Squatter sovereign., 1856-04-29

ioDJCcGoA AS Soiu ~ nave USeu EStnOfSu Dy
the abolition of all secrecy. In the next
place, your members Were bound by obli-
cations to vote as the councils. &c., might
direct; and this was regarded by US as di-
rectly hostile to the right of suffrage In
the citizen necessary to self:governnent;
but this has, at least in many places, been
abrogated, and all tests and obligations are
said to have been annulled. A third great
objection was the interference in religion
in the prescription of Roman Catholics,
&c.; but this, too, has generally been
abandoned and the last grand council at
Philadelphia, by a majority vote, admitted
the Roman Catholic delegates from LOUISE
ana. These three great barriers have,
therefore, already been broken down.
What remains, then, of your peculiar
views? An amendment by Congress of
the naturalization. laws. Admitting, for
argument. that this may be a matter of
importance, surely you viii agree with
me that it is not to be brought in compa-
rison with question Of the existence of
the government itself. Had you not all
rather that our system should move On as
formerly under she existing naturalization
laws, than be brought into serious peril
What would you think of a man, who,
when his dwelling had taken fire, instead
of attempting to extinguish the fame.
should occupy himself with removing in
sects from it? Ought We to initiate the
conduct of the Jews, who, when their city
was besieged by the Roman army, con-
tinued to wrangle and dispute with each
other, until it was taken and destroyed2
i But you say that you do not wish for
eigners to hold Office in this country. In
point of fact, they do not hold as many of
the offices as their proportional numbers
might entitle them to. After all, however,
j is it not more important that the offices
should be filled with persons who will DIS
charge the duties than that any particular
set of people shall have thems How
many of the fifteen thousand voters in our
district, are likely to hold office l have
no doubt but that at least five hundred men
were induced to join your organization in
our district by such representations, and
/ perhaps no one OF them will realize the
possession of any desirable office. The
truth is, this clamor is kept up by a few
designing office-seekers in the country,
who hope, by these means, to derive ad-
vantage; whereas the great body of the
tax-yaying people, have no interest be-
yond q good administration of official
duties.
Certain politicians are clamorous agaisnt
some Of the appointments of the present
administration. 1t may be true, that the
President, like most of his predecessors,
has made mistakes in this respect but is
this to be weighed against the bold and
patriotic stand maintained by him and his
friends in defence of the rights Of the
/ weaker sections of the Unions / know,
gentlemen, that many of you feel POLITICAL
lily hostile to me, on account of our past
collisions, but you cannot charge me with
having ever deceived you. Rccollect that
, more than twelve months ago, told you
, in my speeches that the Know-Nothing
: party would be broken up and destroyed
soon after the meeting of this Congress.
What was then predicted, is now history.
: I told you that the body of Its members
c from the North, were anti-slavery men,
t and that their action would drive you out OF
S the party, and earnestly exhorted you to
4 await the developments of one year, and
5 In the meantime, to stand aloof from the
/ organization. Do you not wish that you
Y had taken my advice? ] do not expect
: you to admit this to me but put it to
u your own conscienees, when you are In
, communion with that Supreme Being your
!; council processes to reverence, do you moi
d regret your connexion with the order
e Perhaps you may feel offended with me
il even for this, just as, formerly, some com.
S planned of my announcing in advance. the
u destruction of the old Wing party, or oi
u my public declarations just before the las
s Presidential election that General Scot
e could not get more than four States, a:
the event afterwards proved. But yos
# cannot charge me with any want of fair
: ness and candor; and, as on all former oc
e casions, I now speak to you with the frank
ness and directness that becomes a free
a man addressing his peers. Remembe
e that, if earnest, I am asking nothing 70
e myself. On the contrary, when eandi
l. date before you. have seorned to maxi
'e any appeal TO your favor. On such occa
St sions, yon have complained that my ton
was defiant and denunciatory. Blu. uil
y appeal to you for the life of the con
$. stitution.
81 With respect 20 those persons VIII