The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1856-09-05

and in such defence. Fancy, if you can,
your own family affairs thus disturbed and ex-
posed, and yourselves obliged TO submit to such
a degrading scrutiny, and to the necessity of
proving how, and by what form you were mar
ried, and by whom your little children were
baPtizrd-your relations with your God-your
religious opinions and practices made the sub
Ject OF lnquistion and discussion Remember,
too, that this sectarian elimination and excul-
patton does not come from Mr.. Fremonts OPP
ponents IN the Democratic party. II was Mr.
FIllmore's friends that made tne attack. 1t is
Mr.. Fremont's friends that make the defence
but record the fact, as proof Of the tendency
OF this sort Of sectarian politics. This is Know
Nothingisrn, carried out legitimaely.
Should Mr.. Fillmore be elected President Of
the United States aud take the oath of office,
which obligation will most bind bis conscience
aud influence his action-that to support in all
It's parts the Constitution of the United States
including the guaranty of absolute religious
liberty and freedom of conScience-or that 9TH
er, which he took al Buffalo in a Secret Coun-
Gil, by which he sworp 10 make a citizens re-
ligion a disqualification to office under the Con-
stttution! This is question his friends must
answer. One oath or the other viii have TO
give way. Should Mr.. Fillmore be elected
President (and am sorry TO repeat the improb-
able conjrcture) his oath of Office will be ad-
ministered by the Chief Justice the United
States, and that Chief Justice is Roman Cath
olic-decent, conscientious, tolerant-a citizen
OF Maryland. As his lipslrepeat the words =
"You do Solemnly swear that you viii faithful
" execute the office Of President Of the United
States, and will to the best Of your ability. pre-
serve, protect and defend the Constitution Of the
United States," and the answer is, 81 do''-
viii there be no mental reservation !-muSt
there not Of necessity, be- mental reservation
IN favor Of that other oath, far more elaborate,
which was taken at Buffalo, and where in the
communion Of sectarian fanaticsm he swore in
the presence of Almighty God and these wit
nessess, that he would not vote nor give bis in
ltuence for anv man for anv Office if he bp
Koran Catholic. Who, let me again ask, in
the eye Of morals. of honor, Of patriotic loyalty,
Of political iruStworthinesS, stands highest--the
Know-Nothing President who thus swears
double fidelity, or the American Catholic who
in sincerity and truth understands his single du-
Is to the Constitution of the land.
Nor, in my humble Judgment, is the proscrip-
tion of naturalIzed citizens one less ohjec
iinnable. Bear in mind that there IS no part Of
the know-Nothng oath that binds those who
take il to labor for modification of the natu-
raiizaiion laws-it is an absolute, set-imposed
obligation - prescribe man who happens 10
have been born abroad, no matter if he were
brought here in his mothers arms, and lived
here till dotage Ii is the mere accident OF
birth that inficts the penalty. Ifthis br tested
BY any rule, It is false in morals and unsustain-
4 ~, l,, II ~, q, Il
cuss The matter here, but can illustrate it by
recollection that is very clear in nv mind. and
one that is the more Interesting as ii relates to
one Of the distant States which, in the coming
contest, is claimed for Mr.. Filnorr-I mean
the State of Louisiana. ] am writing to you,
gentlrmen, as friends Of Mr. Clay, vino hoRorrd
him IN life and mo0rned bis death. What,
let me ask, would be have said to any one who
asked him to take an oath never 10 vote or ap-
point to office any one who happened to nave
been born abroad You and | can very wel!
fancy. But Mr.. Clay hal friend once, whom
BE loved and honored, and whose public career
IN this country desire 10 use for my iliustra-
ton of the folly and ckedness ot the lntoltr
ant test. I refer TO Alexander Porter, Of Lon
siana. Let ne describe his career IN better
language than my own, and then leave the ap-
plication TO Won.
at is now, said Mr.. Benton, from his place
in the Senate, "more than the period of gen
-raion-morr than the third Of century since
the then emigraut Irish boy, Alexander Porter,
and myself, met on the banks Of the Cumberland
river at Nashville, where commenced friend
ship which death only dissolved on his part
This lad and exile and an orphan from the Old
World, thus starting in the New World, with
everything to gain before it could he enjoyed.
soon attained every earthly object whether brill
iant or substantial for which we live and s,rug-
gle in this lifs-honors, fortune, friends the
highest professional and political distinction
long Supreme Judge in his adopted Statr:
twice a Senator in the Congress of the United
States, wearing all his honors fresh and glowing
TO the last moment Of his iie''-and then fol-
lows the great moral Of this Just euIooy. 'And
here lst me say" added Mr. Benton. ''and
say it with pride aDd satisfaction, orr deceased
brosher loved and admired his adopted conntry
WITH love and admiration Increasing with his
age, and with his better knowledge ofthP coun-
tries of the Old World. A few years ago, and
after he had obtained great honor and fortune in
this country, he returned on visit to his native
land and to the continent of Europe. II was
an occasion of honest exutation for the orphan
emigrant boy 10 return to the land OF his father,
rich in the goods Of this Iitr, and clothed with
the honors Of the American Senate. But the
visit was melancholy one TO him. His soul
sickenpd at the state oi his ftIlow-man in the
Old World, 4 had it from his own liPs,l and he
returned from that visit with stronger feelings
than ever Of love and loyalty to his adopted
country. Louisiana again elected him to the
American Senate, and the American Senate 10
all sincerity now mourns his death"
Ny frIlow-c citizens Of Somerset, ] beg you TO