The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1854-09-06
TuE"KNow NorH1NGs. 1.-The Independent,
published at Harrisonburg, Catahoula parish,

IL
it is already powerful organization. 1t has
: and still continues to spread throughout thu
whole country, and no place is too small or re
: tired but there this mysterious order has tount
strong foothold, and from whence beneficial
effects are bound to flow We may, for ough
we know to the contrary, be surrounded On al
: sides by these strange fellows. No society tina
, was ever before organised has Increased Sc
2 rapidly in strength and numbers as this mystic
, rious order
From all that we can see and learn Of its
principles, we are disposed to give it all the aic
and assistance in our power, honestly believing
| that those, who compose the order, have moth
) ING but the good of our dear native land al
heart. We are not the organ of the "know
nothings, NOR have we any positive information
to make known to the public, as regards their
secret movements, for we presume that these
are only known to themselves But in this
connection we will take the liberty of disabu-
sing the public mind in relation to one or two
points In the first place, it has been charged
against this order that it was organised for the
purpose of depriving foreigners of the priv
ege of enjoying the elective franchise. Such
is not the object of the order at all. That
would be clearly unconstitutional, and we pre-
sumo there is no class of men who have higher
regard or greater reverence for the constitution
and laws of the land than those who belong to
the ''know nothings.'' Nor is it their desire to
divest them of any of their civil OF religious
rights These privileges are guaranteed to
them by the constitution of the United States,
as well as by the constitution of the several
states And another strong objection is this
hat tEo opI o},iact Of otc
to build up the fortunes of the once powerful
but fallen wing party. Such, we assert, is not
its object nor can this order be made instru-
mental in so doing. Among the ''know moth
ings" no such thing as wing or democrat is
known-all throw aside, if we are correctly in
formed, their allegiance to party. We would
be among the very last to say Or do anything
calculated to injure the great democratic party
in the slightest manner, could we for one mo-
ment believe that ''know nothingism" was in
tended to build up the wing party. Such is not
the case. We have from earliest youth been
taught to love and reverence the great cardinal
principles of the democratic party, and as far
back as we can trace our genealogy, we find
that our forefathers protested the same faith,
but believing that this new order possesses the
quintessence of the two great parties, we feel it
to be our duty, as we'll as the duty of every
true lover of bis country to yield it his hearty
support. We say to one and all, that there
need be no fears entertained as to its be polit
cal trap to gull honest democrats Or wings. It's
not, then, society gotten up for the purpose
OF driving adopted citizens out Of the country,
nor denying them the right of worshipping the
supreme ruler Of the universe according to the .
dictates of therown consciousness nor is it a whg
movement in disguise. This order scars far, far .
above the political knavery that has character
ised both the whig and democratic parties But
high minded, honorable and intelligent men of
both parties have joined their hearts and hands
together for the purpose of protecting the rights
and privileges of those who are ''native and to
the manor born The Romans in the DAYS Of
their republic, had maxim full of majesty
and truth, which said ''to be Roman is great
er than king!' If this was true of Roman
citizen, how much more sois it when applied to
an American! AS we interpret this maxim, it
refers not only to the dignity end power of r
citizen, in contrast with that of king, but also
to his duties and responsibilities. So while it a
carries with it an idea of the freemans supe- /
'iority, it also inculcates lesson of bis duty, .
full of meaning and beauty. Therefore we trust
lietu aus pCtouS pcIlUu VIII soon arrive "nGn /
none but such as love this country as do those +
who compose the order of know nothings,'
will be allowed to rule Americans And be-
ieving that the members of this order are ac-
uated by the most patriotic feelings, we cannot
efran from wishing them 'God speed'' in
heir noble work. Vincit amor patria.
CoMANcHEs ON THE WAR PArH.-The San
Antonio Ledger is indebted to gentleman of E
hat city for the perusal of private letter, from
which we CLEAN the following intelligence: n
The commanding officer at fort Chadbourne, s.
ad learned through Mexican, that Next ="
an boy, about fourteen years of age, was "
rlsoner among the southern Comanches, and o.
1adc arrangements for his escape. After secu- +
ING the lads escape, the principal chiefs were &C
ont for, and a long talk was had with them. u
hey quietly acquiesced in the boys being re- a
alned, but demanded ransom. They sub c;
litted quietly on this being refused.
The chiefs appeared much alarmed land vol N
inferred the information, that the northern
omanches were getting up an expedition into re
lcxlcoto avengc the massacre of a large party n
their people, and had invited the southern &c
omanches to join them. They stated that the =,
arues already formed numbered over four +
undred, and were increasing, and that some
their young men had joined those parties, a
I'D already passed down the country This m
ews is given just as received without any con-
rmation. Be this as it may, more troops and o. o.
unitions of war are needed on our frontier. a. a,
The rescued captive is said to be an intclli-
ent youth. and says he is tie son of Cecilia sa
opez, who resides about twenty miles from tn
orpus Christi. About three months since he
as out hunting mustangs, with his father and &c q.
lother relative, when he was pursued by the vi
dians, struck from his horse, captured and at
rrled Off, After his capture, the Indians
ent to Laredo, where they captured another co
", and some horses. Shortly afterwards IS Is
ey killed the boy. From Laredo they pro- %
eded towards the Nueces, on the Laredo road &C
ar, where it parts from that leading to Cue di
70, they attacked a train of fourteen WAGONS. SUI
lied five transfers and took the mules. They nj
en- started in the direction of fort Chadbourne
d were overtaken by party of soldiers, when ''
camp, who killed and wounded several of &,