Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-09-18
PLYMOUTH, IND SEPTEMBER 18. 1856

mean to do their duty to themselves, and
to their country.
Mr.. Fillmore is the candidate of a
party secret in its organization, and bound
together by oaths which we are bound to
believe he himself has taken. He is sworn
to the secret party, and he is sworn to car
ry out its distinctive principles What
are they? Opposition to all men, who
happen to have been born without the linn
its of the United States, or who have been
born within them, choose to worship God
according to the form and rites of the Ro-
mar Catholic Church. These are the dis
tinctive features of the so-called American
party, and no honest Know Nothing dares
deny that they a!e SO. These principles,
if elected, Mr.. Fillmore is bound to carry
out; and no Catholic, and no foreigner even
'hough ha came to this country an infant
Ill the arms of his mother, has right to
expect that he will not do so. He is sworn
to do SO, and l. for one, believe him to be
an honest man. They tell YOU this is 10
prescription; they tell YOU that when hun
dreds of thousands Of men band themselves
together, by secret oaths, to prevent GER
tain classes of their fellow -ci liens from
having their just and legal franchise, that
they are not guilty of the great sin of pro-
scripiion! Fellow citizens, the Catholics
on St. Bartholomew day might as well
have told you that they did not prescribe
no, they only killed!
Fellow-citizens, l cannot subscribe to
these doctrines Of the American party:
they are repugnant to my nature as be-
lieve them to be antagonistic to the designs
of our government, to christianity, and hu-
man liberty.
Opposed to tie leading doctrines of the
party of which Mr.. FilImor, stands the
avowed representative, there is one other
consideration which is entitled to the great
est weight: mean his chance Of success
Ills availability. He does not hold my
principles; he holds opinions to which |
cannot subscribe; surely it is Just and fair
that | shall apply he same test-that Of
availabiIity-which was applied to Mr. Clay
in 1913, by his own party, and upon which
although HI. chances were far gr ,ater than
Mr.. Fillmores now, he, the great leader of
! the Wings, the man tried Tor half q centu-
ry, was thrust aside, all old friendships and
all old ties forgotten, and the services Of Il
Lifetime permitted TO pass without the
just reward to which they were entitled.
Now what chance has Mr.. Fillmore of
success? Recollect, fellow Wings, that
we are making IL choice between three par
ties to nei,hcr of which do we belong, and
are making Ii for the good Of The country
What chance has Mr.. Fillmore Of success?
Why, fellow citizens, even his own friends
have long ago given up the hope even of
his election by the people. They cannot
name three States that he can probably car
ry, and indeed, | don't believe they can
even name one, and their only aim seems
now to be shall obtain enough electoral
votes to throw the election into the House
OF Representatives, and thus prevent the
very design of the Consti ulion, that the
people themselves, capable of self govern
bai
Is the scheme of the politicians to prevent
the VIII of the people from being carried
Into elect and TO leave the choice of Chief
Magistrate Of this great nation in the hands
OF small body Of men where and amongst
whom experience has proved that log roll
ING and trickery. bribery and corruption,
are too often the potent influences that car
ry the day. Fellow citizens, il is a scheme
10 be deprecated, frowned upon by every
free elector in the land. Mr.. Fillmore has
not the least chance of success before the
people, and there cannot be sane reflect.
ing man before whom l say it, that
does not recognize tkat am not telling
him only the truth. State that his friends
claimed for has in the recent elections oiv.
en- is votes to the Democratic party. Even
my own Kentucky, which, of late wears.
giving up the high place she once held
among the States, To become the very hot
bed of Know Nothinyism, at her recent
election, has gone for the Democrats by n
vast majority. Every Southern State II at
has had an election. has gone for the Dem
ocras, until now. all other hope being gone
the friends Of Mr. Fillmore base all their
calculations upon the miserable scramble
that would ensue upon the contingency Of
an election by the House. To produce such
a scramble, | will not lend my assistance.
The candidate of the Know othing par
~ being out of the quest if for no 9th.
er reason, because he is not available, our
choice is narrowed down to the Republican
parry or the Democratic. Mr.. Fremont or
MIR. Buchanan we must choose betwixt. for
there is no LONGER the least doubt that one