The true Democrat., 1856-08-26
NO. 46.
For the True Democrat.
Our Liberties

tif'E DEMOCRAT AND WHIG-TUE
 DEMOCRAT AND KNOW NOTHING.
 No. X.
 The " American democracv"-as is trua of tbo democracy of any other country--bas arrived to aoerfam point in its progress towards the consum. mation of Its great end-the abrogation of all those conditions of society which places the means of human happiness so much within the reach ot one portion of society and so far from the reach of the other. This degree of pro. sress which the American people have reach eo IS described in the American constitution.
 Dy Knowing the great political evils which oOi ancestors suffered and which the princi- pies or the constitution were intended for oror to abolish; and by understandno the not,,ro If the ae"0crat'c application of those principles in the country-which has triumphed from the beginning in spite of all opposition -J say bv oelnS acquainted with the anterior evils-tbo constitution and the democratic practice pndor live are made sensible of the whereabouts of that point or line of progress which the Amer lcan democracy has reached among the Ameri- can people
 with respect to some things, where do we stand? The people of the United States are practically as well as theoretically the so- 'efelgns of the cuuntry-and the equal rights or every citizen have been careflHa, secu,ea rom dmhutlon upon account of any of those conscientious which, previous to the forma- tloh of the government, were made a cause for political disfranchisement
 Previous to the establishment of the consti- luton, the ruling of the country was, with some exceptions, confined to the people of a particu- lar religious denomination as have before eta ted-out the constitution and the democratic Practce under 1t declares that religious opiniors shall not, as heretofore, interfere with the poli- teal rights of the people, Know Noihinoism would drag us back to point anterior to the e'" oi 'hc cohstitutlon--to that most disgrace lul part Of Anglo-Saxon history where every page IS darkened with religious pcrsecution- the day of anti Catholic clamor--of the uo-no- pery cry. Exclusion of Catholics from office IS step behind federalsm-it belonged to ifs predecessor the tory and who does not know IL: Who will confess so much ignorance of political history as to deny it? Know Noth- inSi'm resuTectS that long buried disfranchis Ing oppression-whiggery would not stoop so low. The ancient vein, after being awhile com paratlveIy lost to the eye: appears again in all its broad black lustre
 Know Nothings appear to look for some crc. dlt by exp Ianing that they do not intend by constitutional provision, to exclude Catholics from office, but that they will reach the same result through the ballot-box Exclusion from ofhce by the first method, would be mercifnl compared with the last. If Catholics were to De made constitutionally incapable of boldinc olhce' Know Nothings may at least claim, that they look forward to time when they will a00te their violence against the Catholic citizans. and Catholics may believe that, if Know No. thlhglSm SucceedS, their enemies cease tbe;r dall y vituperaton-after they have been made constitutionally ineligible But "the order, proposes no such period to their warfare but to continue their persecution for ever. as beino necessary to keep up a popular prejudice against Catholics, sufficiently "intensen to in. ouce the Protestant portion of the community to perSevere in excluding them from office How shocking! What have our Catholic eli. zenS done to deserve such an awful pupisb- ment?
 And this IS one of the doctrines of Know Nottingham = professed by men who few anrS ago. would have reddened with indicna- political esY,. were charged with entertaining
 "Americans n2l6ss nl6sss of that infinitely milder tracted motto of the Kny
 will stand uninfTngea and as iniin1,'.is the con- fender of the faith' on the other sideVbich water--there-mba ytaih? Here, Aow nany Americans? The motto is safe one, it will be followed to the letter when the country is governed by the smallest aristocracy. The de- mocratic motto is-America must be governed 6y aN the Americans, but this sentiment would not as we all know, suit Know Nothing princi pies and oblectS-as they aim to exclude from the sovereign power, as first step, a considera- Die portion of the American people-the Ca thohc citizens. This is progress in the retro- gate course. Hoa0 many Americans will be al lowed to rule America when they have done excluding, is buried in the future.
 am aware that 1t is said by some that the Know Nothinss have given up the most obiec- honable features of their principles--their secre cy-thelr violence against Catholics. etc. but With regard to the extent of this modera- ton, do not discover that their practice keeps pace With these professionalism preachinc is nearly as violent as ever And if it is so-if thls backing down. has really took place what then? Will the man that is deterred from stealing only by being made sensible that he is detected--that his object is understood claim credit--demand confidence because bs did not actually accomplish his design? Know | Nothing secrecy-Catholic and naturalized citi. zen prescription was defended with all the zeal and abilities that fiery partizans and edi- tors ever exhibit upon any occasion. And if thelr hres have become fainter it is only be- cause their batteries have been silenced by de- mocratic guns. HAMPDEN (GF Benjamen F. Hallett, who reported and was propably the author of the Cincinnati pIat- form, is one of the most notorious abolitionists