Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-02-20

has become matter of public notoriety, that,
with my clear and decided convictions of their
dangerous tendencies, felt it my imperative
duty, as the Executive of this State, to bring
TO the notice of the Legislature. and through
that body to the people of the State, the opin-
ions entertained by me of the policy of encour-
aging associations for political purposes, SO
pregnant of mischief to the common veal.
thought the language employed for the
purpose free from all ambiguity; it was GER
tainly intended so to be and | was a much
surprised at finding myself misunderstood as
was at learning that the fact of the existence
of sush societies was any longer matter of
donbt or uncertainty. [ hope. however. that
in this communication raay be more fortunate,
and that your Committee may be at no loss to
discover TO what political societies | refer ed,
or the purposes for which it is alleged they
were instituted.
intended in the part OF the Message refer
red by your Committee respectfully to call the
attention of the representatives of the PEOPLE to
the fact of the existence of any and all secret
1ooIittcai societies or combinations and to ex-
press the opinion that, in my Judgment, such
associations of themselves are calculated 70
produce great evil. and are inconsistent with
and injurious to, the healthful action of Re-
publican institutions; and that when the pur-
pose of such societies is TO reduce large por-
tion Of the people to the condition of slavish
submission to their secret edicts and DEGREES
and to exclude from all honorable preferment
the Catholic and naturalized citizen, they be-
come dangerous in the extreme, and should
awaken the deep solicitude In every true Amer
lean in the State.
1 am credbly informed by large number
of citizens. that in their opinion and belief,
there exists now within this State numerous
societies of secret character, whose object
and purpose is to prevent the election ap
pointment TO Office of any person belonging 10
the Roman Catholic Church. or who is not
native-born citizen of the United States; ami
that in such secret associations, councils or
lodges, oaths, pledges and obligations are adj
mnistered to effect this object.
The existence of such unlawful combina-
tions throughout the States has been repeatedly
charged in the Congress of the United States,
in the Legislatures of one or more of the
States, and by large portion of the press and
people in every section of the country. The
fact is moreover evidenced by disclosures made
III the Legislature of sister State, and by
many members of the '' Order" who having
been thoughtlessly and innoceDtly drawn into
it, and finding they we're deceived as to its
purposes, have answered the suggestions of
conscience by adjuring the oaths and obliga-
tions therein illegally administered.
" ith you, gentlemen, abides, under the
sanction of the House of Delegat.s, the power
of ascertainiug the truth or talsity of these
allegations. l am powerless in the premises,
beyond the making known to you what fear
aud believe in regard TO them.
You, however, are IN the exercise of the
c0ufarrpH n send fDr
ana papers, and to examine persons under
oath, as to the existence Of secret societies,
aud the ends they propose to accomplish, may
bring before you the living Witnesses, and the
record proof which can effectually set at rest
the questions at issue. 1t will give me great
pleasure to facilitate, BY all the means in my
power, the objects for which your Committee
was raised and in compliance with the request
in your note of yesterday. respectfully sug
gest that you take means to procure copies of
the following papers, entitled as follows, viz ::
g The Constitution of the National Council of
the United States of North America" and
the accompanying Constitution for the gov
ernmeut of subordinate Councils" :" 50 The
Constitution of the North Carolina State
Council, adopted January 18th, 1855; ;" an
address adopted in the State Council Of Mas
sachuseltS, June 29tt. 1855; resolves Of the
State Council of South Carolina, adopted at
a meeting held at Charleston, August 14th,
1855; copies of which papers, l regret, L
have not at hand to lay before you. l have
no doubt, however, the Committee will be
able, if thsy desire it, to procure them.
l would further respectfully suggest that
you summon before you the delegates from
this State, to the Convention, said 10 have
been held at the city of Cincinnati about the
close of the year 1854, and also the delegates
from this State to the National Council hell
at the city of Philadelphia in the mouth OF
June last.
This last body. whose proceedings are said
to have been conducted in secret, iss sued what
purports to be platform Of principles, to
which I would respectfully refer you. L do
so, because the Sth section of said publication
the policy of the Roman Catholic Church in
our country is denounced as aggressive, and
an organised political resistance to those of
the Catholic faith plainly indicated and en-
couraged thus introducing religious issues
into the field of political agitation"
The 14th section of this platform declares
'' that all the principles Of the order shall be
heRceforth everywhere openly avowed that
each mem Der shall be at liberty to make known
the existence of the order, aud the fact that
he himself is member, and it recommends
that there be no couceatmeRt Of the place Of
meeting Of subordinate Councils"
Here we have the mest conclusive proof
that to the date of publication of this plat
form everything connected with the . order
Was matter of secrecy; its members bound
to conceal Its existence, and their connection
with It, and from the specific statements above
quoted OF what its members are now :" at
liberty 10 reveal, the conclusion is inevitable
that there is still left, that, which they are