Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-04-24
Coed Advice 10 Old Line Whigs'

Coed Advice TO Old Line Wings
Hon. sIorlecai Oliver, Of Missouri,
elected to the House of Representa-.
tises as whig, Oh being arraigued
By the Liberty Tribune as a deserter
from the vhig party has replied in a
long and scathing letter. lie says
shat when the House met, three par.
ties unfuiled their banners, the DEM
ocrats, the know nothings, and black
republicans, but the whig banner was
not there. Of the know nothings
MIR. Oliver writes:
"The know nothing party exults
in the ruin OF the whig party,
boasts of having destroyed it, SLAM
ders it in the grave, and then de-
mands if / understand your article
aright) the allegiance and support of
the few surviving whigsl The pow.
erless patriot might be as justly &C
cused of treason for refusing to swear
allegiance to the conquering invader
of his country who had exterminated
his race, as whig, for refusing feal-
ty to the usurping organization which
boasts of having the blood of the wbig
party on its head. And here let me
observe that the know nothing plat
form has not even one single plank
the know nothing creed one sin
gle artiele-of the stern stuff of
which the whig platform and whig
principles were composed. Though
know nothingism has arisen on The
ruins of the whis party, it has not
made use Of the stalwart timbers
which bore it and its varying fortunes
for so many eventful years, At
present these treasures lie neglected,
awaiting the hand of some mightier
architect than even Sam who built
tho fabric efknow nothingism in one
night. Elected as whig, emphat-
ically rejected the new test of know
nothingism; aud even if the majority
of those whose suffrage gave me a
seat in Congress have subsequently,
Joined the order, and adhere to it, |
deny their right to try me by an
. er post facto law"
Mr. Oliver comes down on the doc.
irine of know notbiDgs IN plain talk.
lie says
Il should be wanting in candor if
] withheld my convictions regarding
the peculiar doctrines of the know
nothing party. These doctrines are
unqualified hostility to naturaHzed
foreigners and Catholics, native and
foreign, residing in the United States.
Speaking simply as an American
citizen, | deem these doctrines alb.
surb and pernicious, and, il incorpo-
rated into our laws (Which cannot
be, howsyer) fruitful of great evils.
If Catholics be traitors, the proof Of
their guilt is not to be found on the
pages Of our history, and no vote of
mine shall help to make them trait
ors by branding them with that op-
probrious epithet. / shrink from
pronouncirg three millions af men
perjurers and traitors, without being
able to alIege an overt act in sup
port oftbe appalling accusation"
Mr.. Oliver urges the Clay and
Webster wings to join the democrats
inths following way:
"Do they want encouragement9-I
If they do, let them hear the words !
Of their own loved, venerated Clay,
at Lexington, in 1850, anticipating
the ruin Of the whig party as ma
tional organization. In substance
be said: Whenever the uhig party
shall become merged into q mis-
cradle, SECTIONAL. abolition party, II
viii feneunce it forever, and 10 the
1ulefe oct VII that party. regardless
ss, which stands by the Con-
6<1}j and the Union! Now,
- - 'doab! of the fact,
|e1aaeFptic party is national,
6F< uY eonviotion to be,
s. 81 psrky in Ameri-