The true Democrat., 1856-01-29

| eiO PolltCS Ol the country. l ne word decide, has meaning not to be mistaken. NOW suppose the Know Nothing party to have majority of both branches of Congress, all tnat this national council has to do is to decide what shall become law and telegraph it to Washington city,
 The result of the action of the Jacobins of France was the dethronement of the God of Heaven and the setting up of the goddess of reason in his stead. The result of Know No. thingism in this country, if it ever should sue. ceed will be substantially the same. They are the only political party in this country that has ever thought proper to bring religion in any form into its political platform. And how have they done It! They acknowledge that there IS a tod who created and preserves us, they swear Tn the presence of God and these wit nesses, and in the Philadelphia national plat form they acknowledge that the bible is very good book which ought not to be excudo od from schools but so far as have been able to discover, and I have examined very closely they have no where said that the bible is trro as revelation of Gods will, or that christani- ty as system founded upon it, is true All that they have said on the subject may be said by the rankest skeptic in the land-bv all in deed except atheists This is the same party which IS making open war upon church pro. fesslng to be christian church, whether it is so or not. The language of their platform is ssre
 slstance to the aggressive policy and eorrupting tendencies of the Roman Catholic church ,- This is admitted by many of their own leaders to raise religious controversy; and on that ground was opposed by distinguished gentle man of this State, Col. Pike But this is not the only point of view in which it is obiec- tlonable, because it is violation of the spirit and letter of the constitution of our countrv l am Protestant, and as much opposed to the Roman Catholic church, I think as any man ought to be. Iwould by all fair means persuade them that they are wrong, and persuade the rest ot the world not to join them, but I would say to Protestants every where that this is not the right mode of putting them down, but that on the contrary must result in giving them ad ditional strength. To every Protestant chris tlan, whether Methodist Baptist, Epscopalian or Presbyterian, I would, if could, address the language of pr. Adam Clark, or Dr. Scott and Mathew Henry in their commentaries on the text, "swear not at all" They all agree in condemning any oath which is not required to be taken by civil magistrate in the admins tratlon of justice. They all agree that it is profanity, and clear and palpable violation of the third commandment. They all agree in saying that such oaths proceed upon the SUD- position that men are not to be trusted with out them. Mathew Henry in his peculiar style. says, "an oath is physic which supposes a dis ease" He admits that we may swear "when we are duly called to it, and justice or charity to our brother or respect to the commonwealth make it necessary for the end of strife. of which necessity the civil magistrate is ordinarily to be the judge" He says further |" that we must in special manner avoid promssary oaths, of which Christ more particularly speaks here, for they are oaths that are to be performed The Influence of an affirmative oath immediately ! ceases when we have faithfully discovered the truth and the whole truth; but a promissarv oath binds so long, and may be so many ways broken by the surprise as well as strength of temptation, that it is not to be used but upon great necessity. The frequent requiring and using of oaths IS reflection upon christians who should be of such acknowledged fidelity as that their sober words should be as sacred as their solemn oaths.'' Commenting on the words 'let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil,' he says, "christians should for the credit of their religion, avoid not only that which is in itself evil, but that hich cometh of evil and has the appearance of it." Dr.. Scott says, |" It ought to suffice christian se- riously and constantly to affirm or deny, and with decided repetition if necessary-al that Is more than this in ordinary eases and conver- saton cometh of evil-of the evil one or of the evil of our corrupt nature. Men are so de- ceitful that they fear trusting each other with out the security of oaths. They have suspi- cons of each other, or the speaker is of sus. picious character, and fears lest his bare word should not be taken; or he swears, to conceal his bad designs. But christians should endea- deemed as satisfactory as another mans oath" These two distinguished commentators were both Episcopalians, but to my Methodist friends would escecially commend the language of Dr. Adam Clark. would by no means be understood to give Dr. Clarks words perso- nal application to any member of the Know Nothing order because have no doabt that many very good men have been deceived and deluded, and that many protesting christians and good men have gone into the order with out proper reflection upon what they were do- ing. deem it necessary to say this much be- cause I consider the language of Dr. Clark unnecessarily severe. He says, "who uses any oath except what he is solemnly called by the magistrate to make, so far from being a chris tian does not deserve the reputation either of decency or common sense." He quotes from an old elementary book for children the follow ing as good maxim" Never swear for he that swears will lie and he that lies will steab and if so what bad things will he not do?'- With all who believe the bible to be trne re- velation, and who believe themselves obliged to obey the third commandment and respect the sermon from the mount, the bible itself is the highest and best authority on this point; but all such must also acknowledge themselves bound to respect the opinions of these distin- guished commentators.
 l never have been an active politician, nor ever expect to be. l have always been decid ed in my opinions, and have acted and voted with the democratic party. I always respect ed the whig party as an honest and patriotic party, and its great leader whose ashes repose