Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 44, Ed. 1, Saturday, June 23, 1855 Page: 4 of 8
eight pages : illus. ; page 28 x 42 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
XtEBB&Afl
8
TEXAS STATE GAZETTE.
JUNE 23
rw yTB vT1Jiir fiiiJiijjyiioiTTmTraffrur.L jHZjTiauMfturHJJJjJJ!
i e
yrtftmKj
w n
II
ST
ATE
GAZ
ETTE.
KiUtcd lr JOHN ITXAKSIIAML nnd W. S. (HLDIIAiTI.
SSy OFAtJSTIN SATURDAY JUNE 23 1S55.
S'H;tJ!t
i'br Governor s
HON- ELISIIA M. PEASE-
ib)1 Congress
HON. P. H. BELL.
The Stale Rifflits Democracy meet this evening at 2 o'clock
P. ill. at the Old State Capital.
t33T"NYe arc authorised to announce tho namo of FltANIC PF.NDLKTON 6f Bellon a a can-
didate for Representative from the cduntlcs of Dell McLennan Coryell and Ilosquc In the en-
snliyf LeRlilaturo of Texas Kicctlon first Monday In August.
IST Wo are nuthorUcd toannounco the nam or IIJ. NcKARTiAND Esq. of La Grance as
a candidate for the office of Judffo of the Becond Judicial District.
HT Adhtis CoLUatAiK FtMiLK Ikbiituib. Tho annual examination of the pupils of this
Institution will tako place on Thursday and Prjday the 23th nnd 29th days of June. All
frienda of education aro respectfully Invited to attend. 43: 2t
tW Proceedings of Austin Lodge No. 12 will appear In our next.
Hon David C. Dickson. Wo are authorized to announce that David C.
Dickson accedes to the request of hl neighbors and friends who onyesterday
' passed resolutions desiring him to become n candidate for Governor. And he
wishes it distinctly understood that ho is induced to take this step in order that
'. jf thopooplo may have an opportunity to decide the issuo which has been made
"' on tho great question of internal improvements. He vill givo expression to
" his views in a circular letter which will appear in a few days. Cent. Texan.
' V Is Dr. Dickson a member of the Know-Nothing party ? or ddes he
accept tho nomination from that party which was made at Washiii"--
' 't ton on. the 11th hist.? We hope that Dr. D. himsplfwill give his old
- Democratic friends a distinct rtfply.
' ) . ' ' The Canvass.
ftt . "The true American party in this land" says' the honored Wick
yiiffe of Kentucky "is the Democuatio Party. It 'proscribes no man
.(l on account of his birth or of his roligion; it adopts as its own. the
'? fiv principles contained in the Declaration op Independence"
i -? ' When we look upon that instrument we see the embodiment of the
dcmocracy. Its lenders inserted iiv the .Constitution of the United
States what now .as theirdisiinguished us from the federal or British
"' 4rty that
' .' ." No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any
'.office of public trust under the United States.''
'-J'' :The-leaders of the Democracy impressed the same glorious seritf-
MmenVupqn the Constitution of the Republic of Texas that
k'J $tt No preference shall be given by law to any religious denomi-
nation -or mode of tvorship over another but every -person shall be
m ; . permitted to worship God according to the dictates of his otvn con-
w
' scunce
.' w The same patiy whichis now before you also engraved upon that
unBtf4umen.tj that "every male citizen otherwise qualified shall be
4 entitled to hold any office or place of honor trust or profit under
WMe Republic." . .
'?'' -1 he same Democratic ;party likewise declared in the Constitution
If of-the. State that ...
;' ' No Iloligious test shall eveV.be required as a qtialjficatiohab any
.. -o(Ego-JnUUo-irMtWtt.' c Ai-0rgoi'"fu-tri. vuCl'i cwuim 'cot"iijrrtrTii
.Sec. 4 that. ..."... .; '-.- .'"' . bltfc-W'
t$? All! pieii.'fiavc a natural and indefeasible right to worship God
according to the dictates of their oioh consciences ."
' And we have as fairly fixed in the same Constitution that
'. ;.(tJNo man or set of men are entitled to exclusive separate public
cmolumdnis or privileges."
'It is now proposed by tho Know Nothing Patty to overthrow all
-f-. these piilersof human liberty in bur Constitution. It is to bo done
'either by an oath in their secret conclaves or when they possess the
political power to do so by amending the Constitution
1 The Democratic party has never and can never reseat to secret so-
cieties. It therefore provided in the Constitution of Texas that
"The citizens shall have the Right in a peaceable manner to as-
- -tisemble together for their Common Good."
jj The Democratic party have in accordance with the spirit that die-
4itated this provision always assembled for deliberation with open doors
-a.nd.in the company of the people of a)l sects and political opinions.
: To resort to seoresy in a time of. profound peace and in the enjoy
jinentof the unrestricted right of publicpqeoh Is to leave to impli-
cation either that this secret band distrusts the capacity of the people
to act Idee freemen or it is for tho purposevof achieving unworthy
endswhich when made known to the masses would not receive their
approval. - In either alternative it cannot be sanctioned and is at
war with our Republican government. (
The present day however is not 'the beginnjng of the issue jvvith
the Know Nothing Party. It dates back to the first origin of parties
' intlie "United States and we shall show most clearly and satisfacto-
rily that it is.tho same federal and British party which was headed by
'Hamilton by Gov. Morris and by John Adams. It is the federal
party in a new-shape for as one of the resolutions of the Democratic
party properly says "that party never fights twjee under the same
' .. - ' i'.'- ". .-y. '
Tho .ICnpw Noting doctrine isr-r ?-!'
T. Denial of Citizenship. : .
2; Denial op Political Rights' to adopted Citizen?. .' '.
4 3) Denial op PotmcAL Rights to Catliqs whether Native or
Adopted Citizens. ' ' '
1. A union with the North without security for. the protection
of 'Southern Rights" . .
-WPyha the above arc Jthe .cpnsequejices which are to happen
to tho country by the support of the Know Nothing party. Now
let us turn tkjiistory for its origin ! ' ' .. '
When the Revolution was accomplished and parties began io'be
developed wo found on tho one side Jefferson and Mndjson ; on the
other John Adams Gov.. Morris and Hamilton. The Democratic
Tarty desired u Republic hi which all the forms and paraphernalia of
-monarchy should bo forego r-blp tied out and reared up i" their place
should beijie great doctrines of human right which were afterwards
' established in tho Constitution; ThV Federal party shuddered at the
attempt and proclaiming thernBelyes conservatives; de'c'laretl'that it
was suflicjento follow the plan 'of the 'English goenmeht' with
suitable modifications. nd it was precisely on this issue ihnt the
Federalists contended against the policy of permitting foreigners to
throw off allegianco to their mother country. To be more explicit
wa refer to the Madison papers page 1300. In the Convention of
1787 for framing a Constitution we read :
" Mr. Madison wished to maintain the character of liberality which
had been professed in all the Constitutions and publications of Ame-
rica. He wished to invite foreigners of merit and republican princi-
ples among us. That part of America which had encouraged them
most had advanced most rapidly in population agriculture and the
arts."
In page 1277 Gov. Morris one of the leaders of the federal party
says :
" As to citizens of the world (immigrants) he did not wish to see
them in our councils. He would not trust them. The men who
shake off their attachments to their mother country can never love
another."
Here is the' contrast. Mr. Madison proceeding upon the principle
that every man had tho right to absolve himself from all allegiance to
his country when ho found that it ceased to secure to him the enjoy-
ment of his political rights saw no reason for refusing citizenship to
a man who had been unfortunate enough to be the citizen of a tyran-
nical or oppressive government. Gov. Morris on the other hand
with his British ideas .that "o?icc a subject always a subject" looked
upon(thenct of self expatriation as criminal and desired to prohibit
all foreigners from becoming citizens because like all other criminals
in his view they could not be trusted. It never occurred to him that
what the foreigner does when he swears to renounce allegiance to his
country was what we did at the Revolution and that it is but a re-
enaetment every day of the same thing. This doctrine has been long
exploded. Ourcoiuitry sustained the right ol expatriation at the cost
of the best blood and treasure contending at the point of the sword
and at the canon's mouth at New Orleans and on the broad ocean
that our flag should be sufficient protection to the adopted citizen.
2. But after the foreigner renounces his allegiance to nil other powers
and is therefore left without a place to rest the sole of his foot where
he. can be protected in his rights and after investing him with the
rights'of an American citizen it is proposed that these rights shall
be restricted and limited so that he shall hold no office whatever. He
is to be placed upon the same level as the negro in the free States and
he is never to be permitted to rise above it whatever his capacity or
fitness under the Jeffersoninn rule. Pursuing this illiberal course
the result must be that the substantial foreigner who can elect either
to come to our shores or stay where he is will refuse to place himself
in such a degrading position aud consequently with such a law against
the adopted citizen the masses of immigrants would fast become the
poorest least educated and the refuse population of Europe. This
plan then of hostility to foreigners defeats itself and inflicts still
deeper the evil sought to be remedied. We have no. disposition to
place foreigners in office over American citizens but the power to do
so should be left where it properly belongs in the hands of the pri.
vate citizen to be exercised according to his own views of public
cood. Toadout' therdoctrine of the Know Nothings is. in nstniilisli in
rnrJ:vMu ouu8tirnuiiru'u;innnrTniDncregrline(i clasp m the community and
among wuue men. j.i revous ait our. leeluurs of freedom and. will
II
snelmsetts just elected in whioh tho ohiet merit urged is that upon the
nuestion of tho Union th.it Senctor would prove Innisoll a innn.
Mr. Wilson. All I have to say is that I never uttered a Word m my liTo to
warrant such an assertion. Sir I make no pretensions to any peculiar devo
.:.. ..!. itnim nMr ntlinrmoii: but if I know inysell I would sacrifice nl
hum i - " ; . .. . .... tt..:. r .1 o ... '
.if life and of hope to maintain ami perpcuuuo uu- umun " moou omius.
From boyhood I have dreamed of a glorious destiny lor my country. I have
wished to see tho Hag of the Union wavo in peaceful triumph over iho North
Amciicnn continent over a Confederacy of iree Commonwealths. I have so
much faith in Democratic ideas.so much confidence in the people that I have
no fears fiom tho annexation of territory and tho extension of the boundaries
of the Republic. ... i i
The Senator from Illinois (Mr. Douglas) has undertaken hero to-night to
denounce all or us of the Ntirth whom ho is pK-nsed to cull Abolitionists ns
disunionists. Now sir in my judgment no part of the Coiiruderaey is more
devoted to the Union thim the State I have the honor in part to represent. I
believe that in my Stiitc the opinion in favor of tho Union approaches unati-
imitv. Wo tespond with all our hearts to the words of D'iniel Webster
uttered on this iloor moro than twenty years ago : law.uy a u union vow
and forever one and inseparable l' Bui wo mean liberty and Union. The
vothV anti-slavery men of Massachusetts will not be frightened lrom their
.i ?.. r.r inmnrtlnl lllrtv hv threats made here or elsewhere to dissolve
be condemned everywhere throughout the world by all liberal think
ing men.
3. Another odious feature of the Know1 Nothings is their religious
intolerance. 'We are placed in 'possession of this fact by the published
confessions of their members and it is not denied. A Know Nothing
is bound to vote against a Catholic for office whether he may be a
Native or airadopted citizen. This is in direct conflict with theJ
spirit of the Constitution as we have fully shown. If in a free. ov-
ern.ment we may claim the right to profess what religion we choose
a'religious test must be not only subversive of its. liberties but odious
to every freeman whether he may profess the religion sought to be put
down or one which at present may enjoy the good fortune to be
outof danger. It is the practice however of the Know- Nothings to
swear thqir members against the support of Catholics-to office and
by this sweeping proscription natives as well as foreignersvare to be
disfranchised. This used tovhe good British doctrine but they have
long since got ashamed of" it and much of it is now obsolete.
'1. What directly concerns tho South is the equivocal attitude of
the Know Nothing party on the Southern question. We are told
that there are three degrees but in none of them upon examination
can we lay our hand upon a clause in which we enn see any protec-
tion for the South against the fanatical wild and riotous spirit of free-
8oilisin. We aro told that the Third Degree was made for the South
but it was only to deceive and cajole it as we shall fully show until
the band of union with the free soilers' could be rivetted upon ns be-
yond redemption. Its palpable insincerity will appear from the fol-
lowing clause in this 3d degree:
"That so far as your efforts shall avail this TJnion shall have no
end." '..-;
What respect does. this show for the great principles contended for
y Southern men?
In. the Georgia TJnion Platform of 1850it is asserted that we oii"ht
to be bound to the Union only so long as it should bo the "safe guard"
of the rights and principles which the snid Union "was desiued to
perpetuate" and the violation of any of the provisions of the compio-
mlse act is considered a sufficient causo for tho dissolution of the
Union. Wo ask what respect does this oath of the Know Nothings
Show for therights of tlip South '.'
Bucits utter worthlessuess to the South is seen by. the fact that the
abolition Know Nothing Senator Wilson' of Massachusetts can
according to his professions take tins Third Degree and claim to de-
mand all its rights and privilegespie of which is that a Know Noth-
ing must vote for a Third Degree member in preference to all other
citizens. Wo will place this beyondcontroversv.
Iti Mr. Wilson's speech in theU: S. Senate on the 23d February
lost he said"
imrmrti:
the Union. These menaces have no terrors tor us. ue iiiioy mm me people
will stand by the Union even if slavery should bo abolished.'
Now we say after reading the above can it beSfdenied that at this
hour Mr. Wilson may not be a Third Degree Know Nothing'.'-.
With such sentiments upon hisvlips would a Massachusetts Know
Nothing conclave refuse to bestow upon him the degree? What fol-
lows? We assert and we challenge denial that the oath of every Know
Nothing in Texas would l)iid him to support for office Mr. Wilson in
pieference to all others. In that degree these are tin1 words. ;
" That you will vote for and support for ALL POLITICAL OF-
FICES third of Union Degree members of the order in PREFER-
ENCE TO ALL others!" There is the language and that is what
it means. In fact Gov. Gardner who declares himself in favor of a
modification or repeal of the fugitive slave law is endorsed by the
Galveston Journal as a Representative of the Know Nothing party
of which xt is justly proud !
The intention of the leaders of the Know Nothing Pnrty to revive
the agitation of the slavery question in Congress is a foregone con-
clusion. Here is the language employed by that party in the oath of
the 3d degree.
" That you will use your influence as far as in your power in en-
deavoring to 'procure an amicable and equitable adjustment of all
political discontents and differences which may threaten it (the Union)
injury or overthrow."
Taking this as a starting point some papers are already tender-
ing the Olive Branch to the North. The great Know Noth-
ing organs of the west think that the South can adopt some modifi-
cations of the positions assumed in the compromise act of 1850 which
will unite the North ! We say it is a foregone conclusion that the
Know Nothing party is to become the instrument to affiliate the
North and South at the sacrifice of Southern Rights and we again
wan; all honest men in that party to look to their own homes and
firesides.
That the Democratic party have avowed their determination to
" resist all attempts at renewing in Congress or out of it the agi-
tation of the slavery question under whatever shape or color the at-
tempt may be made" has rendered all overtures to free soilism by
that party impossible while on the other hand the State conventions
.ofhe.JiuoW' 'Nothing have' as'.' firmly determined " to endtmsor to
The Seoator from Illinois (Mr. Bouglas) pronounces nil the Abolitionist
unnionisM. If he-mraiW to include men wljo think as I think and act I
Lv Xs -& t0 8ay 0lua't Senator that he mistakes ns nltogoth'er. '
M n..; ... r f. " .r.r." : ."" "".""-v" "" b""
'IMWUWULAM. i lltlVO U. IBllUr fU IHV IlOfcRPfiamtl Wfittnn '-.nv. 13 .
l!:r. iu.i.'i-.i-!ir.jsir iT-. -.'. Klf .lJ.r "":"" "". " bunion; n- i J
.b...a .-.... ..-. v." - .u.K.inp-wrnw oi the bonator from Mas. only THREE VOTES ! aud at the same time GOV. GARDINER
procure an apiicabl'c and equitable adjustment J) of all political
discontents that threaten the Union" nnd what those discontents are
let such men as Gov. Gardemer say men pledged in favor of es-
sential modifications of the fugitive slave law or its repeal and who
are landed here in Texas as true Know .Nothings !
We have endeavored to give some of the leading features of the
Know Nothing Party.
Its secret movement is incompatible with American institutio'nsand
American character. It" is no feature of our n&tional character.
Secrecy and fear go baud in hand and we can only subscribe to the
secret and hidden political order when in a downtrodden nnd oppressed
land the people may be seeking to obtain their emancipation and free-
dom from tyranny; but the moment the chains are thrown off that
moment the necessity for the ordet censes to exist.
Its denial of their profession of Know Nothing is not only anti-
American but it engenders a treachery and baseness of character which
is revolting to our reputation as moral men and Christians. If a
Know Nothing when asked if he belongs to tho order is required to
say "No" what security-have we against the general want of probity
of character in every other social relation ot life.? Does it comport
with the dignity of an American citizen to falsely deny his political
sentiments? Can it be tolerated by professing christians ? Is it not
odious to all ? v
Its opposition to the Naturalization laws presents no practical i&sue.
We have seen that each State in its separate sovereignty claims tho
right to determine and in its Constitution does determine who shall and
who shall not vote. The federal government through its constitution
recognises these votes iji the election of members of Congress and
leaves to each State the manner of electing a President nnd Vice
President of the United States. Jefferson says-" Alien friends arc
under the jurisdiction and protection of the laws of the State wherein
they are ; that no power over them has been delegated to the United
States nor prohibited to the individual States distinct from their power
over citizens." Thus then whether in the relation of 'aliens or
adopted citizens the federal government cannot without a change of
the constitution control the voters of any sovereign Siate. Do the
Know Nothings intend to abridge the rights of the States and aug-
ment tho power. ol the federal government? Is this the issue ?
Shall we who are now in tho minority in Congress lay aside our
scruples about the rights'of the States and seek to strengthen tho
hands of the free soilers in Congress by increasing the powers of that
body over ns ? The South have no interest in such nn alliance.
Its doubtful position on the Southern question is by no menus re-
medied by the late notion of the National Convention at Philadelphia.
The fact that every Congressional election now to come offis a Southern
one North Carolina Tennessee Alabama Kentucky Texas Georgia
Louisiana Mississippi and Maryland not a single Northern Con-
grcssional eccJio?j -'sufficiently explains any political finesse and sub-
terfuge at this peculiar time by the Know Nothing paity. The res
olutions adopted by that Convention were carried by a majority of
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Oldham, W. S. & Marshall, John. Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 44, Ed. 1, Saturday, June 23, 1855, newspaper, June 23, 1855; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth81190/m1/4/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.