Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-03-20

ION, anu pea OF lnfalllblllty, 1t Is the sworn
foe of civil and religious liberty.
1t yields the very freedom which our
Fathers conferred upon it, as dagger to
destroy our own: Landing upon our
shores millions of It's superstitious, segre-
gated and clannish Instruments, and acting
as unit in popular elections, it uses them
with fearful power, first to weigh down one
side, then another. ever barteling lis votes
to the highest bidder, until it has secured
control of the most important places in the
Government. 1.-The tree is known by its
fruits" Those cf the Papal tree have ever
been ignorance, poverty, misery and crime.
Its votaries fill our jails, alms-houses and
penitcntaries. Intolerance is its princi-
pie; Ignorance its cement; inquisition and
duplicity It's means. Its open hostility to
the Bible IL Free Schools is known to ev-
cry American. Ii is the same system of
despotism in all clinics, in all ages, and
under all Governments. Where it has pow
er, it boldly dictates To the civil autholit, :
and makes it subservicnt to the Church,
Where it is numerically weak, it assumes
devout and meek aspect; but it knows no
gratitude, no compromise. Why then
should Americans longer clothe their in
strumcnts with the elective franchise, Of en-
trust them with the administration of Gov
ernment?
You observe that our Order makes prin-
ciples, not nativity, the standard of quail
ficalions for citizenship. The place of u
mans birth is an accident beyond lis con
! troll and for which he is not responsible.
But his moral character, and his political
princi pies are intrustcd to his own Keeping.
Ours is land of refuge for the oppressed
of all chimes, assigned by Providence as
the theatcr where he may solve lhe great
problem Of self government. The native
may only ask of his adopted brother ''has
he renowned all allegiance of every kind
to all foreign powers??' lis he devoted to
our institutions, temperate and industrious
in his habits, and of good moral character?'
! We east out from us no true man, wherev
er he may have happened 20 be born. Our
Order is not founded in selfishncss, but on
the more enduring principles of human
brotherhood, and Mans republican equal
Itv. We exclude only the vicious, the un:
principled, the despot, and the instruments
of dcspotism.
The theory Of our Government is, that
all power cmanatcs from the people. But
such is not, and has not been much in prac-
tee. 1t has become little better than a
centralized despotisnl, with a Republican
name. The people have, comparatively,
no choice in the selection of our public SER
wants. The single branch of the General
Government which they are permitted to
choose, is overshadowed by the Senate,
and the Executive with his vetoes, and his
great ana increasingly dangerous patron
age. a restoration of power to the hands
of the people will be our most sacred duty.
Finally, the grand aim of this organization
is to establish a League Of Freedom for the
assertion Of the inalienabe Rights Of Man.
and for the protection of civil and religious
liberty; to restore the political institutions
of our country to their original purity, and
execute the grand will and testament of it ;
founders; to make this Republic the dwell
fireplace of Freedom, the polar star for the
oppressed of all nations. TO exhibit the glo-
rions spectacle of a government without a
King, religion without Pope, a Continent
without slave.
This is the Platform, and these are the
Principles, of this League Of Fanatics,
whose doctrines, if carried into practical
operation, must inevitably produce rcvolu-
ton, civil war and disunion,
We have given the whole of the address
of the '.President," that the League may
have the benefit of his hypocriical speech
to the silly novitiates, which blends, now
and then, proper sentiment with a large
amount Of sophistry. We permit them to
tell their own story i'll their own way. Ev-
cry sensible reader will easily discover
which is the grain and which is the chaif
In the language of patriotism and as
sumed love of tie Union, they pretend to
sustain. TIE works of our Revoluiion
ancestors in behalf of the hight of con
science and Of civil and religious liberty.
They speak in ardent terms Of their oppo-
Si;on to the union Of Church and State,
and in the same breath denounce all Cath
olics as beyond the pale IF favor or Of cit
izenship, and plainly assert that their relig-
ion should be regulated by law, a; least SO
far as to disfranchise them. Is this not IN
voking the power of the State to regulate
Church affairs? Every species of igno-
rance and crime is charged against them
as a general class OF people, and they are
consigned to inf,my morally, socially and
politically. These inconsistencies are SO
numerous, fragrant and glaring. that 1t
would be a waste of time and space to spec
ify them To every ounce of honey, they
add a pound of gall; to every profession of
liberal and honest political feeling, the
most tangible evidence of Abolition bigot-
nv and intolerance. They desire all fusion
factions to unite with them in upturning
the foundations Of our Government, and
denounce il as a centralized dcspotism."
They attack the provisions of the Consti-
tuition. and assal its checks and safeguards,
especially the cqualizing and regulating
a