Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-10-23
/ For the Grant County Herald.
KNOW othings and Democratic
Intrigue.
Platteville, October 10, 1854.


politicians were here a few days ago to en-
tighten a certain class of citizens, of which,
| am one, in the way of voting; | ALLUDED
to adopted citizens. They represented
here and | am told are SO representing mi
other places in the County, that the Know
Nothings, new political fraternity, are al
part and parcel of the Republican party
that the Know othings exclude from their
lodges or wigwams, all foreigners; that CT
items Of foreign birth are to be excluded
from all the offices, and that the Know
Nothings are now working for these ends.
[ have always opposed clannishness a.
mong our people, and above all have OPP.
posed their going in solid mass for any
one party. That course if followed would
lead to Native Americanism in the oppo-
site party, which we have most to fear; as
whatever one party espouses, the other
party is sure to choose the opposite. |
therefore hope and pray that my English
brethren and Others among adopted citi-
zens viii manifest manly disdain for this
effort of some of the Democrats to betray
us all into the support of any one party
So long as we refuse to do so, the Native
Americans cannot have the favor Of Ell
ther party, and eau only hope to succeed
in third party which we have no cause
to fear.
Ihave the best ofreasonsf for believing that
the Known othings donot conniye with the
Republicans any more than with the Dem
ocrats. From all that is plausible concer-
ming them, their only aim is to oppose Ro-
man Catholicism 50 far as that church is a
political machine. They do not seem to
oppose the religion taught by that church
but its public policy or politics. They
say, with what truth | leave others to
Judge, that that church is opposed to our
public school system; that it sanctions in
temperance and is main prop Of slavery 4;
all such being subversiye Of any Republi-
can government.
It is not true that the Known othings
exclude from their lodges all persons Of
foreign birth. The editor Of the Dubuque
Observer, the only Know-Nothing paper
of the west, is a Anow-Nothing and adop-
ted citizen; it Is not long since he perfect
ed his naturalization papers, as he says in
his own paper, and which the anti-Know-
Nothing papers Of Dubuque charge him
with. Foreigners having the right to vote
and Of citizenship, are admitted into the
order on the same footing with the Amer
lean born. The foreign in feeling and ac-
ton are only excluded. [ am no defend
-, >e tIa ,,,.3Iap b7,+ AZ ~ e., ~ ~, :. -
what they are at work at, so far as myself
or adopted citizens, not being Catholics,
are concerned.
This nonsense of the Democratic mana
gers to make political capital from this
matter among us, ought to be met at the
| threshold. | do consider 1t the worst and
Imeahest thing ever attempted, and one
which, if it should succeed, would drive
one party into Native Amelieanism, in
which case we, adopted citizens, wo'd lose
everything and gnin nothing. Our true
position and policy is to disregard all such
meanness and aims of politicians; and to
vote our honest sentiments without any re-
spect to foreign and Know-Nothing issues.
So long as we are divided between Re-
publicans and Democrats, we have nothing
to fear, but if we all get on one side, Re
publican or Democrat, our worst fears may
be realized in the danger to ensue.
This is my first attempt to interfere in
|politics, except in voting and I hope the
last. I cannot bear this low work practi-
ced to deceive my fellow adopted citizens
into support Of any one party and their a.
abandonment Of the other. [ never tho't
the leaders Of any party could be guilty Of
an outrage Of the kind, Or that the like en-
emies to US existed in this free country Of
noble people; but alas for truth and prin-
ciple, so it is By correcting and publish
ing the above you viii oblige an old and
adopted citizen OF PLATTEvILLE.
The Republican Nominations.
1 We are requested to insert the follow
ing slip:
The Nebraskaites or Pierce Democracy
are endeavoring to create the impression
that all the Republican candidates put in
nomination by the Mass County Conyen.
ton are Wings. wish to nail this lie
Enow. The Republican candidate for Sher-
if is an old line Democrat, and never was
anything else till he became Republican
The candidate for District Attorney is also
10 Dap,oarot Tho oovI,j4o r. CO.