The true Democrat., 1856-01-15

party as this. It bellies me into opposition to 1t, and then tells me that, as minister of the gospel, have no right to meddle with politics l reply, then the hundreds of preachers who are in it should come out of it. It reioins that 1t IS religious in its character. Iagain respond, if 1t be religious, surely, as religious man, have right to discuss its orthodoxy, and to counsel my brethren who belong to it; and it again repeats that it is political! Its reliqion is reduced to one article: "N0 office for Catho- lics." So of its politics: " No office for foreign CTS" Its religious exercise consists (occasio,. aNy in rummaging into ladies' wardrobes, rid ing Catholics on rails, mocking their services, assaulting their persons, and battering their houses of worship. Its political exercises con- ssts Occasionally in killing foreigners, firing their houses, and giving their bodies to the flames. Its professed instrument of reform is the ballot box; and if the ballot-box will not work to its liking, it destroys the balot-box. One would suppose that party might deter mine not to vote for Catholics or foreigners withoutany apprehension of more serious oppo- stion than is common to political parties gene rally; and certainly had the Know Nothings done no more than this, should never have interfered with them. But what do they do? Why they substitute new government for that which our fathers bequeathed to us-a govern ment secret in its operations, despotc in its principles, and revolutionary in its tendency- Hear the sovereign power speak: "This or- ganization not party, brother] shall be known by the name of the GRAND COUNCIL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and its .jurislic- tion and pover shall extend to all the States, districts and territories of the United States of North America" This grand council is con- posed ofa president, vice president, secretary and other officers with fixed salaries, and Congress of delegates from the States. This council has "power to form State, territorial and district councils;" to determine the "naode of puaish- nent of members" etc.; to grant charters to sub- ordinate councils that may be formed; "to adopt cabalistic characters for writing or tee- graphlng;" "TO DECIDE UPON ALL MATTERS PERTAINING TO NATIONAL PoLITICs;;" CD "to fix and establish all signs, grips pass words, and such other secret aUork as may to be necessa- ry;" " TO ADOPT ANY AND EVERY MEASURE IT MAY DEEM NECESSARY TO SECURE THE SUCCESS OF THE ORGANIZATION" We know the emana- tions from this august sovereignty; State, coun- ty, beat and city governments all over the country; subjects sworn to paramount allegiance to these gevernments-taxed to pay their ex- penses-branded as perjurers and traitors if they disclose their secrets.
 Now, sir, if you can find nothing worse in all this than an appeal from me to my church to have no connection with Know N Nothingism, you are not to be argued with. If you believe that all this political machinery was manufac- tuIed and set in operation merely to kepp Ca tholics and foreigners out of office, you have much more contemptuous opinion of Know NAth,, %k.,,N .1A. them, while I only oppose them. From their peculiar idiosyncracies, they will doubtless give the preference to you; but whether any other party would do it, is questionable. If you can see no difference between such a combination and parties generally, and it is plain that you do not, you should not have referred to your own history" to prove that you Consider it the right of christians and christian preachers to more than your liberality, to wit: that when you "medde with politics." you did both politics and yourself sad dis-servce. I believe the people of your district forestaled this inference, didn't they, brother?
 You say in continuation of what I have just quoted from you, Out do not believe that church organization has such right, nor, pard on my frankness that any man can excite church to such a course without political delinquency, which 1 will not characterize as 1 think it de- serves" You certainly have the most profound reverence for political parties of any man of your history'' that ever lived. In the defence of them, you seem to forget all the interests of self-respect, all the duties of your calling, all the claims of brotherhood, and all the rules not to say decencies, of controversy You had already charged me with te,pitude, i. e. with moral baseness, extreme depravity;:: and here you insinuate that there is yet something in the act thus characterized so unspeakably depraved that even your lips refuse to give to it it's pro- per name. Thanked as you are by legion of Know Nothing Methodists and very many le- gions of Know Nothing politicians, you may feel confident of your security in the church. and of clever popular support while you in- dulge in such defamation of brother But you would do well to remember, that there is another tribunal, not far distant from you aud me, where words are not weighed by the stand ard of Methodism or the world.
 | Did you understand my letter. simply because it was headed, "To the Medodst Church. South," as designed to excite the church in its corporate character, and through its official or gans, its bishops and its conferences, to take action against the Know Nothings? It would seem so, and if this be your idea, do more than pardon your candor; commSerate your understanding. Where do you find the word or syllable in my whole piece which indicates such q design? He who addresses church, ad- dresses the members thereof, and in what char acter they are addressed, whether as an Cor ganization" or as individuals is to be collected from the body of the address, and not from the caption alone. Had you read my letter with any other design than to find in it grounds of censure and abuse you would have seen clearly that its whole and sole aim was to get the preachers and members of our church out of any away from political party, and into their appropriate work; not to excite church or ganization against political party. But then you would have lost the laurels which you have gained in this contest the everlasting gratitude of the Know Nothings, and the thanksgiving of one or two hundred thousand Methodists, for your unlocked for interposition in their be- half.
 The very first sentence in my letter showed you it was one of a series, the antecedents of which had been addressed to the preachers of our church. Had you seen these, you would have found that they were addressed to The K'aoao Nothimg Preachers'' exclusively. This is decisive of the fact that, however you may have understood it, my design was not to act upon the church in its aggregate character at all, or to unite it in action at all. Your posi- tions are as preposterous as your language is unbecoming: "worse than anything in Know Nottingham, formally to address church in
 its aggregate capacity upon POLITICAL question:" Gtalics and capitals yours.) Could you succeed in this design (of arraying the church against the American party) "the very fountain of political power would be immedi- ately poisoned by union of church and State!" Did such paradoxes ever come from Doctor of Divinity? l supposed aman in this country might address any person, any number of per- sons, in any character, upon any subject without crime, if the address be not of nature unfor- bidden by the laws of the land. Dwight used to discuss politics with his pupils: Everett, Way land, Cooper ard other presidents of colleges have written on politics without blame; but the like privilege is not granted to me. Very far from it. l may not speak or write on politics