Daily American organ., 1856-02-26
WHOLE NO. 405.
American Meeting in Georgetown, ID. C.
90

at the Old Scn0oi House, when WIlllam III. EdeS
was called to the chair and A. L. Yerby was APP
pointed secretary. 3
Mr. Kilgour, of Maryland, was introduced by the
chairman ~
Mr.Klgour spoke at some length, and with
great force and eoquence, upon the principles of
the American party. The Americans were not
enemies to the foreigner. They would welcome
him to their shores they would take him TO the
courtyard Of their gorgeous temple Of liberty,
would point out to him its beautiful proportions;
but they could not at once invite him to the inner
sanctuary. No; the sanct,an sanctora.Da of our
liberties was too sacred place 10 be trod by any
but the chosen ministers. None but the Levitcs
should enter there.
To prove bis assertion that Americanism was no
trick Of the Whig party, he showed that the DEM
ocratic counties of Maryland in the past election,
had voted the American ticket, and in the Wing
districts they had given heavy anti American
majority. The Catholic Wings of Maryland had
gone into the Democratic ranks, even while Rufus
Choate was saying the Wing party was still able
to do battle. He attributed much Of the opposi-
ton to Americanism In Maryland to the unfair
course of its opponents in declaring all Know
Nothings murderers desperadoes, and robbers
in saying that they were banded together for the
massacre of the Catholics, without distinction of
age or sex that the aim of the American party
was the downfall and destruction of the foreigners,
and especially the Catholic foreigners and by these
means, many of the Papists of Maryland had earIl-
ed to tremble at the name of Americanisn, and to
regard Know-Nothings as their natural and worst
enemies
During his speech, Mr.. KHgour was frequently
interrupted by bursts of applause. He concluded
by urging the Americans tn stand by their colors
to allow nothing to daunt them. They had work
to do which, if well done would reflect great credit
on thcm and be OF great encouragement to Others.
Hon. L. d. Campbell Of Ohio, now took the
AZ Lol A. = -
for the past Ave years in the adjoining city, this
was his fourth visit to Georgetown. The last time
he was there he had been invited to address an
American meeting and had done so. One of the
administration " Stars had taken occasion from
that to say that the American party had humili-
ated itself by inviting abolitonist to address
thenl He hurled the imputation back with scorn.
He was an American He had entered the ranks
of the Wings under glorious Harry Clay, and had
cast his last vote for Winfel Scott--two Of tho
best Americans that ever lived Now times and
parties had changed. The Wing party he consid-
cred defunct in the abstract, laughter The
Democratic party he had always been opposed to-
He could stand independent Of any party but on
the inception Of the American movement he saw
there the germ of principles that would be the
safeguard of the nation and on those principles be
had planted himself His opinions on the question
of slavery were an outside issue. He was brought
up in Ohio, and educated in anti-slavery principles
and had never seen reason to change those opn-
ions. Further he did not feel himself called on to
define his position. l.s @..
He denied that the American party warred
against the Catholic religion. In the origination
OF constitution the greatest religious freedom
was guaranteed to all, and further the Church and
State were to be kept separate and that the ad-
minisration party were only striving to keep them
separate. He had no prejudices against the Cath
olic Church; he never bad been a member of any
church he liked them all. but should oppose any
movement on the part of any sect to become the
established church of the country.
He had heard it asserted in Congress that the
Pope had not attempted to control our baot-box.
He had brought with him document, whose au-e
thenticity none of the priests would dare deny.
Here he read portions of letter from Pope
Gregory to all the priests, in which the Pope de-
MED the right of liberty of conscience and of
speech and styled it the greatest source of evil ,
with which the holy Catholic Church had to con-
tend, as that brought on the evil of evils, and
free press, by which all kinds of heretica doctrines
could be disseminated. He took the position that
we were to oppose the attempted encroachments
of the Pope lot only at the baot-box, but, if ne.
cess Try, with our hearts blood. lGreat applause.
The American party does not propose to take
from the foreigner who has acquired citizenship
here under the existing laws any of his rights but
the party proposes to so change the laws that
those who come hereafter shall know something of
our institutions before they vote for or against
them. He now showed official documents COM
piled from the United States Census, in which the
number of foreign and native paupers supported
by thu various States were compared showing
very large proportion of the former. He gave an
account OF the Antwerp expectation of convicts TO
this country, and the debate in the Belgium Legis-
latuce in which it was decided that it was better
to send all their conyicts to the United States than
to maintain them at hJme.
He commented severely on the side the admin
istraton had assumed on this question but thought
they would continue to acquiesce in these importa-
tions of foreign paupers and convicts as long as
they held the public purse strings, so that they
could buy their votes. Laughter and applause.
Inurther speaking literally opposed the formation
Of military companies composed entirely Of foreign
ers. In conclusion, he called on the inhabitants OF
Georgetown to stand to their post, and show their
brethren in all parts Of the land that though
on the one hand was the power of the Pope and
the Jesuits, and on the other the power and purse
of the General Government, that they could and
would do their duty. Tremendous applause and
long continued.
A letter was now received from Hon. j. j. Crit
tenden, of Kentucky in which be regretted that
he could not be present As it was he had done
more good by pairing off with Hon. A. H. Ste
phens, and thus preventing his attendance at For
rest Hall, on that evening.
Hon. Sam Houston, of Texas, was now intro
duced to the audience The General commenced
by saying that he glad to see 80 many inter
ested in this good work, even though they were
directly under the eve Of the most bitter and most
powerful opposers Of the movement. On this
platform it seemed as il he we're always to meet
strange, unexpected and pleasant company. The
gentleman who had just taken his seat had mere.
tofore stood on the Wbig he (the GeneraI had
stood on the Democratic platform. Now, the Wing
party had done its work and PASSED away, and then
as to the Democratic platform, be didn't believe
there was single stick of hickory timber left in
II lnnnral R1,ak had said that the