The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-02
Know Nothing Prospects.

cholera in another column
Know Nothing Prospects.
1t would not be easy to find parallel in our
past history to the sudden rise and progress OF
the party which is now troubling political cal
citations, controlling elections, and revolution
izing large section of the country under the
name of the Know No.hings. Day after day
the telegraph and the mails bring us fresh ac-
counts of Know Nothing victories. In the East
ern States, they seem to rule paramount In
New York, they are formidable body. Phila-
delpha is completely under their control. They
have penetrated the South, and WELD consider
able influence in Virginia. Even California
contains respectable battalion of followers OF
the new standard. Unlike their prototypes,
the native Americans, their sway is not con-
fined to the seaboard. Far inland, in quiet
little towns where Germans and Irish are few
and far between, Know Nothingism has planted
its roots firmly, and is quite the order of the
day. On every side, in short, the contagion
has spread, and large fraction of the public
have fallen victims to it's influence. 1t is hardly
possible to estimate the number of votes which
the party controls at the present moment; but
no one can deny that it is quite sufficient to
disturb all electoral calculations, and work a
most important change in the aspect of our do
nestle politics. How this party arose, what
its present views and aims are, what prospect
there is of their accomplishment, what eff
feet it will have on our present party lines, and
finally what duration is probably allotted to
40 xtc%o IF
binary moment at the present time
Accident had much to do with the origin of
Know Nothingism. There has always been in
this country party which has chung to the
old revolutionary prejudice against foreigners,
and has never ceased to protest against the
present naturalization laws. But for many
year, that sect has been silent and inactive.
From the death Of the old native American
party, until some few months ago, foreigners
enjoyed perfect freedom from molestation 1t
is hard to say what precise cause led to the ter
mination of this period of tranquility. In
common justice to our foreign born citizens,
we are bound to say that we know of no ag-
erosion of theirs, to which the change could
reasonably be ascribed. Bedini excited good
deep dislike to Catholicism; occasional, and
we must say not unfrequent instances of Irish
riots must have awakened strong sentiment
of hostility to the offending race: but none of
these causes seem sufficiently powerful to &C
count for the growth of the present Know
Nothing party. 1t sprang from sources which
defy inquiry. It's birthplace is unknown. The
b;oh cof4h
its banner cannot be discerned. Even its OBJ
jects are best described in the significant name
it has assumed.
All we know of these is that they are based
on an intense feeling Of aversion to foreigners
generally and to Irish and Roman Catholics
in particular. 1t is said that the party,
like all other factions, is divided into
two camps-the extreme natives, and
the moderate Know Nothings. The former
are supposed to aim at the re-enactment
of the old naturalization laws, under
which the period Of probation required of
foreigners before their admission to the pri-
vileges of citizenship, was fourteen years.
They are also believed to entertain desire to
abolish the Roman Catholic Church altogether
in this country. The moderate Know Moth
ings, on the other hand. are content with the
naturalization laws as they now stand and
only seek to prevent the interference of actual
foreigners in our politics. They pretend that
it happens too frequently that foreigners arrive
here from countries very different from ours,
and before they have learned the merest rudi-
ments of our system and our institutions, as
sumo to direct and tutor us. They say that it
is absurd that in the United States there should
be such thing as an Irish vote or German
vote, to be courted by political candidates. and
that so long as q man is an Irishman or Ger
man, he has no right to vote as an American, the
two nationalities being inconsistent with each
other. They have no quarrel with religions
but they indulge prejudice against the Ro-
mish church, not as church. but as a polity
They object to system of religion which is
essentially political engine; and this they
seek to destroy without interfering with any
man'srigbt to worship as he pleases. These
are, as we understand them, the cardinal prin-
ciples of the two great divisions of the Know
Nothing body. 1t is not intended to run q spe-
cial Know Nothing ticket at the elections.
Profting by the example of the native Ameri-
cans, the Know Nothings mean to exercise their
influence negatively, and not in direct manner
Their weight will be thrown into which
ever scale seems nearest to their aspirations;
but no target will be set up by them to be as
sailed by their opponents The advantage of
this line Of tactics will at once be recognized;
especially when it is remembered that the So
ciety is secret one.
II cannot be doubted, in fact, that the bulk