The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-09-01
From lhe Pennsylvania.
THE SONS OF THE SIRES OF TO-" OR THE KNOW
NOTHINGS u.s. THE SIREs OF '76.


dence than the assumption of the title of Sons OF the
Ses of 76 by the tyrannica unconstitutional and anti
republican order of knownothngs when every principle
of their creed is variance with the teachings and
sentiments OF the sages and patriots of revolutionary
Their strange missioner only be accounted for by
the natural proevity of all who contemplate the per-
petraon of wrong to endeavor TO clothe il under some
specous pretence of beneting mankind The great pro-
toypes of the know-nongs the ultra Jacobns OF France
perpetrated the most horrible ouages under benevolent
pretexts "0h Liberty, what crimes committed in thy
name exclaimed Madame Roland she persisted on the
scaod which brutal hands had reared to sacrifice her. and
-nohingsm acts upon the system OF attempting
to disguise hypocrtical professions of superior devotion to
freedom by series of acts worthy only of the darkest
ages of superstition and tyranny.
/ If there are any members of the know-nothng order
who really Sons of the Ses of 76 they have studied
to little purpose the motives which guided the action Of
their llustrous progenors A little reflection VIII con-
vince them that know nothngism aims 10 perpetuae
but destroy the fabric Of freedom which patriotic hands
! have reared for
The prodigal sometimes squanders in rotous dis
patton the rich legacy which frugal father 10y honest III
dusry has acquired and bequeathed TO- him. it is only as
such children that knownotlngs be Sons of the
Sres of 76" The eminent preacher Henry Ward Beecher
not long since jocularly quoted the proverb that minis
tiers children often the DEVILS grandchildren il is
only in such that knownohings can claim descent
from the sircs of T6 y for if they OF Freedom
they certainly grandsons of tyranny IN its worst form
To prove this it is only necessary briefly contrast few
of the points of difference between the sres OF I6 and
the band of who rreyeenty style themselves their
sons
1t will be remembered that Of the OF grievance
against King George was forth in the Declaration of
! Independence AS follows:
He has endeavored to prevent the population Of these
States for that purpose obructng the laws for the nat-
raizaon of foreigners refusing to others to encour
age their migration hber and raising the conditions OF
new appropriations of binds
| Know-nohingism, according to the platform laid down
in its acknowledged organs declares itself in favor OF
total "repea of the naturalization laws In other words,
the ons of the Sires of 76" plant themselves upon the
King George PLATFORM to destroy and break down which,
the sres of 76 pledged he lives their fortunes and their
sacred honor"
Second Theknow-nothngs declare that none but native
Americans should hold Office, and in their lodges they
will admit members whose parents and at least of
whose grandparents not born in this country. How
does this doctrine compare with the conduct of the sages
| of the revolution 1t is in direct conflict with it,
OF the soldiers of revolutionary war; thousands of
brave spirits not born in this country Lafayette,
Pulaski Kosciusko Steuben Charles Lee De ka Mercer
Montgomery Gates all Of foreign birth, yet were
ntrusted with high commands the duties of which were
always faithfully and CALAMITY performed. Quite num-
Der of the best of revolutionary generals were the
children of parents born abroad while scarcely any OF
them from Washington down, could boast of having had
| their grandparents born here
OF the signers of the Declaration of independence at
least eight were not born in this country yet they
deemed the less trustworthy by the sircs of 76
At least fifteen of those signers had their parents born
in this country vet the ses of 16 made objection to
them on that account Patrick Henry the great orator of
the revolution, the of Scotchman Robert Nor
! ris the great fnancier of the revolution born in
| Lancashire England. John Witherspoon, the great
/ divine whose pious prayers and counsels cheered
tbo If his and of the
ton in the darkest hours OF the revolutionary struggle,
was Edinburgh in Scotland The father OF Ben
amn Franklin the great philosopher ana stanan was
born in England We might multiply instances of the
freedom of the rcs of 6' from that ignorant and aro-
cratic spirit which judges by their birthplace and
brands them with namy loads them with honor because
they drew breath in this that land The sires OF
76n thought OF making nens birthplace test OF
their merit like the contemplate band of tricksters who
\ style themselves their trying to do They
good patriots to do because they knew that at
that time as This day some Of the best of the
ton and efficient champions Of the Of american
freedom, the eyept proved, had been born abroad
They good Christians to do because they knew
I that the great Saviour of mankind had first light in
a manger and they would establish which would
tend to lower His character They eschewed, despsed
condemned the despicabe idea which is only worthy of a
/ know -nothngs BRAIN that should be king because
his father was king, loh,le. baeau5e bis father
cobber or u American only because bis father
American On this question, therefore the know nothngs
stand upon the platform of the yrannical arstocras of
Europe while the sire of 76 acted the princi-
| pies of freedom
Third The know-nohings make it an especial object of
their organization TO establish religious test for Office and
to bitterly oppose the election Of all the members u par
tcuar sect The sres Of lG acted directly
system when they sent the brave and patriotic but Cao=
lie Carroll to Congress to sign the Declaration Of ndeend-
encc They acted different principle wien they form
ed the constitution of the United States and inserted in
proyson that religious test shaU be required
qualification any oGice public trust uader tie United
States and when they declared that Congress shall make
law respecting establishment of religion prohi-
ng the full exercise thereof Bus they also showed their
sentiments address Of the Conthent Congress the
Catholics of Canada when they wished them unite in
making common against Great Britain In that adj
dress which reported by Judge Cushing of Massachu
sets Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. and Mr. John Dick
| inson OF Pennsy lvana--aI Protestants,he following
truthful and emphatic passage occurs;
We are loo well acquainted with the libuey of scn
distinguishing yor nation 80 imagine that difference
Of religion wW prejudice you against hcofp apnH feRa
You know that the trasccndant nature of freedom cle
minded infyn,e The Swiss onntons furnish memorable
proof of this truth Their union Is composed of Roman
Catholic and Protestant States living III the utmost concord
and peace with each other and thereby enabled since
they bravely vipdcated their freedom 20 defy and defeat
/ every tyran that has invaded themp
Read know-nothng Sons of the Sres of TO- whit the
Connel ~ Congress composed of some of the choicest
spirits Of the sres of 10 thought Of Tie perabe doctrines
YOU are now preaching The feeling pretend be