Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-02-15

that portion of your Excellencys message which re-
aes TO secret political societies, have the honor to
enclose TO you copy OF the resolutions adopted by
the House of Delegates, and respectfully ask from
YOU such information you may possess in reference
| to the inquiry instructed to be made.
have the honor to be, very respectfully, your Elk
celIency's Obedent servant,
A. KENNEDY, Chairman.
be following is the reply of the Governor to the
above:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Annapolis, Md, Jan. 3d. 1856.
| Hon. Il. Kennedy, Chairman of the Select Committee
TO qnhom avas referred much of the Message of the
Erecutve as related to Secret Political Societies.
I'll have the honor to ackno wledge the receip
of YOUR note of the 22d instant enclosing copy Of
the resolutions of the House of Delegates of the
10th instant, and requesting, in compliance with one
of said resolutions, that would communicate to the
committee such information as | may possess touch
ing the existence of secret political societies In this
State md OF the nature and character OF the secrets
they preserve. That may occasion you no delay in
entering upon the discharge of the duty imposed up
on you by the House OF Delegates, hasten to make
you prompt reply.
| | beg leave, in the first place. to express to the
Comme my sincere qualification that the popular
branch of the Legislature has fit thus promptly
to respond to this portion of my message, and to in
stue investigation relative to the matters therein
briefly considered. The subject is one of great mag
ntude, in every point of view, affecting most deeply
the honor of the State, we'll the peace and good
order of society, and unquestionably demands at
your hands the most rigid and thorough examina-
tion.
| sincerely hope that no time may be lsot, and no
proper effort spared in eciting the truth in relation
to the SUBJ ect matter OF the proposed inquiry.
regret TO perceive, from the language of the re-
solutions of the House, well from the debate
to which they gave rise, that some misrepresentation
seemed to exist in the minds of some of The members
of the House of Delegates to the particular socie
ties intended to be embraced in that part of the mes
sage referred to your committee. The existence of
secret political combinations in and other
States, has Tor some time occupied large share of
public attention, and has become matter of such
public notorety that, with my clear and decided
victions of their dangerous tendencies, felt it my
imperative duty, Executive of the State, TO bring
to the notice of the legislature and through that
body to the people Of the State, the opinions enter
tanned by me of the policy of encouraging associa
tons for political purposes, pregnant of mischief
to the common veal
| thought the language employed for the purpose
free from all ambiguity it was certainly intended SO
to be; and wGs much surprised at finding myself
misunderstood as was at learning that the fact of
the existence of such societies any longer mat
ter of doubt uncertainty. | hope, however, that
in this communication may be more fortunate, and
that your committee may be at loss to discover to
what political societies referred, or the purposes for
which it is alleged they were instituted.
| intended in the part of the message referred TO
your COL1lulItce Respectfully
the representatives of the people to the fact of the
existence of any and all secret political societies
combinations and to express the opinion that IN my
judgement, such associations OF themselves calcu-
lated to produce great evil and Inconsistent with,
and injurious to- the heathIul action of Republican
institutions and that when the purpose of such So
ciees is to reduce large portion of the people to the
condition of slavish submission to their secret edics
and DEGREES, and to exclude from all honorable pre-
ferment the Catholic and the naturalized citizen, be-
Cafh oil oT1H oII7nH fhory ho
come dangerous in the extreme, and should awaken
the deep solictude of every true American in the
State
am credibly informed by large number of citi-
zens, that in their opinion and belief, their exists
now within this Stale societies of a secret
character, whose object and purpose is to prevent
the election appointment to office of any person
belonging to the Roman Catholic Church, or who is
not native-born citizen of the United States and
that IN such secret associations, councils lodges
oaths, pledges and obligations administered tc
effect this OBJECT
The existence of such unlawful combinations
throughout the States has been repeatedly charged in
the Congress of the United States, in the Leglsla
lures of one or more of the States, and by large
portion of the press and people in every section
the country. The fact is moreover evidenced by dis
closures made in the Legislature of sister State
and by many members of the Order,'' who, having
been houghtlessly and innocenty drawn into it, an,
finding that they were deceived to lis purposes
uring the oaths and obligations therein illegally ad
mnlstered.
With you, gentlemen, abides, under the sanction
of the House of Delegates, the power of ascertanns
the truth or falsity Of these serious allegations
am powerless in the premises, beyond the maxim!
known to you what fear and believe in regard It
them.
You, however, in the exercise of the power, con
erred upon you, to send for persons and papers, an
to examine persons under oath, to the existenc
of secret societies. and the ends they propose
complish, may bring before you the living witnesses
and the record proof which efectualy set at res
the questions at issue. 1t will give great plea
sure to facilitate, by all the means in my power tn
+ objects for which your committee was raised an
in compliance with the request IN your note of yes
terday, respectfully suggest that you take
procure copies of the following papers, entitled
T. follows viz: 'The Constitution of the Nationa
Council of the United States of North America an
# the accompanying Constitution for the govenmer
e of subordinate Councils" The Constitution of tn
p North Carolina State Council, adopted January 18tf
1855 :" an address adopted in the State Council {
~ Massachusetts, June 10Th, 1856; resolves of III
# State Council of South Carolina, adopted at NEE
n ing held at Charleston, August 18th, 1855-copie
of which papers, regret, have not at hand to la
D. before you. have no doubt, however, the COMM
tee will be able, if they desire it, 10 procure them
lie would further respectfully suggest that YOU sun
before you the delegates from this State, tt
f. Convention, said to have been held at the City
Cincinnati about the close of he year 1854 and als
- the delegates from this Stale to the National Coul
X Gil held at the city of Philadelphia in the month
E. June last.
ou This last body, whose proceedings said to ha,
if been conducted in secret, issued what purpors to
platform of principles to which would respec
" fully refer you do SO, because in the 9th sectic
f. of said publication, the policy of the Roman Cath