The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-20
THE KNOW NoTHlNos.

THE KNOW NOTHiNoS.
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The Origin, Progress and Present Condition
of the Order.
&c., So, 80.
This seemingly ubiquitous order dates its age
back to the spring Of 1885, sad it, paternity to the
First ward Of TIE city Of Now York. IT. founder
was and sall 10 Q residsnt of the ward. The first
president wss . journsymaa printR-s man Of cha
Escter and good degrss Of intelligence, deeply inn
bued with the importance Of the movement, and
jealous for it, advancement The smallpox early
cut short his career Of usefulness and his remains
are now in Potter's Field, unmarked By stone
or chisel. He was succeeded In the ofaoe by the
founder Of the orders quiet and unobtrudve, but
very drm and decisive man. Pending his presi-
dency, some disafsction was disclosed, and pro
sently assuming the form Of opposition to the admin
istrstion, coup d'ttat, II not Ia mode Napoleon
not the less efficient in eecting his overthrow and
tho installation OF new oflcer OF greater mental
and physical activities. This coup dStat was never
forgotten nor forgiven, a. the sequel will attest
The new president, a. before remarked, man Of
mental and physical activities, was withal, though
unlettered man, an orator Of natures schooling
having in early life graduated in the Methodist min
istry, and attained to some notorety a > popular
and effective speaker Under his aus pces the order,
whose progress had hitherto been slo " spread and
diverged into other wards, counties and States,
and began to be felt and feared as "a
power in the State" No outward indications
Of opposition to this administration Of the order
had as yet been developed, and to all human
appearance it vas in the full tide of successful
popular favor and patronage. In July, 1852 In tho
Seventh ward where an informal council existed.
the very first symptoms Of opposition to the domi-
nant authorities was met and rebuked by the
prompt removal Of the officers who were presumed
to sympatnise with the founder in his real sup
posed grievances, and the appointment Of others
more favorabls to the administration, the President
of the First Council being now the recognised head
Of the order, and all other councils being subord
nate thereto q having derived their authority there
from.
The President and his associate officers, consltut-
ed in fact, up to this period, the Gland Council of
the State Of New York and of the United States.
The summary removal OF tbs informal president OF
the Seventh ward in July, above stated, and for
the reasons stated, was the nucleus around which
were cementsd and concentrated all the elements
of opposition 10 the reigning authorities and hence,
early in the month, these varied elements were all
collected together in the Fourth ward and an OPP
posing ward State, and national organization was
erected, headed by professional gentleman Of do
cided ability. and supported by the founder, the
author Of the first formuary Of its ceremonies, &C.,
and other active and dissatisfied friends of the
order, bnt uncom promising enemies to the ad-
mipistration. The split now contaminated, two
distinctive bodies existing the neceseity was mads
apparent for . new ritual as well as Q new
coenomen; and hence the ori gin Of the third degree
council, contradissinguishsd from The old or s,
cond degree. The new was the superior, perha -,
in msre scholastic attainments: the old had thu
hearts and sympathies Of the masses, and continued
to WELD the power and influence. Both sections,
however, from this period, seemed to have bsen
imbued with new activity and life, and each com
menced to vie with the other % 10 the largest sue
cess. The order now spread immensely, and the
many local elections trauspiriug established the
fact beyond all controversy that II had the positive
control Of innumetable cities. towns, and even Of
some entire States. The rival councils, in many
instances in the Same localities, and existing IN
every State Of tho Union, and In most Of them in
every county and township -consending for the
aame principles, regarding It a. sine qua non TO
ultimate successful issue, and as tho breach really
involved only forms, and not measures, that union
and harmony should persade the vast brotherhood-
simultaneously moved for the establishment Of q
more perfect union, and instituted such proceedings
as resulted in June, '53, ia national and State
uDion-the State and national authorities holding
the relative positions and powers to each
other and to the nation that the several
States sustain towards each other and the United
STATES The respective heads Of each having resign
ed, new national head was elected and the whole
order inaugurated under moe imposing auspices,
the entire forces hazmonxing save In the individual
person Of tbs founder, who opposed the fusion on
tie ground that the terms Of membership had been
too much hberazed and In the isolated case Of the
Seventeenth ward (two councils existing In this
ward previously, the old numbering at the tims
ZOO and the new 800 membcrs) whsre difficulties
arose a. to what constitused equitable terms
whether, In other words, II and should be constd
cred equal or relative numbers Ia the disp ,sition
Of the Offices; the new contending for the equal
and the old for the relative power Of the numbers.
This arithmetical problem being insoIube upon
the principles indicated, the two councils continued
twain, each preserving its distinctive pecuiiasites
and the lesser presenting the raying point for the
concentration Of al toe elements Of dissatisfaction
and disafection TO the recently constituted aod
eminently esteemed and desevedly popular auth,ri
ties Under the new regime, the order spread vita
exampled rapidity in tbe United States and in the
State of New York, in which latter State the coun
cils have attained to the number Of ono thousand,
representing . membership Of one hundred aud
twenty thousand, and 1t the period Of this writing
progressing in numbers, influence and power
beyond any previous precedent or parallel. The
disunionists Of the Seventeenth ward, sggrieved
they imagined themselves BY the decision Of the ma
jority, began 70 insttu.s active msasurss and
designing more extended operations than the 10
stricted sphere Of the ward, organized State and
national organization; and aided as they were