The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-09-10
The Know Nothing Candidate for
the Vice Presidency.
A CARD FROm ALBERT PIKE.
To the Editor of the Tribune


ing one of the seven delegates of Mas
sachusetts. To be there he had to have
the sign, word and grip, and necessarily
had taken the same oath that we had all
taken on entering the order, t. E., not to
assist in any way in elevating to any Of
flee of trust or profit any person of for
eigh birth or any Roman Catholics The
oath is as binding on him now as it was
then. My name will assure you that l
know that of which I speak object
to Mr. Wilson's snesking ont of the
scrape, both pressio ueri and suggestio
falsi. ALBERT PIKE
Washington, August l, 1872.
No intelligent citizen of any part of
the United States needs to be told who
Albert Pike is, and no one doubts his
absolute veracity We append to his
statement above copy Of the Know
Nothing oath as administered in the
Massachusetts Lodges, and forwarded to
US by reputable and responsible Mas
sachusetts Know Nothing. Mr., Pike
has seen this, and vouches for it as the
same obligation which be took himself.
If Senator Wilson should become Presi-
dent, he would thus he kept, by an oath
under whose obligation he still rests,
from appointing to Office the represen-
tatives of over one third of the popula.
ton, and bound to use all his influence
10 prevent their obtaining Office. Per-
haps he might prove as true to his obli-
cations as did President Grant to those
he took with Baez, through Babcock, to
exert his influence with the House and
Senate on the question of Santo Do
mingo.-ED
TEXT OF OATH TAKEN BY HENRY WILSON IN
1854
In the presence Of the true and ever.
living God, and on these sacred Scrip
lures, His Holy Word, l do declare that
/ will truly fulfil all my obligations to.
ward my brethren of the order of Know
Nothings, and that will keep sacred all
the signs, tokens,pass and degree words,
emblems and proceedings of said order.
And T fpr,bar
anu IuilHCI
declare and solemnly swear that / will
not knowingly vote for, appoint,or elect
any person of foreign birth, Or a Roman
Catholic, to any office in the local or
general administration of the American
Government; and l further declare and
swear that / will use all the means in my
power to counteract and destroy the in.
Huence of foreigners and Roman Catho
lies in the administration of the Govern.
ment of the United States, and in any
and all parts thereof, both local and gen.
eral. 70 all this, free and voluntary
obligation on my part, without reserva.
ton, pray that may ever be able to
remain true and steadfast, so help me
God.
Though this oath seems comprehen.
sive enough, it was explicitly understood
to comprise more because on the occa.
sion of taking it the formula was that
"'the President of the Lodge will address
the brethren as follows
"As member o. this patriotic Lodge,
it will become your duty to disregard al
personal interests and predictions in
the service of your country,in order tha,
the corrupt and evil influence of foreign.
ers may be effectually combated and de-
stroyed, and here it will be understood
sons of foreigners and of Roman Cath
olics are included"
HOW SENATOR WILSON TRIED TO SNEAK oU1
OF THIS.
NATIcK, Mass July 80, 1872
j. o. Culver, Esq, State Journal, Madison, Wis
consin:
My DEAR SIR: The mail has jus
brought me your note and extracts clip
ped from new wspapers and purporting tt
be speeches made by me. In answer te
your inquiries l have to say that they
and all thought and words of like charac
ter which appear in the papers are pure
inventions, wicked forgeries, absolute
falsehoods. Never have thought, spo
ken, or written those words, nor anything
resembling those words, nor anything
that the most malignant sophistry coult
torture into those words. l could mo-
have done so, for they are abhorrent tt
every conviction of my judgment, every
throb of my heart,every aspiration ofmy
soul. Born in extreme poverty, having
endured the hard lot the sons of povert,
are too often forced to endure, I came Il
manhood passionately devoted to tn
creed of human equality. All my life
have cherished as bright hope and hel(
and avowed as living faith, the doctrin
that all men, apithout distinction Of race
color, or nationality, should hare com
plete liberty and e1act equality-al
the rights I asked for myself Nj,
thoughts, my words, my pen, my votes
have been consecrated for more than 81
years to human rights. In the Constitu
tional Convention of Massachusetts; il
eight years service in her Legislature il
more than II years service in the Senat
of the United States; in 1900 public al
dresses; in the press; in speeches ant
writings that would fill many volume
and make thousands Of pages, l have lite
rated and reiterated the doctrine Of equa
rights for all conditions Of men. is i
not, my dear sill, passing strange that par
tisanship should so blind men to sens
of truth, justice and fair play that the,
should forge and print abhorrent senti
ments-sentiments insulting to God ant
man-and charge them upon one who's
life has been given to the cause of equa
rights at home e,and whose profound sym
pathies were erer giUen to the friends o
liberty of all races and nationaiitie
abres HENRY WILSON.
MORE CONTEMPORARY TESTIMONY TO TIL
FACT.
To the Editor of the Tribune:
SIR: Mr.. Frank Birds incontroverti
BILE documentary expose of Gen Wilson
afflliation with the K. N party embold
ems me to submit the further attestatiol
of THE Tribune Almanac f6r 1856 to tn
fact-which the writer had previously in
tended to suggestf for publication, had no