknowledge my errors
when l believe have done wrong.
freely admit TO you, that l ought never
TO have gone into secret political society
Of any kind whatever that they are
wrong in principle, against the very ge-
MUS Of our institutions, dangerous in prac-
tice. and should be avoided by all men.
of all parties. objected then. and OBJ
ject now. to the whole machinery of its
organization; | objected then, and OBJ
ject now, 10 an indiscrlminate proscrip
ton Of naturalized citizens from Office |
objected then, and object now. to any
thing that even looks like making reli-
gious test. A Protestant by birth, a
Protestant by education. by prejudice. by
reason, by faith; a Protestant in all,
Il regret to say except the practice,
was Catholic organization formed. TO
brand me as unworthy of public trust
because OF my religious opinions. would
land 10 aid me in striking it down. As
| would "have them do unto me, will
do unto them"
The Catholic and Protestant have
fou ,ht side by side on those battle fields
where our liberties were won; and when
"pestiIence has staIked at noon>day"
through our cities, leaving track Of desc.
lation and death, we have seen the Prot
estant and the Catholic ministry again
laboring side by side to stay its awful
ravages-to administer balm TO the sick,
consolation to the dying. and decent in,
terment to the dead If we kneel not
at the same altars, under the same forms,
we worship the same God we are point
ed to the same accountability for sin. and
to the same Heaven as a reward for piety |!
Why should we not leave controverted
points of theology to the ministry Of the
churches? i? Why should not we laymen
go on-as we should go on-in brotherly
love and confidence as have opposed
the dragging of politics up into the pull
pit, oppose drawing religion down into
politics. All thinking men agree that.
the only real danger to our institutions
arises from making the subject Of slavery
sectional question. May not respect
fully ask the Protestant ministry of the
south to pause and reflect, that if they
bring the doings of churches into political.
discussion, they might iniure Protestant,
ism ? May not the Catholic turn upon
you with the fact. that of three thousand
preachers who denounced the judgments
OF God upon our devoted heads who yo>
ted for the Kansas-Nebraska bill, there
single Catholic minister? May he not
the Halls Of Congress, while we have
twenty odd preachers May he not
show that he has never refused to take
the "holy communion" with slave.
holder-that his church in the north are
not stirring the waters of sectional strife
that they never do, and never have.
interfered with the delicate question of
slavery aud by showing these things,
drawing these contrasts, may they not
commend their church to the south, and
weaken yours? These are questions for
you to consider. 1t is but just to a large
and respectable Protestant denomin alton
II alIude to the regular old Baptists-to
say that they have never. anywhere. at