The New York herald., 1845-02-05
The Native, Party--Its Past, Present, and
Future.


had not arrived at the hour of our going to press
The "safive" Party--Its Past, Present, and
Future.
The repeated failure OF the good people OF the
promising village of Boston to elect Mayor IN
consequence of the recent organization and perse-
yerng efforts of the 'native party there, and the
approach of an important election IN this city IN
April next have directed good deal OF public at
tention to the present position of this new party,
which has of late made lis appearance IN some OF
our large cities. "What are the prospects of the
sna,ivesl" "What elements of stability do they
possessr' "What is their probable destiny?"
These ard numerous similar inquiries are made in
various quart-rs Lit US occupy paragraph or
Two in furnishing a reply.
The native" party had its origin in this city,
and was the growth Of very rational feeling of
dsaparobaon amongst certain classes of Protest
ants Of the conduct Of Bishop Hughes, and por-
ton OF the Catholic Irish, who were ready to do
his bidding. When that misguided preate, whose
zeal has, somehow not on all occasions been very
remarkably tempered by discretion, rushed into
the political arena, and, amid the yells and shout.
ings of an excited mob, distributed, with his own
hands, poltico eligous ticket, which he called
ell the Irish voters, by the solemn, and awful
authority OF :" the church," to deposlte in
the ballot boxes, strong no-popery" move
ment at commenced amongst the
Presbyterians and those other classes of Pro-
testans amongst whom the hatred OF Antlchrist
has always burned fiercely. The result was that
few moi remarkably eloquent or intelligent DEM
agogues succeeded in a month or two in organi-
zing party which solemnly pledged TO vote
against the Pope, corduroy breeches and holy Wa
terand which numbered its first trial of strength
upwards of eight thousand men, with at least tre-
bic that number of women and boys. After that
election in consequence of a judiclous commng-
ling of the cry of "City Reform" with the scream
Of "No Popery" this party gained great acces-
slons OF men, who absolutely slept peacefully at
night, undisturbed by visions OF the Pope and the
bloody Inqnisition, but who imagined that if both
the old political parties were put TO rout, and
corporation of plain, intelligent, common sense
citizens, who had never bought and sold in the
shambles of politics, were elected, the city would
be greatly benefited, and that all this might be ac-
csmpsned by means of the " Natives party. Ac-
cordingly, in consequence of these accidental cir
cumstapces, the eight thousand swelled to force
sufficient to sweep both the old parties entirely of
the field
Then came the Presidential election, and the
wings, by trucking to the "natives,' swamped
their Congressional and State tickets, giving the
latter a fresh but very short-lived advantage The
wings opened their eyes, blew their burned fingers
and swore they had had enough of the "na-
tives." Now the imbeci'ity, stupidity, faith
lessness and folly OF the Corporation had utterly
disguised all those who had voted the "native"
ticket on grounds altogether Independent Of the
religious prejudices, and now we find the party
has resolved itself back to its original elements,
and consists solely of the rigid Presbyterans on
whose the mention of the Pope operates
with as invariably exciting potency as red petit
coat on the eye of turkey-cock.
In Boston, ii is not little curious to observe
that the "natives'' almost universally Presby-
terans of the "strater sect" the Unita-
rans, Baptsts, Episcopaians, Methodsts, and
other more liberal denominations of Protes-
tants being chiefly wings, whilst the demo
Gratis are, as usual, made up Of the odds and
ends of all religions, and the Catholics in large
numbers. So we find it here. The "orthodox''
Presbyterians-the regular "old lghts''-now make
up the ranks of the natives whilst they are de-
serted by all those who fell into their movements
from the collateral circumstances which we have
described In this city next spring we shall have
three parties in the feld-the whigs-the demo-
grassland the "natives." But the latter are now
here, as in Boston, merely secaran organiz alton,
with very sparse sprinkling of politicians, not OF
vast importance. 'Nativeism'' has fairly resolved
tselfnto primary elements. sectarian prejudces
and feelings, brought into more than ordinary acti-
witty, and partially organized in consequence OF
extraordinary circumstances. The movement was
the result OF mere ephemeral causes, and it's exis.
tence is necessarily limited. ''The Pope''-"the
Pope"-"the Pope"-''the Irsh"-"the Irish"-
''the Irish''-''the Dutch'-"ihe Dutch"-"the
Dutch''-are not, after all, watchwords of suffi.
cient potency to create and maintain in existence,
a great and influential political party in Stat.
which has been the first to give to the world the
great practical example of the wisdom of unver.
sal toeration-whose peculiar glory it is 10 be the
sanctuary of persecuted religion and the home o
outlawed liberty. We are, therefore, inclined tc
believe that the two old psrties-the wings and
locofo cos-will hereafter have the field to them
selves, and that "nativeism'' will, like BishoE
Hughes, bid adieu to the political arena in future
10 stick to its caHing-'No Pope !" and ''Dowr
with the Dutch.'
HISTORICAL SocKTY.-In consequence of the
severe snow storm last evening the Historical So
cie'y did not hold meeting. About ten memberl
manfuily fought their way through the snow drifts
and found their way to the room in the University
and devotion went unrewarded-not an absolutely
Unprecedented occurrence. The meeting will BE-
held next Tuesday evening, and it is expected