Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-05-10
It took two visits to see him all over. made them
saw enough. and determined never to look on MS


It took two visits to see him all over made them
saw enough. and determined never to look on his
In dealing frankly with you is due that should
make this acknowledgment. l would not nave the
vote of an antknow nothing in my district without
his knowledge that had been IN tneir counS'ls nor
would have the vote Of know nothing without his
knowing that am not Of his order. may prove
wanting in ABILITY to serve; shall never prove
wanting in candor towards you. IL mas oeen the
habit Of my life to defend my course against all
odds when believe it is right, and to acknowledge
freely admit to you that ought never to have gone
into secret political society of any kind whatever !;
TINT thew are wrong in principle, against the very
genius Of our Institutions dangerous in practice,
and should be avoided by all men of all parties. l
objected Men and object no'o to the whole machinery
of its organization objected then, and object now,
to indscimnate prescription of natura'ized citizens
from office; objected then, and object now, to any
thing that even looks like making religious test
Protestant by birth, a Protestant by education,
by prejudice, by reason, by faith; Protestant IN
all, Il regret to say except the practlce0 was "a
tholic organization formed to brand me as unworthy
of public trust because of my religious opinions,
would call upon every honest Catholic in the land
to aid me in striking it down. AS would " have
them do unto me- l will do unto them"
The Catholic and Protestant have fought side by
side on those battle fields where our liberties were
day" through our cities, leaving track of dcsola.
ton and DEATH we have seen the Protestant and the
Catholic ministry again laboring side by side to stay
its awful ravagcs-to administer balm to the sick,
consolation to the dying, and decent interment to
the dead! FIVE kneel not at the same affairs, I'M
der the same forms, we worship the same God; we
are pointed to the same accountability for sin, and
to the same Heaven as a reward for piety! why
should not we leave controverted points OF theology
to the ministry of the churches? Why should not
we laymen go on-as we should go on-in brother
ly love and confidence? AS l have opposed the
dragging of politics up into the pulpit, oppose
drawing religion dozen into politics. All thinking
agree that the only real danger to our inst'tu-
tons arises from making the subject OF slavery
sectional question. May not respectfully ask tho
Protestant ministry of the South to pause and re-
fleet that, if they bring the doings Of churches into
May not the Catholic turn upon you with the TACT,
that, of three thousand preachers, who denounced
the judgments of God upon our devoted heads, who
voted for the Kansas Nebraska BILL there was not
upon the paper the name of single Catholic minis
ter? May he not show that none of HIS clergymen
arc in the halls of Congress, while WE have twenty
odd preachers? May he not show that HE has never
refused to take the holy communion" with slave
hoidcr-that his church in the North not stirring
the waters of sectional strife-that they never do,
and have, nterercd with the delicate question
of slavery? and by showing these things, drawing
these contrasts, may they not commend their church
to the South, and weaken yours? These are ques-
tons for you to consider. 1t is butjust to large
and respectable Protestant denomnation-1 aude
to the regular old Baptists-to say that they have
never, anywhere, at any time, under any circum-
stances, either North South, interfered in poti
cal affairs.
Why should Protestants agitate this subject =?
Why should they cndcavor to build up political
party upon subject which they can have no
political action? You are forbidden to act by the
constitution of the United States. The constitution
says that Congress shall make no law respecting
the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof" Take this case; Suppose Pre-
sdent, having sworn in Know Nothing councils that
he will appoint no Roman Catholic to Office is cleo
ted He takes an oath to support the constitution
of the United States. That constitution says that
"no religious test shall ever be required quail
ficaton to any office public trust under the Uni
ted States" Suppose, then, man is presented for
Office does he not have to inquire. under his first
OATH if the man is Catholic; 1.-The is then he must
refuse him that account. If he does refuse
him. he violates his last oath because he then swore
he would make I" no religious test" Is comment
necessary?
But have been asked if would vote for a man
who owes temporal allegiance to foreign power?
answer, No. would not vote for any man, of any
religion for any office, who is bound by such an
al!eg iahIe.
As to spiritual allegiance my understanding u.s.
that We all owe that allegiance to a Power whose
Throne is outside of the United States-to COP IN
HEAVEN!
But in all these views perhaps no Catholic OF
Protestant dsagrecs with me, and will not elaborate
them further
stated 70 you that the great reason for my hav.
ing gone into council was, was assured that
the preservation of the Union the crock on
which they built their church"-that men who
joined in the North, as well as the South, made a
N hur nffnr of nd inin pd
with hands locked in hands, in living chain around
the constitution, in common brotherhood, and in
a common defence. l was told, too, that could
withdraw if was not pleased.
l ask every Know-N Nothing who reads this if such
was not his understanding of the objects Of the
American order? Then. ask them to lay aside
their parta.itics and prcudces, and thinkingy, as
patriots, to look back at its history.
1t met in convention at Philadelphia in June last
it laid down platform; it put forth the celebrated
18th section Here it is:
"Resolced, That the American party, having risen
upon the ruins and in spite of the opposition, OF the
Wing and Democratic parties, cannot be held In any
manner responsible for the obnoxious acts Or violat
ed pledges of either; that the systematic agitation
of the slavery question by those parties have eeva
ted sectional hostility into positive element of poit
ical power and brought our institutions into peril
it has therefore, become the imperative duty of the
American party to intcrposc for the purpose of Civ
ing peace to the country and perpetuy to the Union
that, as experience has shown impossible to recon
ce opinions so extreme as those that separate thu
disputants, and as there be no dishonor in sub
hitting to the laws the national council has deemed
it the best guarantee of common justice and future
peace to abide by and maintain the existing laws
upon the subject of slavery final and conclu
sve settlement of that subject in spirit and in sub
stance.
And regarding it tho highest duty to avow thc
opinions upon a subject important in distinct ant
unequvocal terms, it is hereby declared, the sens'
of this national council, that Congress possesses M
mower under the constitution to legislate upon tn