Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-03-29
sAM,s ST..

mem ~ 0H FtTeu ftHctpcS.
Read the Know-nothng Platform and
consider whether the following running
commentary on it is not correct
Hrt. |. Hypocrisy.
Art. 2 Hypocrisy, bunconrbe and i'm
pudence How well it comes from those
who have conspired to overthrow the
constitution and against ''the civil and
religious liberties of a large class of
American citizens.
Art. g. The cloven foot displayed i.c.,
monopoly of all the Offices for the Know
nothings-the only real object of the
Older.
Art T.. What is the use or meaning
of inserting in political platform ono
of the ordinary maxims of law2
Art 5. Stultifes the Know-nothings,
if strictly interpreted, according to the
grammatical sense of the words, but in
its real meaning, as they intend it, is
proscriptive, prosecuting and atheistical.
Let us read it again:
3. No person should be selected for
political station, (whether of native
or foreign BIRTH who recognizes any
allegiance or obligation of any descrip-
ton to any foreign prince. potentate, or
power, OF who refuses to recognize the
Federal and State constitutions (each
within its sphere as paramount to all
other laws, as rules of political action.
This means ''No Catholic should hold
efIice, whether of native or Of foreign
birth" For every Catholic recognizes
an obligation Of some description" to
the Pope, who is accidentally foreign
Prince. However, the last clause, in
terpreted according to the meaning of
the sham-Americans, is atheistical for
every one who believes in God will re-
fuse torecognize any human constitutions
as paramount to all other laws, as rules
of political or any other action. This
article establishes slavery in its most
rigid form in the South, excommunicates
from the Scandinavian party all the
"higher-law" opponents Of the Fugitive
Slave Law, and confirms poligamy in
Utah. The English of it is that we
ought to obey men rather than God
The English Of it is that in the presence
of the State, that is, of the majority no
man has right to have Conscience
This is the shameless, atheistical, nom
American, anti-constitutional doctrine
of the Know-nothings. We prophesy
that they will yet reap the fruits of it.
Il delivers them oyer to the slave-hold-
ers Of the South, who will drag the ord
er in chains at the chariot wheels of the
" Slaye-power," and oblige the frce-soil
and abolition members to choose between
their principles and their party. 1t en-
dorses Douglas in his bitter sarcasms on
the 1000 ministers who ventured to tell
the Senate Of the United States that
there was law of God above the Con-
stitution. The negro-loving members
of the Philadelphia Convention did well
to bolt at this platform, but they bolted
At the wrong article. 1t is this anti
higher-law, anti-law Of God, anti-Chris-
tain, infidel, atheistic, conscience pro-
seribing article that they ought to have
holted at. For in the presence of this
article it rs obvious to say "Slavery is
guaranteed by the Constitution-the re-
coyory Of fugitive slaves is guaranteed
by the Constitution, and by laws which
the Supreme judicature appointed by the
Constitution has declared constitutional
this Constitution and these laws are par
amount to all other laws, as rules of po-
Iitical action, therefore say no more, but
obey"
Art. 6. Means, accordingly, that the
Fugitive Slave Law shall be executed.
Art. 7. 1.-The recognition of the right
of the native born and naturalized citi-
zens of the United States, permanently
residing in any Territory thereof, to
frame their constitution and laws, and
to regulate their domestic and social af-
fairs in their own mode, subject only to
the provisions of the federal Constitution,
with the privilege of admission into the
Union whenever they have the requisite
population for one representative in Con-
gress," clearly endorses the Kansas-Ne-
braska bill, for favoring and carrying
out which the 18th article weakly, incon-
sistently and insincerely attacks the Adj
ministration, and stigmatizes its policy
as RECKLESS and unwise." If it was
RECKLESS and unwise" in the Admins
tration to repeal the Missouri Compro-
mise, as the 18th article of this rickcty
platform AYERS, why does the platform
itself, in the 9TH article, recognize the
principle which necessitates that repeal
This seventh article is Squatter Sove-
reignty all over. neither mere nor less,
and can there be imagined anything
more contradictory, self-stultifying and
double-faced, more insincere and hypo-
critical. than to affirm, as their platform
does, +" the right Of native born and nat
uralized citizens residing in any Terri
tory to frame their constitution and laws
and 10 regulate their domestic and social
affairs IN their o,cn mode and at the
same time to denounce the Administra-
ton for repeating the Missouri Compro-
mise, which directly excluded and super
cedcd this pretended "rightY Why,
what nose of wax is this platform :,
You look at it in one moment and you
think you have got regular fire-eating
pro-slavery platform. You take another
look and it is a nigger-worshipping and
free-soil nose that you have in your
hands. You thought it was Sam, and
it turns out to be Sambo; and in fine, to
tell which it really is would puzzle the
father Of know-ncthings himself, whose
diabolical facility of DISCUSSES and put
ing forth double-faced platforms is old