The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-04

Know Nothingim-a advertisement Of Ignorance,
which. in this age should repel instead Of at
tracing support. We believe those who belong
10 ii Justify the name, because IL is making Of mystic
nv a sort Of merit, and because 1t enables them to
depy all that may be imputed to them. This is not
certainly the manifest way of approachngthe voters
of this country. One thing, however, is beyond
doubt-and that is that the objects of the new par.
ty are essentially native American. Hostility TO
adopted citizens-hostity TO the Catholics-hostli-
ty to misunderstanding to all men holding office
who are Catholics or adopted citizens-and other
ideas 10 less patriotic liberal, aud magnanimous.
1t is curious to contemplate the rise and fall OF
combination based upon such ethics as these.
There is not man who can read or who can think,
or who can hear others read that does not Prove TO
himself whenever he is foolish enough to be caught
by such tricks these that IN this country native
American party il one OF the most unblushing %
surdities and that we are about as much IN danger
of the Mahomedan Church as we are Of the Catho-
lie Church or OF any other sect or school, whether
it breaches orthodoxy OF heterodoxy. Men go into
these Know Nothing clubs for pastme orfor curiosity;
and in Eoal every less because they care any
thing about them than because they care nothing.
There is, however stain upon all such parties that
should keep every American citizen, who apprecl-
ates his rights and his blessings, away from them.
II is the boast OF people that they are generous
and Just, and there are few who know why they
should be generous and just as we hope all do, VINO
would not be Inundated detected in the act OF CIV
ing way to groundless suspicious ana iooilsh Jeai-
ousies.
TIE Know Nothing party is really Know Moth
ing party if il expects to maintain itself upon such
platform as that we have referred TO. Onr word
for it, its leaders, who happen TO be antlCathoic,
will oftener see the inside OF tavern than church,
and are quite ready to let foreigners vote If they
will vote on their side-promising to them, II they
VIII all the Offices which the Know Nothing phioso-
ply primarily refuses TO them. Let US narrow this
idea for a single neighborhood. Take Catholic
family, to instance: what man, whether native or
foreign born, would see that family, doubtless as
well behaved and as wellsustained as his own, de-
graded into an inferior? What man would not re-
pei, with high scorn, the idea OF suspecting that
family2 What man would hesitate to take s,Qh
neighhor by the hand, and invite him to his ho&se
The biNk might, and the fool might, but not SEN
sible and rigbtminded man.
But there is 9 wider and healthier view. No
American-and those who attach Themselves to
these one-idea creeds are always loudly American
can find warrant for proscrptve and intolerant
parties in our laws. Our written laws are all against
such organizations and the common law, which is
not written law has not an element that is not re-
pugnant to any shade OF nativism. Our Declaration
of Independence, federal constitution, our State
constitutions, our whole policy In States and Terri
follies of know Nothingism would be indignant if
told they were not good citizens, and were hostile
to the constitution and the laws.
We presume a Know Nothing is also man who
remembers nothing, He cannot recollect the adopt.
his grandfathers side in the revolution and other
wars-who gave to the wounded and the dying the
aid of friend, or who shared with the living the
glory of the victory. Such man deserves to be
Know Nothing.
Besides, how long, Mr.. Know Nothing was it
since your father came to this country! Some
years ago-some generations ago-y0u will say. He
may have been the oldest inhabitant, OF he may
be the newest, but as he followed after the Indians,
he was himself foreigner; and pray, friend, what
right have you, foreigners descendant, to perse-
cute those who like him, choose to settle among us?
You ought to be ashamed of yourself
We never knew any man who was not q pharisee
bigot that did retire from native mercansm,
it was convenient, as heartily out Of hu-
orwith himself as if he had Joined society against
the Chinese, or had taken lotteryticket for specu-
lations in the moon. So will it be with the Know
Nothings, after they have begun to know them
selves.
The Know Nothings are not, however, always
native Americans. We have seen, in some cases,
that adopted citizens have not hesitated to combine
among themselves, not as Know Nothings, but
under various names, and for various objects.
Many of the objections applied to sectional or one
ideal organizations apply to all such combinations
with equal force
The fact is the name of the new party is a good
one. It signifies short career, and ridiculous
end Men cannot oyerturn governments in these
Gays by joke. Politics is too serious to be man
aged by patisans with painted faces and silly catch
words. American citizen leaves secrecy to despot-
ism, and paraphernaa to the stage. Know Nothing
may suit the rowdies Of great city, who insult the
Sabbath with their drunken orgies, and make the
night hideous with their reyels but It IL badge
That true man viii ding IRON MIN with contempt.
We cheaper our privileges by such folles, and help
our fees to laugh at us by these crude scheme,
meaning nothing but prescription, and everything
but pat! iotism and common sense.
The Union also publishes a two column communi-
cation against the Know Nothngs, and the Intetti-
gfnco opens its columns to both parties. The last
issue of the wing organ has two com munications in
favor of the new party, and one against it. 1t is
stated M
ened to remove all clerks in that department who
may become identified with the Know Nothings, or
vote their ticket.
LOUISIANA.
New ORLEANs.-It is stated that an order Of
Know Nothings was established here about two
months since by agents from New York. It is said
to number about five thousand members.
From the Louisiana Courier, May col
THE KNOW SOTHINGs.
The Know NOthings constitute an association who
have their secret meetings, the proceedings Of which
are private, and not to be divulged to the profane
and initiated vulgar They are welcome, as far as
we are concerned, to keep their conclaye as dark
spect their penetraa or to over hear their midnight
lamentations. We may speak Of what we have
heard, nevertheless, provided we adopt no ungene-
rous or unlawful methods to arrive at their secrets
We have received within two or three days past
journal entitled the Kno,c Nothing and In,ee,ican
Crusader. 1t is published at Boston, and is to ap-
pear for the present every week. The copy before
us is No. i da ed May 8. The typography Of the
sheet is well executed and its external appearance
is neat and handsome. Its articles are made up of
and invectives against Romanism, foreigners
of every description, and all sorts Of foreign inu.
ence; they appeal to the spirit Of American nation.
atty and declare that party issues have no exist
ence, except in name" The style in which the srti
Giles are written is exceedingly coarse and un-,
known, without anything like vigor or elegance
without even grammatical correctness But this
new journal is intended as q CRUSADER rather
against Romsnsm than against any political sect or
doctrine; and, as it appears to u.s. is devoted more
TO religious than to secular objects. It says:-"The
great and formidable enemy Of the country-that
which, as Americans, we have to fear more than all
others, is the Roman Catholic Church, and the ire
mendous power which II yields upon our national
affairs. Already its huge grasp, poisonous and
deadly, is laid upon our vtas" This is new tact
in physiology; II it be well founded we are all in
fair way to have terrible fit of the cholera.
Hear what this Know Nothing journal says in rela-
tion to the naturalization laws =" We advocate
with justice and reason, the entire and uncondi-
tional repeal Of all naturalization laws. Such as
". have now. and always have had, are blr,esques
in, lta 81 H. - ".