Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-04-24
RESOLUTIONS OF THE LoCOFOCo
CITY CONVENTION.

vice than by publishing the following resolu-
TONS adopted by the convention which nomi-
mated Mr.. Berrett for Mayor, and by INIT
| ing, as we do, special attention to them. Here
they are-the part in brackets being stricken
ont before they were adopted;
a. Resolped, That, In presenting the name
| of James G. Berret for election as mayor OF the
city of Washington, we deem it proper TO pro-
test upon every consideration OF truth and JUS
! tice, against the impression which to some
extent prevails in this community, as well as In
Congress, that the present city government Is
responsible for the violence and outrage unfor-
tunately prevailing here. [They are properly at
tributable to causes Of an entirely different
character. The defective moral training ofthe
youth of the land, in consequence OF the general
disregard of parental obligations; tho almost
universal laxity of criminal Jurisprudence from
sickly sentimentality in regard to the punish
ment of capital crimes; the inadequate punish
ment inflicted for minor offences the bad ex-
ample ofmen in high places these, and other
causes combined have vitiated the best elements
of society everywhere, and inflicted upon it
evils nnumerable, ifnot incurable.]
90. Resoloed, That prominent among these
causes was the introduction into our midst OF
the know nothing organization, which by array
ing friend against friend, and brother against
brother, has broken up the pure fountains of
friendship and love, precipitated upon us the
bitter waters of fraternal strife and hatred, and
shaken the very foundations of society.
"3. Resolued, That the evils incident to
partisan police are Justly chargeabe to that
party. While in power it invaded, in man
ner hitherto unprecedented, every department
of the municipal government with the most
ruthless prescription, striking down all who
had not subscribed to its illegal tenents and
rendering life and property insecure by the
VIGOROUSLY partisan character of the entire
police force Of the city, who, urged on by intiu-
ences engendered in secretpolitical clubs, stimu-
lated rather than repressed outragcs ofthe most
serious character. Whatever may be the fail
ings of the present police force, those who COM
pose it are not justly liable to the charge of
being partisans. They are .treenaen, in the
Just sense of that term-unbound by unconsti-
tutional oaths, and perfectly free to do justice
to all, whether to the manor born or not.
Good and applause.
"a. Resolred, That the leaders Of the know
nothing party being responsible to an immeas-
urable extent for the present demoralized con-
dition of Society, many of those who in the
main composed it, now come forward with bad
grace, discaiming party rule in municipal af-
fairs, and asking the votes of the people upon
independent grounds ['Thats it. and APP
plause.1 Those who trust them, judging from
the bitter experience of the past, will find them
selves dependent, rather than independent, not
only for the. free and full exercise of their poit
ical rights, but for the life and liberty which
they enjoy under the providence of God and
the provisions of the Federal Constitution. We
therefore call upon all who are opposed to the
principles and practices of -nothingism,
as evidenced here as well as in Baltimore, Louis
vile, Cincinnati, New Orleans, and other large
cities, to stand firm and unite with us in crush
ing out, finally and forever, the last remnants
of this miserable faction.
90. Resolued, That the invasion of our then
quiet and peaceful city, on the day of the last
municipal election, by hordes of know nothing
ruffiaps from Baltimore, is without a parallel in
the history of civilized communities. Good
Our warmest thanks are due, and are hereby
rendered, to the President of the United States
and to the Hon. Secretary of the Navy for the
readiness and promptitude with which they
RESPONDED to the call Of the mayor of the city,
and by the interposition of military force re-
PEELED the invading foe, and rescued the Capital
of the Republic from the carnage which other
wise awaited it. Those who were absent in
their far-distant quiet homes can have no ade-
quate and proper idea Of the condition of things
which, on that occasion, existed here, render
ing 1t not only justi6able but obligatory on the
proper authorities TO vindicate the supremacy
Of the law at all hazards and to the last extrem-
ity." [Applause.]
The vituperative, maleyolent, and menda-
cious character Of these resolutions will not ex-
cite surprise, when it is known that Of the
thirty i've delegates who composed the convcn-
ton, twenty eight Of them we're Romanists, and
not small sprinkling were constitutional
citizens" with as little of American blood in
their veins as American feeling in their hearts.
The spirit here manifested is the same that is
felt by all foreigners who owe allegiance-civil
and religious-tot the Pope, towards Protestants
and native-bo Americans. 1t is the same
spirit that lately found utterance at political
meeting at Chicago, composed chiefly Of "our
beloved Irish fellow-citizens," in the cry of
aDOWN WITH THE PROTESTANTS-T0
HE'LL WITH AMERICANS"
The convention, which came within one vote
Of renominating William B. Magruder for May
OF, mere aCkuOWleuBSo hhae 'iVichSS ouu Vu'
rage unfortunately prevail here" 1t was use
less to deny it; the fact is known not only to
every resident Of our city, but by everybody
in the United States who reads newspaper
and has brought disgrace and shame upon the
city bearing the sacred name Of WASHINGTON.
This being the case, It became necessary to
admit the fact, and by a bold, audacious, brazen
falsehood, attempt to throw the responsibility
upon the Americdn, or, as they prefer TO call
ito make raw-head-and- bloody.bones Of It,
to frighten weak men, nervous men, and little
children-the En0w-Nothing party.
This organization, they say, arrayed friend
against friend, and brother against brother II
friend chose to array himself against his
friend, and brother against his brother, be-
cause they honestly believed that native-born
Americans ought to have some rights and priv.
ileges In the land Of their birth, whose is the
faultf If foreigners are determined to rule
this country, and attack, beat and shoot Amer
leans at the polls stufiing the ballot-boxes, and
committing every species Of fraud and yilliany
to carry elections, are the latter to be held re-
sponsible for these outragcsa ia Mayor and