The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-02
motive which Influenced the soft shells must tell

motive which Influenced the soft shells must tell
with equal weight upon the other wing of the
Democracy. From the beginning of time, TO-
reigners have almost invariably Joined the
democratic party to repudiate them now would
lie to aIrputate its vitals. The wings remain
descendants of the old antiforeign federalists-
allied more or less closely with the old
native American party-and deriving from
natural instinct as WI as from party
prejudice q general distaste for races whose
leaders have been usually found in the demo-
cratic ranks. Under ordinary circumstances
tween the Know Nothings and the wings. But,
have we wing party at all among us If we
have, where is it, and who are its heroes
Shall we find it among the opponents of the
Nebraska bill in Massachusetts, or Ohio, or
shall we disentomb it from its ashes in Ken
lucky or Georgia! Can Mr.. Dixon ever vote
the same ticket as Mr.. Seward Again, can
Mr.. Seward, who owes so much to the Irish,
desert them in this their hour of need or can
the wing rump desert him? Here are per-
plexities enough to puzzle the shrewest reader
of the future : more than enough to make it
highly probable that the elections during the
ascendency Of the Know Nothings will be gov
erned By chance, accident error and fraud, and
that no abiding principle viii be establi shed
thereby.
How long is this ascendency to last The
duration of political party depends directly
on the moral and philosophical character of the
principles on whose basis it rests. A party or
gained on the correction ofan abuse lasts
longer than one based on the elevation of
popular man, or the qualification of popular
fancy. A faction created to achieve great
reform is likely to last until times are SO alter
ed that its principles in their turn need reform
ing. One called into existence to avenge
popular wrong, or cheek an unsound tendency
in the public mind is not likely to last much
longer than the time required to effect it's end.
In short, distinction must be made between
parties created to construct o new or
der Of things, and parties organized merely to
destroy. The former, if framed on sound prin-
ciples and honestly led, may last a generation:
the latter hardly ever survive the accomplish
ment of their work of destruction. Finally, a
party based on immoral or unphilosophical
principles, or called into existence by accident
or other ephemeral causes can hardly ever en-
dure longer than aeeting fancy or tempo
rary delusion. To these two latter classes the
order of Know Nothings clearly belongs. It is
created to destroy, not to construct. It is
based on an unphilosophical and unconstitu-
tional prejudice against foreigners glaring
error of reasoning, whereby whole race is
prescribed for the faults of few members. It
is called into existence by ephemeral causes;
and, if it have any useful task to perform, that
task-which can be nothing but the imposing
restraint on foreign usurpations-willb be prac-
tically accomplished by the mere belief in its
existence. We are therefore persuaded that the
Know Nothing party will be short lived. No
velty and prejudice will swell it's ranks for q
while; and the lawless excuses of foreigners
will enlist many under its banners. But after
two or three State elections have been thrown
into confusion by its influence, and foreign born
citizens excluded from Office for as many years,
returning reason will triumph, and it will
vanish as it arose, suddenly, mysteriously,
causelessly. It is very questionable whether it
is destined to survive the Presidential cleo
ton of 1866.