Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-10-28

eKNow NoTHlEGIsM" TRUE AaERlCANlsM.

Sophism and misrepresentation may for a tmo
blind the eyes and luIl to sleep tho spirit of en-
quiry and investigation, even of a free people
but argument will dissipatc the one, and truth
crush tho other. In no great re eolution that
has linked the encrgic s and commanded the tai
cnts of American citizens in our nation al his
tory have these two weapons been resortcd TO
| with such uncOmpromisng malisnity as in tho
crusade against the American movement which
has burst forth in our land with moral potency
and political strength that has a. first pcrpcScd
and conloundcd the observer. The Partisan
who by his eXpcrtncSs at tho wires Of tho polit-
icul machine, had reposcd in easy certN inty Of
office, honor and omolumcnt, with tho mcnial
that crouchcd at his feet and executed his be-
hcsts for share ofhs masters fat living, ha We
been irakcd from their cobwcb dreams as the
ballotbox has thundcrcd their downfall, and
heraldcd the easy yet glorious tt umph Of prn-
clplc over faction and merit over bascncss.-
But what is this American moycmc nt-whcncc
came it-and what arc its designs When We
have examined these questions, and arc satisfied
tina. it IS ALL nIcnr-that it is patriotic, loyal
and called for in the tendencies which surround
tive shall DO able to trace tho motive VIII ich
inspires the opposition, and also 10 appreciate
tho sophistry by which it is SO vehcmcntly as
sailed
| In making my designed rem arks on this great
topic shall notice tho ranting sophisms Of no
isolated orator, which have boon SO freely used
| in our town at Court times, whether he be
Congressman in expectancy or mushroom m bla-
therskite grown in tho political hot-bod for the
emergency. No flimsy mass ofmsreprescntn-
ton shall temp, mo aside from an honorable
warfare, for my weapons arc TRUTH, and they
are always sufficient to the maintenance of
good cause-whilc personal luminosity and low
blackgnardism arc the properties OF u weak cause
and tho quick resort Of tho grovollng advocate.
Tho American or 'Know Nothing movement
originated in the breasts Of American freemcn,
who had become disguised with the corruption,
fraud, hypocrisy and deceit, which charac tcriz-
cd the political parties orthe country. Disgust
ci!-and wherefore Because the politician
who sought office had become SO degrade d in
its pursuit, that TO obtain it he would sacrifice
tho dignity of freeman, and compromise the
dignity oft station he sought, by trucking TO
anything that promised votes, and huckstcring
anything that official place should give them
power TO confer! Good and true citizens saw
that the real patriotism and true dignity which
adorned the character of American States men,
and made it illustrious in days OF earlier years,
were now sought in vain among the great mass
OF successful oficc-hunters, and that the verb
age Of party and trappings ofpaltrooa ambition
were usurping their place. They saw that these
requisites Of other times were departing from
our rulers, and lawmakers and public servants,
in tho scramble for the spoils, and that men to-
tally unfit to be tho guardians and adminis,ra-
tors Of the laws Of Republican system, were
crowding our Legislative Halls, and grasping
the rcins of government, to tho exclusion of
men Of prudence, wisdom, patriotism and in
tcgrity, whose very qualifications for these posts
forbid that they should so to the ccss.pool, and
wrestle in its ;urbid waters after priority. They
saw, too, that there were antagonis,ic prnci-
pics esistaut and nourished in our country--op-
posed 10 publicanism-whic were pctted,
and fondled, and co urted, and warmed into lifo
and being by these men who sought the Offices
of the country, and ,hatto to cnEArEA POWER
on whiehthcy could rely for support at The Ballot
Boz! They saw these Statesmen [save the ark)
counting the Roman Catholic element aud unit.
ing 1t for their purposes with the freshly arrived,
uniformed and often cnvious Foreign element
that swarms from the deck Of every trlns-Atlan-
tic steamer. They saw politicians not only
trucking for the votes of aunitcd Jesuit body,
and prcma;nrely-c itizcnzed Foreigners, (who Sc
naturalization papers they hesitatcd no ito FORGE
but they saw Cabinet appoin tmcnt-the Post
Office Department of tho United Statcs-given
to Roman Catholic to coaciliate and secure
Jesuit favor and support, and tho Custom-llousc
and Police trusts 81 ven away TO Foreigners who
possessed all tho charms Of the " rich Irish
broguc and swcct German accent" in prefer
cnce to natire-born and competent Americans,
merely to cOnciatc Foreign favor and secure
Foreign votes. They saw too, even moro than
this, TO nerve their arms and invgoratc their
patriotism. They saw the clanish spirit of the
Foreigner, embodened by political trucking
and pampered on American substance, uniting
in military pomp, bearing the musket under
name borowe d from Foreign history, associated
with princely "reminiscences, opposed 10 Repub-
lcanism, n nd this array paradins American soil
with the gait Of Foreign authority. to the airs of
a Foreign nation, arousng the recoll ection and
prejudices of HONE under the dcspors rule =
They saw, again, the man-slayer and patriot but
cher Bedini, come to this free lind with tho
broad seal and sign.manual of til Pope, which
unitcs in its prcs,ly embrac es Church and State,
10 organize the "secret ath-bo und Society OF
sanlidesti here, for purposes of Jcsuilical ad-
yanccment best known in the rccesses of the
council'of St. Peter at Rome! They saw, and
We have seen these gross outrages practicod,
and what American in whose heart dwells the
lovo Of couutry, and whose soul is fred with pa
,riodc aspirations at the recolec tons Of our
Sa,ion's history, could sit under our tree Of