The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-04

these chaotic times. 1t has become quite common
to discuss the principles they profess, though no.
body appears to understand with any degree Of
clearness, what those principles are. Some assert
that the Know Notbings are native-born Ameri-
cans, sons and grandsons Of revolutionary sires,
who hold the doctrine that nativeborn man is Just
as good and may be in some things little better,
than those who are born and educated under monar-
chical institutions that a man who was Graded
in Massachusetts,, New York, or any OF the State,
of tns Union is quite al likely to be an intelligent
citizen, as good republican as one who was rocked
in 'the green Isle of the Ocean, "the brightest
gem Of the sea- and that the plain speech of an
American is recommendation for official prefer
ment quite as good as the erich Irish brogue" Others
assert that they are Protestant people who see dan
ger to our institutions in surrendering the public
schools TO become the instruments Of sectarian pro-
pagandiam; who would restore the Bible as class
book In primary institutions for the instruction
Of youth, and make its reading duty in all our
common schools people who would not yield our
systeM Of public education to the tenderness OF the
Roma conscience, or place large portion of the
public money raised by general taxation for educa-
onal purposes, at the disposal Of the Roman priest
We do not pretend to be wiser than our mel ghbors,
or to "knowV more about the "Know Nothingsn than
anybody else; but we have sort of suspicion that
this "Know Nothingism" is neither more nor less
than the genuine American and Protestant feeling,
reused into activity and energy by course of action
pursued by set Of political demagogues, exceed
ingly well calculated to give vitality to sentiment
which every independent, rghtminded citizen Of
struggling in his bosom. There is chapter in
in the political history Of this State which no patr
otto citizen can study without feeling of indigna
ton. Certain political leaders, looking upon the
religious prejudces Of the Catholic people Of thi.
the idea Of making these preudices bond Of
political union, and Harvesting them into the
service of party. In this they succeeded. And
where the Catholic naturalized citizens were thus
Eon Had fhnyy mead nfh n1v,
guard, to be hurled against and crush every body
who was in the way Of those who had thus orga.
nized them into an auxiliary corps. These Catho.
lie voters, and especially the Irish, were courted,
until they came to be, to some extent, the ruling
power Of the State. When the name Of candidate
was proposed for Office, the question was not as
to his merits, his fitness for the station to which he
aspiIed, but whether he could secure the Catholic
support-whether he could command the Irish vote.
If he could not he was thrust aside and other
in whose favor these elements Of strength could be
enlisted, preferred before him. Everything and
every body was sacrificed to the Irish, or the Catho
lie influence, until the political asprant, matter
what his intellectual or moral excellence might be-
If native born citizen, was almost driven, if he
would be successful, to denial Of his birthright
and reputation of his faith.
Every resident of the cities and large towns,
where the people who were thus sought to be pro-
ptiated mainly congregate, knows and feels the
truth OF this. They too, knew and felt its truth,
and they ayaled themselves to the utmost Of their
power by clamoring for patronage, and claiming all
the minor Offices going. Those who organized
them and welded their influence became not only
powerful but arrogant in their power; welding this
tremendous influence, they assumed the right Of
dctation, and exercised it until not only the Ame
rican but the Protestant sentiment became tho
roughly aroused, and has, as we suppose, made up
its mind to resistance against this corrupt and unpa
patriotic coalition Of the foreign Catholic vote and
political demagogues; to meet, in plain language,
mia pf sch Nafh he
ganization OF American Professionalism; TO try the
strength ofthe one against the strength of the other
to test the question whether it should become the
settled T policy Of political ORGANIZATIONS to make
everything and every body be sacrificed to its pre-
JUDGES or its caprice. Aud this, while we profess
to "knOw nothing about The matter, more than our
neighbors know, we suppose to be Know Nothing.
ism. III is, the reform which it aims to accom-
psh is good one and will be carried out. 1t will
meet response. not only in every patriotic Ameri-
can and Protestant heart but in the better judgm
of the naturalized Catholic citizens themselves
They have been degraded by these attempts to
isolate them-to make of them distinct entity;
something besides simple American citizens.
II was an insult to them, an outrage upon taeir
dignity as citizens, to attempt to organize them
into sort of Hessan corps, hireling troops in the
service of ambitious and unprincipled demagogues.
and proper sense of Justice to themselves, will
make them rejoice at the prospect of the dssolu-
tion OF an organization rs dshonoring to them "a it
was corrupt in those who brought it about. Let
this he as it may, such reform is needed and every
patriotic mind feels it to be so. No tree Ameri-
can citizen would close lis heart, or withdraw his
sympathies from those who flee to this, rs refuge
from the expressions Of other countries. Tacre Is
land enough, and labor enough and freedom enough
for them all.
They will be cheerfully accorded all the protec.
ton Of the laws, aud oil the rights guaranteed to
them by the constitution. II they choose to be-
come citizens obstruction will be thrown in their
way; but when they become such it must be simply
as American citizens, and not Irish or Catholic
citizens. As regionists, nobody will question or
impugn their faith. 1t is theirs by nature, and
with It, or moest them IN the exercise Of IT,
But when they band themselves or permit
themselves to be banded together as Irish
men, or Germans, or Catholics. and as such
enter the arena of politics. they forfeit their claims
to the sympathes of the American people, and will
have no right to complain If they come to be re.
garded only as 1rishmen or Germans, or as Catho.
lies. As American citizens they will be re.
spected and cherished; as Irish citizens, or
will not be respected or cherished by the Anne.
rican people. II they carry their Catholic preju.
dces and instincts into politics. they will be met
by Protestant prejudces and instincts and whether
things or by any other name, they will comprise
nineteen out of every twenty Of the American
people.
From the Buffalo Advertiser, June 29l
IN A QUANDARY.
The Albany Journal is in u state of considerable
perturbation, arising from the successes Of the
Know Nothings in different parts Of the country
For some fifteen years past the editor Of that paper
has been engaged In a scheme to bamboozle the
Catholics, and especially the Irish Catholics, and
to the fruits Of his labors and those of his
coadjutors in this patriotic undertaking turn to
ashes In his hands is too provoking for him to pre-
serve his equanmity under the affection At no
time has the prospect Of securing the aid Of the
Irish been of the most fatterng description; but the
movers in the enterprise have persevered under
circumstances that would have disheartened per.
sons of less sanguine temperament. The object
was one of vast importance-noth less than to
obtain the possession of the federal government,
carrying with 1t the undisputed control Of the
spoils and in the pursuit of that object few rebus
would not be likely to drive the plotters from their
purpose. Judging from appearances, we should
say that the Journal and its associates had been
made dupes instead of deceiving those whose
sweet voices they were soliciting Their caresses
have been accepted and all the favors they had to
bestow readily received, but no substantial assist