Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-02-29

u6epS Hluo, anu lulpaSSdUl6.
III am not correctly informed, it lies notin
mouth of this Administration to object to
oaths. / hold in my hand letter, upon
the envelope of which is Department of
the Interior, official business, Charles S,
Frailey, Acting Chief Clerk" addressed
to Mr.. Robert r. Foster, East Thirteenth
street. Washington, and which reads as
as follows
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
August is, 1855
SIR Your letter OF yesterday to the
Secretary has been received, and l am
directed to say, that it is uot a compli-
ance with the advice given to you on the
subject, which was, to present your aft.
davit, taken before q proper officer, as
you stated you could conscieniiously do,
that you did not belong to the Ordcf
commonly dcnominated Know>Noth
ings - that you never had been mem
Der thereof and that you have no SYM
pathy with the principles. objects. or de-
signs, usually ascribed TO such Order.
Respectfully, &c,
CIlAS. S. FRAILEY,
Acting Chief Clerk.
Mr.. RoD'r r. FOSTER, East 18Th 81.
The following pledge or declaration is
required to be taken and subscribed to by
the members of the Democratic Assuci-
alton of this city, before they are admit
ted to full fellowship:
81 do declare. upon my word and
honor, that | am not member Of any
other organization, or Of any other asso~
citation or society, whose objects are an
tagouistical tothe objects ofthe Democratic
party, rs declared in the resolution of the
Democratic members of the House Of
Representatives of the list of December,
1856"
| think it i'll becomes those gentlemen
who are supporting an Administration
which requires these oaths and pledges TO
oAths. | ask them not 10 sink their par
ty organizaliOn-not to leave their party as.
sociations-not to ignore their party prin-
ciples-but to try and effect an organiza-
ton of this House, which, it does seem to
nue., every lover OF his country should de-
sire. think that they can, for the time
Speakers chair gentleman who is as
sound on the subject OF the constitutional
rights Of the South as any man on this
floor. Is it, Mr.. Clerk. because this dis
tinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania
Mr.. Fuller believes that it is better that
nAtive-born citizens, acquainted with the
genius and spirit of our institutions.
should control the destinieS Of this country
rather than foreigners. that he is object
ed TO? Sir, think that the Democracy
ought not to object to him on that ground.
The resolutions Of 1893 and 1899, adopt
ed by the Virginia General Assembly
have been considered orthodox by the
Democratic party and now, sir, read
from the Statutes Of Virginia one Of the
resolutions adopted at that memorable
session by the House Of Delegates on
January II. 1893, and agreed to by the
Senate on January 16, 1899:
" RESOLVED, That the constitution ought
to be So amended, that no foreigner who
shall not have acquired rights under the
| Constitution and laws at the time of ma
king this amendment, shall thereafter be
eligible to the Office Of Senator or Repre-
sentative in the Congress of the United
States, nor to any Office in the judiciary
or executive departments.
So thought the General Assembly Of
Virginia in 10000. So thought those
patriotic and wise men whose cxpositions
Of the powers Of this Government have
been considered orthodox by the Dem O.
cratic party from that day to this.
Now, sir. tho country desires an organ,
ization. The condition of our foreign aG.
fairs, if the press is to be believed, re-
quires an organization. The Legislative
department Of this Government, as l re-
marked yesterday, seems to be paralyzed
The very existence of the Union is pro
badly hazarded by the continuance of this
state of things. And, without endeavor.
ing to throw the responsibility upon any
party or upon any gentleman on this door
[ hold it to be the duty Of each and every
member of this body to do all in his pow
er-forgetting for the time party ties, and
uniting with all conservative men-to eff
feet an organization.