" i ' ' i ; i I ! . t :.t'1 s "I - i ;: i - ' ? Dfmorrot nnb rnlinrl richard w-bitb:::;::::::::::::::::::hexrtc.dkvink WHITS DEVISE, Editors and Proprietors. EBEIJSBURG. WEDNESDAY MORNING:::::;;:: AUG CST 23, FOR CANAL COMMISSIONER. HON. ARNOLD PLUMER, " - OF VENANGO COCNTY. . " ": - ' j .. . : . , -. . -, - FOR ASSKMBLT. f ... -; GEORGE N. SMITH, of Johnstown. ,j , ' .- FOB SHERIFF.:! ;,;- ' ;., JAMBS MYERS, pf Ebcnsburg. , .. .. .,; :" : for coronkr:4 " ' i ! ISAAC TEETER, of Concmaugh. FOE TREASURER, ' ' ' CHARLES D. MURRAY, of Cambria. : "" FOR AUDITOR. ' ' - ROBERT McCOMBIE, of Carroll. ' ' FOR. POOR nOCSK DIRECTOR, '" JACOB FR0N11EISER, of Johnstown. QCJ-Geo. A. Oofut No. 73 South Fourth Street, above Walnut, Philadelphia,' is our authorized agnut to receive subscriptions a-id advertisemeuta for this paper. Notice. The members of the Democratic County Omi roittee, are requested to meek at the Court House, in the borough' of EIensburg, on Tuesday the 4th day of September, at 2 o'clock P. M. A general attendance is requested, business of inv portance will be transacted. '..CD. MURRAY, Chairman. . County Committee. 1 C7 The members of the" County Committee are requested to attend punctually at the meeting next Tuesday. Business of importance will come before them. , . ' ' "'. I . m. B. Seed's Letter. Read this document on cur first page to-day J This is one of the most crushing blows that Sam has as yet received; it fell like a bomb shell among his followers.' It is. the most conclusive evidence that the old Whigs are determined to be revenged on the men who betrayed and cheated them. At the risk of being considered impolite, we will venture to ask one little question: we have some Journals in this county which are al ways boasting about their unchanging Whiggcry,' their devotion to the principles of Clay, &c, "Why do not there Journals publish this letter of Mr. Reed's 1 It is certainly a genuine Whig docu ment. . ' ' Anti-Know-Nothing Meeting. We find that the suggestion contained in our lal issue in relation to the above meeting, meets with general approbation. It is to be held in re ference to the one subject alone ; , men of both po litical parties will unite in one overwhelming ex pression of opinion against Know-Nothingisra. The meeting will be called for that purpose and for; no other. The r an ti-Ki tow-Nothing issue is ne which is above all mere party politics. It involves the question of civil and religious liberty, and possibly of existence itself. It may become a question of life or death to us. It is so in other parts of our country ; we have no warrant that it may not take that turn here, f We say to the citizens, turn out. , Let there be a show of hands. Let us see who is for us, and who is against us. Democracy, vs. Know-Nothingism. , I The importance of securing an immediate and thorough organization of the Democratic party in this County, cannot be easily overrated. It must not be said that Know-Nothingism, unaided and alone, can triumph on the soil of little Cambria. The Know-Nothings are now busily at work, not urdy here, but everywhere throughout the State, in their subterranean retreats, at the hour when scoundrels love to congregate, preparing and dril ling their forces for the approaching campaign. They are aware that they are inferior to the Dem ocracy in point of numbers, but they hope through dissensions in our ranks, to secure a sufficient number of Democratic votes to enable them to triumph. How far they are justified in entertain ing this, hope, the result on the second Tuesday of next October must determine. Wo do not presume to speak for others, but as for ourselves, we are fully, firmly determined to go At once into the contest, with the settled ami honest in tention, to contribute our utmost towards crush ing Know Notbingism, and to labor zealously to secure the election of every man on the Demo cratic ticket, from Canal Commissioner to Auditor. We confidently anticipate, that the dark lantern gentry who steal away at the hour of midnight into alleys, byways and outhouses, where they feel that they are secure from tike gaze of honest men, and there devise ways and means to deprive their neighbors of their inalienable rights, will find that they are mistaken, in supposing that the Mountain Democracy will not give a united and enthusiastic support to their ticket. Our candidates were all fairly and honestly nominated; they are all sincere Democrats; they are all hon est men, and well qualified for discharging the duties of the several offices for which they have been nominated, and surely uo sincere Democrat, or friend of republican institutions, will allow him self tube induced through personal or private feelings, to refuse any or all of them his support, 'and thereby asbbt in securing the triumph of a band of midnight conspirators. Never did we feel so deep an interest in the result of a political contest, as the present. In laboring to secure the triumph of the Democratic ticket, we feel that at the same time we are la boring in defence of the rights of man, and con tributing our utmost to secure the perpetuity of our free institutions; and although we know our course will not meet with the approbation of demagogues and bigots, now that issue is found . between Democracy and Knouy-NoOiingUn. be tween the enemies and friends of religious iutoler- : ance, we have no middle course to take ; wo at once . . " Hang our banner on the outer waH," the toil worn and invincible banner of Democra cy, and there we are determined it shall remain, nnril rt proudly waves in triumph, cr "falls in tatters to the ground." Enow-Nothing Lies- . j . During election campaigns, all sorts of atones are generally put into circulation, iu relation to candidate for offiee.V From present appearance, we think that the impending contest will be un usually prolific in fictions. :- The enemies of the Democratic party never played this game tronger than they are iow do ing. The number of misstatements, tUndcrs, and downright lies already scattered abroad by the Know-Nothings relative to the merits and poe-ition of our candidates, is truly marvelous. Their plan of action seems to be, any lie to suit the place, the time, and the man ; never to tell the truth .when a lie will serve the purpose, or iu fact, nev er to tell the truth at all. They are just now en gaged especially in circulating such stories as they think are best calculated to destroy the confidence of the Democracy in one another. Thcpcrtinacit-,tle impudence, the recklessness which they display in belieing George ft". Smith, is amazing. Since Smith's nomination, we do not believe that any Know-Nothing in Cambria coun ty has told one single word of truth alout htm. -We will just merely notice two or three" of their inventions. ' They have been particularly assidu ous iu asserting that the nomination of Mr. Smith was only a sham that he was to be sold, and that the Conferees to Bedford would not support him. We think that the publication to-day of the PJedgcs of these Conferees, prepared and sign ed m accordance with a resolution of the Comity Convention, will settle the hash In regard to tbi matter; so far as Cambria county is concerned, her' nomination for Assembly is made and made in earnest. , . . , . ' Mr. Smith Is also cltarged with being a member of their , secret order. It is not Jikely that any bod will be fooled very badly by this yarn, and we only advert to it for the purpose of cautioning Democrats against a Know-Nothing scheme-rthat of endea voring to destroy the confidence of Demo crats in one another, by circulating rumors that such and such Democrat havs joined their order. They do not confine their operations to rumors alonej but have a trick of intruding ' themselves into the company of honest citizens, and by force of mysUrioua winks nods, becks and wreathed smiles," inducing the public to think that there is too much intimacy between' Know-Nothing leaders and men who actually look upon every thing connected with Know-Uothingism with con tempt and disgust.. ' Nay, so far is their impu dence carried, that m many "places three or four citizens can hardly meet on the street, without be ing annoyed, by the intrusion of some .lengthy Know-Nothing, some County instructor, some del egate to Bordentown,- who with stealthy, cat like tread has insinuated himself into their midst. The remedy for such intrusions is simple, prompt and always at hand. ': We allude to a posterior appli cation of boot.' : ' ' ' ' ' ' ' J " It is but right that we should have our men above suspicion, but let us not condemn without sufficient evidence, men whose fair fame Know Nothings attempt to blast with their poisonous breath. - ; ; s . '. : Again, in regard to a division of Cambria conn-, tyj in the Northern townships, Mr. Smith is rep resented as being the friend of such division, while in the Southern distriets he is abused and black guarded because the platform on which he stands opposes it. An admirable article, on this subject,' from Mr. Smith's own pen, will be found in an other part of our paper to-day ; ,it is conclusive, and must satisfy our Northern friends of the soundness of ,Mr. Smith's position in relation to' that question, and of the falsehoods of the Know Nothing reports. We shall take occasion again to refer to our candidate and his detractors. ' : ' ' . " ' 1 The Know-Nothing Party, and the next : Presidency. , In observing this famous party from the Bay of Funday to the Bay of San Francisco, we find it assumes various shapes, and has as many sides to it as a rolling pin. It is pro-slavery and anti slavery, pro-foreigner and anti-foreigner, pro-tar iff and anti-tariff, pro-catholic and anti-catholic, pro-office hunting and anti-office hunting, pro Kanzas and Nebraskalegislatlon,and anti-Kanzas and Nebraska legislation. Obedience to the laws and the constitution of the country, is put forth in their platform, and iu their acts a total disregard of all laws human and divine. In South Caroli na, Tennessee, and Kentucky, the design of the order is to defend and perpetuate slavery, and in their national council they agreed to let slavery alone as it is. In the Eastern States and part of Pennsylvania, the all absorbing tenet of the order is Abolitionism. Can this party then agree on this branch of their creed, and nominate a Presi dent? In California the whole order is in favor of the immigration and citizenship of foreigners, and in Massachusetts and several other States, a large portion of the order is in favor of admitting prot estant foreigners to a participation in their rites and ceremonies. In most of thi other States pf the Union, all foreigners are excluded from this party, and in Louisville they are excluded from the polls by fire, 'and bullet, and halter. Can this party then agree on this branch of their creed, and nominate a President? ? In Pennsylvania, and in some other States of the Union, this party seems to favor a high protective tariff, whilst in the Smth, they are for ' free trade and sailor's rights." Can this party then agree on this branch of their creed, and nominate a President ? In California and in Maryland, . Catholics are not proscribed, and in Louisiana many catholics be long to the order, and they have nominated and are now running a catholic for Governor of that State. '. In most of the other States no member of the order can vote for a catholic. No catholic can become a member, nor can he be initiated if he have a catholic wife. Can they agree on this branch of their creed, and nominate a President? Id the Philadelphia platform they endorsed the Kanzas and Nebraska bill, and the greater part of the Northern States are for its repeal and the restoration of the Missouri compromise.' Can they agree on this branch of their creed, and nominate a President? In their national platform they ex hibit a disgust for the wild hunt for office, which characterizes the age yet the broken down rene gade? of all parties go into their order to hunt af ter office. Such is tbe. discrepancy of this her maphrodite party, as sworn to in their lodges in the different localities of the Union. They agree in no one question of national policy. The only thing they do agree in is, their hatred to the Io moerrtx party. They detest that party and thy cas give no reascn for it.- "o suppose it is t'v slow in giving them office. Under our party the country has attained unexampled prosperity. Under our prrty the country has become a giant iu wealth, in territory and population. It is pu rer and better now than it has been for years, as the new organization has taken all the vagabonds and scoundrels from it. It has boiled over and the froth and filth has been scummed off by this new partj . In our party there is union, and strength, and harmony, and patriotism, and by the accession of some honest npright whigs, it is stronger and purer and bet ter than it has been for many years. The next President will be a De mocrat, or the United States will cease to be one republic. ' ' '.' ' ' This new party will soon sink to rtse'no more ; it has the elements of its destruction in its own bosom. Besides it has the curse of the widow and the orphan hanging over it, and the blood of helpless innocence crying to heaven for vengeance against . it. It cannot survive to the next Presi dential election. ' Bigots and bullies, and bullets, and brazen faces and brass knuckles, will hence forth not save it from . the doom that awaits it. Before one year that party will be driven into the home of tbe Hartford Convention, and there en gulphed in Abolitionism. " It was conceived in, sin and brought forth in iniquity." A half hanged ruffian by the name of ' Judson .originated it- Having led a .-life of crime, the populace of a Southern Gty, as they thought, put a period to his existence, by hanging him on a tree, but by tbe rottenness of tbe hemp, and some skillful manceuver of the culprit and his accomplices, he managed to cheat Judge Lynch and the gallows of their victim. Ever since he seems to be at en mity with the whole human race, and has turned politician and patriot,' in order to gratify his ma lignity against his species. Alas ! the depravity of human nature, when such men as Bill Johns ton, Thaddeus Stevens, Simon Cameron, and the small fry of knaves and fools of our own locality would follow in the wake and ; take their Ameri canism from this hell delayed scoundrel,, ;We are of opinion that the Kentucky election is the last dying spasm that the Know-Nothing party can make. It would have been creditable to the Amer ican nation, and to the self styled American par ty, that,' that election; (if election it may be cal led) had never happened. There is no place on the habitable globe where an American is now sojourning, " , whether . in Europe, , Asia, Africa, America or Australia, but in a short time this Louisville election will meet his eye, and the blush of shame will mantle his cheeks, when his atten tion will be directed to the conduct of the Ameri can party at that election, by some of the adhe rents of monarchy or. scions of nobility. As we do not consider it a general party any longer,, we will turn our attention hereafter to the local Know Nothings of the AllcghaniesI " .,".. ' . . y'r1 Maj. Isaac Teeter. Below will be found the pledge", of our candi date for Coroner. ' Mr. Teeter's nomination was a deserved compliment to a good and worthy Dem ocrat, and was also a proof of the harmony and good feeling which prevailed in the Convention, for although Maj. Teeter made a strong fight for, and was very active in behalf of what he called the rights of one portion of the county, yet so much credit was given to him for honesty and sincerity of purpose, that his nomination was made by acclamation. '' " ' - Candidates being considered public property, it is taken for granted that every body has a . right to pitch in and abuse and vilify . to their hearts content. We see that Maj. TOtcr will not escape his share. .The K. N's have been trying it on, and after much toil and tribulation, ;they have been able to find nothing against him,' further than the supposition that some 17 years ago, he voted an anti-Masonic iicket. That was a dis covery. We -: think that onr candidate will sur vive iU Suppose that fact is so; it just proves that 17 years ago Maj. Teeter opposed secret po litical organizations, and we know that he stands upon th6 same platform to-day. They will have to give him credit for more consistency than can be claimed by those . Old anti-Masons who after shouting lustily for years against all secret organ izations, have finished themselves by becoming members of the most unholy 1 secret' organization that ever existed. " ' '" ' s ' ''' ' ' - ' The slang and cowaidly insinuations of K.' N. organs, are calculated to make friends to Major Teeter. ;. . H ,'"V;..- Having been nominated by : the Democratic County Convention as a candidate for Coroner, in compliance with a resolution adopted by " said Convention, I do hereby pledge myself to the County Committee, that I have not been, am not now, and do not intend to become a member of any secret political organization, whether known by the name of Know-Nothings or that of any other, and that I will not vote for, or support any person who is known or even inspected, of being a member of such secret political organization. Further, that I have not been the advocate of the election of Simon Cameron to the United States Senate, since the publication of the " Kirk pa trick letter," and I give my adhesion to the resolutions adopted by the Convention. ISAAC TEETER. Prentice's Affidavits.' Whenever a criminal is indicted for homicide he at once looks about him, in search of a charac- r ter. Such, and of such value are the equivocal affidavits procured for . publication,? by George D. Prentice and his aids in the late Louisville butchery, in order to shield then: selves from the consequences of their own acts. - - -What are such' affidavits worth in the pro gramme of the massacre which we quoted in our last, from Prentice's 'own paper ? In that same paper, also,' appeared an address to the assassins, in which the following sentence is found.' 1 , . "Americans, are you all ready ? We think we hear you shout Ready?' Well, fire I and may Heaven have mercy on the foe." After this, what avail fifty thousand affida vits as V " who began the riot ?" It began in the office of the Lovitville Journal, where the bullets . were made for the mob , to fire, and the victims were pointed out, day after day, until the final order was given ' fire I and may Heaven have mercy on the foe,", . May -Heaven have mercy on them, indeed. They aro gone where calumny and persecution cannot reach them, and their murderer survives tmindicted, so far as we have yet ; learned' Is there no law in Louisville; ? No justice in Ken tucky? American Celt. , -. - , Tooth Achs. Persons are not generally aware that Dr. Keyser's Tooth Ache remedy, for sale at James McDanMrrr's, in this place will stop im mediately an aching tooth. Whoercrtries it will be convinced. v 4 -Dat Bledge." Himmel ! Is it possible that the Democrats, deliberately and in cold blood, without the fear of swank before their eyes, could nominate " Dutch Jake" for an office ? It is even so ; and he bar signed the 'Bledge." The Johnstown K. N.'s last week were much exercised in relation to Mr. Fronbeiser. They vere taking a most fraternal interest in his welfai He does not seem to have cared much for their blandishments : and although one of the most bitter and determined opponents of Know-Nothingism, he has complied with the requirements of the Convention and is fairly in the field as a Democratic' candidate. His nomi nation was peculiarly appropriate, ' not onVy by reason of hi own sterling merits, hut out of regard to the German voters of the county, r That body of men, numerous and enthusiastic, with the pro verbial devotion of the German race to principle, have stood by the Democratic party through good and evil report. All the vials of Know-Nothing wrath have been poured out opon their heads? no occasion of slander has been neglected, the K. N. organ has teemed with vituperation against an industrious and useful class of citizens ; but with out effect., Their constancy deserves some ac knowledgment, v The nomination of Mr, Fronbei ser, was about as rough a dose as could be offered to Kaow-Nothings, and we have a .notion that they will be obliged to take it down. They will find that " Dutch Jake" is some in a close fight. - Having been nominated by the Democratic County Convention as a candidate for Poor House Director, in compliance with a resolution adopted by said Convention, I do hereby pledge myself to the County Committee, that I have not been, am not now;, and do not intend to become a . member of any secret political organization, 4 whether known by the name of Know-Nothings or that of any other, and that I will not vote for, or sup port any person who is known or even suspected; of being a member of such secret political organi zation. Further, that I have not been the advo cate of the election, of Simon Cameron to the United States Senate, since the publication of the " Kirkpatrick letter," and I give my adhesion to the resolutions adopted bv the Convention." V JACOB FR0NHE1SER. ' -: - The Time is Near. ' .p.-. .; . Americans of Bedford County, it is less than two months till the election! Are you preparing for the contest ? If not, go to work at once. The enemy is now busily and secretly, at work,' form ing plans fur the defeat of the great American party." Let our friends complete the most perfect organization. Let the Township Council meet ings be ' regularly held and well attended. : Initi ate every voter who may apply fur admission into the order, lirject no voter I Be not afraid of ex posure, as it will not hurt our pai ty. If there are some who do not wish to go to the Council, "put them through" at their own homes, or at your own house, or anywhere else. ' The time has come that all enmities or prejudices should be thrown aside Knd all taken into our party i When ever "one wishes to join, initiate him if he wishes it, on the instant. Friends, attend to this, and all will be well. Go to work at once, for in sev eral of the townships, much must yet be done. Bedford Inquirer. . t i , . ; , . '-, It is not honesty, integrity, higti-nrindedncss, that they wish to be initiated it is voters. It is not principle they require it is voters. It is not tbe welfare of the country they wish to be atten ded to they want voters, voters.., It makes not a difference what their belief may be, noj from what country they sprung, nor what their color is, nor what their precedents are. So they have votes, initiate them; "put them through" take all, all, so they have votes. This tallies well with the boast of purity of principles, and the motto " Let Americans rulo America." It perfectly shows forth the great disgust they have for the wild hunt after office,". If America is to be gov erned by such Americans, truly have we ' fallen upon evil times.". ."We are not of those who sup pose that the whole Know-Nothing party is com posed of scoundrels ; we believe many good men have became initiated under the impression that the specious ' promises they held out of reform, were sincere; many who believed that was the only method of doing away with the corruptions which were supposed to exist in the old parties ; many w ho allowed their better judgement to be clouded by : the falso, pratings of the detestably foul demagogues who control that party ; who look upon the. honest masses as the tools with which they are tor work tlieir way to distinction ; who despise at the same time the honest simplicity which lends itself to their base purposes. To such honest men who have been thus beguiled we would say read the above, ponder on it; see how it agrees with every act of the men whom ' you have assisted to put in power ; compare it with the actions of the last Legislature, and weigh well the cost before you again prostitute your sacred privileges, by electing men who have proved recre ant to every honest principle and noble impulse of the human heart. . G. N. Smith and the New County - The article which we copy below from the Johnstown "Echo," shows the position of our candidate for Assembly, in relation to a vexed question, in a light so clear and proper, and con tains so much plain truth that we publish it, feel ing assured that it will prove more acceptable to our readers than any thing that wo could say up on the subject- , ' , . . , ' Our Position The Issue, r. - j For the last three weeks we have been unable to attend to our editorial duties. We were pros trated for fifteen days with severe illness, from the effects of which we are still suffering, but hope soon to be ourself again. During our confinement, our nomination and our position was the all absorbing topic of conver sation, in which every body appeared to indulge ; and many, we regret to say, in such manner as to not be in accordance with Btrict propriety. ' Weeks previous to the assembling of the late Coouty Convention, it being at that time under stood that we would be the choice of tbe Democ racy of the Southern portion of the county for the nomination for Assembly, tbe leaders of the dark lantern" gang, expressed their decided hostility to our nomination, declaring that they would op pose us at the sacrifice of every individual and lo cal interest; that if we were nominated, our defeat was ' to them paramount to every other question. Many of our citizens were heard to say that they did not " care a d d for the new county ihat they would rather never have a new county than to have elected!" - ; ' '- -r Immediately upon the arrival of the tidings of oar nomination, before any knowledge was bad of the nature of the proceedings of the Convention, the same ruling spirits of the " Secret Lodges" reiterated with the greatest vehemence, their pre vious declarations, and called npon the citizens to forget all private piques and local interests, to unite in an unfaltering opposition to the Demo cratic nominations. At this time we were ignorant of what the Con vention had done, further .than the nominations made. r When we agreed that our name should be submitted to the Convention, as an honorable man ws resolved to abide its instructions or de cline the nomination, if accorded to tis. We had no idea of forfeiting our self-respect, by the adop tion of a Janus-faced policy being one thing to the North of the county and another to tbe South. But had the platform adopted by the Convention been what it might, the declared hostilities to our nomination before and after the Convention, left ns no cause to reflect upon what course to pursue. The new county project had become an obsolete idea with the Know-Nothing portion of our citi zens ; the success of their ticket being the only dissideratum " Rule or ruin," being their motto. , Under such circumstances we at once resolved to comply in good faith with the acts of tle Con vention. We have placed ourself upon the plat form it adopted, and upon that platform we in tend to stand. " The issue now is Democracy vs. Know-Notl-ingisra, and on such an issue we can carry the dis trict. This proffered issue we readily accept, and with it we are . willing to stand or fall. : There never was a contest in this county so fraught with good or evil. A Democratic victory -this fall, in this county and district, over a secret oath-bound foe, will be a more glorious triumph than was ever heretofore achieved by the noble hearts and indomitable .wills of Cambria's invincible sons. Harmony upon the part of tlie Democracy with vigorous action, is all that is wanteif- to ensure a triumphant victory. ., ."- . . , -' -;-: -.. A Card. ' ' Having been appointed by the Democratic County Convention. Representative Conferees, to meet like Conferees from the Counties of Bedford and Fulton, to place in nomination candidates for the Legislature, and transact any other necessary business, in compliance with A. resolution adopted by said Convention, we do hereby pledge ourselves to the County Committee, that we have not been, are not now, and do not intend to become mem bers of any secret political organization, whether known by the name of Know-Nothings, or that of any other, and that we will not vote fur or sup port any person who is known, or even suspected of being a memtier of such secret political organi zation. Further, that we have not been the ad vocate of the election of Simon Cameron to the United States Senate, since the publication of the " Kirkpatrick letter." And alsoehat we wiP carry out the instructions of the Convention, and sup port G. N. Smith, Fq. in the Conference, as the Candidate for Assembly, on the psirt of Cambria county, and H. C Devinc, Esq., as Representative delegate to the next Democratic State C invention, from said county. . ; ' -.. M. M. ADAMS.. r T ... JAMES M. RIFFLE. l .-.' i WM, MURRAY. ; Something New. A medicine, under the name of Dr. Keyser's ' Pectoral Syrup, has been intro duced here, r the cure of Coughs, Colds, Hoarse ness, Bronchitis, ami Pulmonary Diseases. . It is highly extolled by citizens of Pittsburgh, is easy to take, and vwts but half a dollar. Prepared by Dr. Geo. II. Keyser, Wholesale Druggist. 140 Wood Street, Pittsburgh, Pa. For sale at James McDermit's in this place. y ADDRESS Or (ha Democratic Stat Ctatr! Com tit- It U the Pepli f PcaaiflTaala. Fellow Citizens: r " . Among the duties ' assigned to us by the Democratic party, we are obliged to address you, setting forth in a plain and simple man ner the issues that will be submitted to the people at the approaching election. A pro per . regard for the opinions of men requires that we should endeavor to explain tatlie peo ple the reasons . why the Democratic party again ask them to combine in one common cause in support of its principles and chosen men. The offices to be filled in the coming elec tion, may not, of themselves, be of sufficient consequence to excito popular interest, yet that of Canal Commissioner involues large public trusts, which should only be confided to a man of known experience and integrity. For that office the Democratic party have cho sen as their candidate, Arnold Plcmkr, whose past, life, both public and private, justifies us in saying that he possesses the experience, firmness and unblemished integrity, which pre-eminently fit him for that office, and ren der him worthy of your confidence and choice. But far beyond the success of any candidate or the obtaining of any office, are the subjects now before you to be examined and discussed, and by your determination, probably, forever settled.' ; Their infinite importance, not only to your selves and to Pennsylvania, but to all the peo ple and States of this confederacy, should stim ulate you to a zealous support of the princi ples and candidates of the Democratic party. We cannot abstain from dwelling upon these subjects and by our appeals to your reason and sense of duty to your country and to hu manity, we shall strive to rouse you to au ef fort that shall be worthy of the occasion and your past history. . The Democratic party of tbe United States is the great conservator of this vast political organization, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and covered with teeming mil lions of freemen. To its guardianship has been confided the custody of tbe simple ele ments of political truth which are at the basis of our institutions In all the changes of public afiairs it has been the proud privilege of that party to stand by the Constitution of the Country and to rcsraui all attemps to per vert its provisions or corrupt its principles. It has been, and still is, the citadel of our liberties and the bulwark of those just doc trines, .. to establish which the people rose as one man, and with the sympathies of the whole civilized world overthrew an aristocrat ic and legislative despotism and established a government, which by its mild and human temper, offered to mankind the hope that, in one land at least, there should be a refuge from, oppression and intolerance. This has been the duty of the Democratic party, and with unfaltering fidelity has that party kept its sacred trust. From the first moment even before the organization of this govern ment and while the States were deliberating upon the adoption of the Constitution of the country, the great men who were afterwards to become the leaders of the Democratic party exerted their powerful energies and truthful intellects to secure upon a firm foundation; as upon a rock, the principles that re incorpor ated in the body of the Constitution and in its subsequent amendments. Again, we say to the Democratic party belongs the duty of standing resolutely and unflinchingly by that Constitution and by the purest and most holy of its principles. . The earliest history of this government was identified with the contentions between the great parties whose doctrines were the sub jects to which the thoughts and labors of the statesmen of those days were devoted. The Federal party were anxious to establish a strong consolidated government, made for the people, and to be controlled by the men of property, and education and social condition. The Democratic party resisted this scheme of grana nationality to do raised upon tnc ruuw of Independent States, and at thecoyt of pop ular liberty, and urged and secured the estab lishment of a Government limited and restric ted in its powers, acknowledging State sover eignty, intended for the benefit and welfare of all, based upon principles of equality and justice created for tbe people, and governed by the people upon broad and enduring prin ciples of human rights. During tbe aaany years of important and stirring political events that have since succeeded those days, the two parties thus arrayed in tbe beginning on op posite aides were often engaged in disputes arising - otrt of a multitude of questions and issues, all of which could be resolved into the original ground of contention between them. The Federal Party being a party of expedien cy, and relying tapon State craft and political management, and still distrusting, the people have, under various sanies and with as varU . ous pretexts-and contrivances, sought Vv indi rect and crooked ways to obtain those endf ' and aims from which they were drives by the. letter and spirit of the Constitution. -It was supposed that the time bad gone by when the people should ever be in djftgvr of any oped attempt to subvert the Constitution and its ac knowledged principles by any organized polit ical action avowedly directed to each purpose. Implication and forced interpretation of its letter, were the only means by which the peo ple were sought to be abused, and their gov ernment turned against themselves for tW advancement and profit of adroit political ad venturers." That supposition was an error, for now we are again reminded by the action1 of a new and dangerous combination, that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. Fellow-Citizens, we have again to confront the same issues that were made in 1790, and to fight for the same principles that convulsed) this Country then, and in vindicating which Jeffersou triumphed, and Madison earned the love and gratitude of a thankful people. , The insignificant and minor subjects of difference, that have for some time past divided the pub lic men of the country, are all obliterated by the magnitude of the question now before you.1 -.Your opponents, under a deluding and tempting, cry demanding that '! Americana shall rule America," have at last, with forced and compulsive -candor, acknowledged that they wish to establish two principles. .; I. That none but those born in this coun try, shall enjoy the rights of citizenship. II. That there shall be established a reli gious test for office, ' To reach these ends the Constitution of the United States must be changed or its provi sions avaded. and the spirit of our Democratic Republican forms of government thus alto gether subverted. The Declaration of Inde pendence itself charged upon , tbe King of Great Britain, as one of the. most seriou grievances under which we had suffered, that ' he had endeavored to prevent tbe population of these , States, for that purpose obstructing; tbe laws for the naturalization of foreigners, refusing to pass others to encourage their mi gration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of land." The -complaint thus made, was a part of the first public pro teht of a united people against arbitrary au thority, and in favor of Human Kights. The reasons that then prompted this, have been ever since acknowledged as an element of our institutions that has secured to us tbe confi dence of mankind, and been the first great cause of our marvellous success as a people. When the defects of the Confederation were apparent, and the necessities of tbe public called for a more stable and perfect form of Union, the Constitution was adopted ; among its most conspicuous provisions was the au thority , delegated to Congress to establish an uniform rule of Naturalization, and in the very last clause of the very last section of that instrument the following words were inserted, ' No KKLIGIOtrS test small kvee be keqcibed AS a QCALmCATIOX TO any office or pvblic trust rxDER the Usited Statks." Thu sealing, as it were, the Bond of our Union with the sacred and rational principle of tho Libertj of Conscience and the right of Pri vate Judgment. When the Constitution was submitted to the States for their adoption, - it is to- be re membered that New IJampsLrre, -New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, all ratified it withv a solemn declaration of rights, which they set forth as. explanations consistent with it, and which could not be abridged or violated, and which they proposed should be adopted a amendments thereto. Ilhode Island and North Carolina, in a spirit of sturdy resistance to absolutism and of manly devotion to the cause of Liberty, for their own cakes, for the sako of their posterity, and for the sake of the hu man race, re-asserted the doctrines and dog mas of the Bill of Kights.and fof a wb3e de clined to ratify the Constitution until these sacred and inviolable principles : of natural right were acknowledged and adopted as a part of its text, and in all of these proposed amendments were incorporated a solemn dec laration in favor of civil and religious liberty. At the first session of the first Congress the amendments to the Constitution were adopted and subsequently ratified by the States, . and the first article of those amendments set the question at rest forever by declaring that ' Congress, shall xiu no law . eespectino tue establishment op kfligios or projjibi ti5g tue trek exercise tuekeof." it is worthy of observation, that when in Conven tion it was proposed by Mr. Pinokney to add to ihe Sixth Article the clause prohibiting religious test that Mr. Sherman thought it unnecessary, the prevailing liberality being a sufficient security . against such test, after which Mr. Gouverneur, Morris and General Pinckney approved tbe motion, and it wan carried unanimously.. These enlightened men were too well aware of the disastrous oouse- aucnees attendant upon any interference by io State with the religious opinions of its cit izens. -. The bloody record of fanatical perse cutions was spread out before them, and in it they read of those atrocities that were tbe darkest stains upon the character of the hu man race. From the earliest days down to their own time, had the history of mankind shown that its advancements in, civilization had been retarded, and sometimes almost sti fled, in the ferocious conflicts between conten ding seels and exterminating propagandism. In all parts of the world had fire and faggot, the sword and the spear, brutalized men into implicit obedience to religions opinions they did not understand, and faiths at which their consciences revolted. From religious perse cution had their fathers fled, and by emigra tion had their sovereignties been esUblishcd. Up to that time, by God's providence, had this land been the refuge of oppressed men. and with God's protection they were resolved to dedicate their country to the cause of civil ization and religious freedom, and from .that
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