Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-03-29

w HV htfoW-INlt liTgS, III w dlthdiH ,rho'
saehusetts, on the first Monday in March, electet
their whole ticker as it were by magic. Nobody
cousa tell whsre the ticket came from, where
was printed, or when and where got up. II ha'
been a,towmt talk ever since. 1t is said we have
a strong organization Of the Kind amongst us, ans
yet no one knows anything about it. Alfis cloud
ed in mystery and darkness, Just before the e
lection an obscure notice was posted up, calling
upon certain persons to meet nobody knew when
or where. unless some secret hieroglyphlcs, chi
out of the slip OF paper posted up. apparently WIN
a penknite, gave the know-nothings themselves
the necessary Information. Boston 1rapeher.
SnEdry paragraphs similar TO the above which
have recently appeared in Northern newspapers
indicate the existence in the countryef secre
association which aspires to control all of our e.
Ieetions. The society originated, we believe, ir
New York city a few months ago, and hasspread
80 rapidly that already its members in many, pla
ces outnumber the other voters. We have heard
of no organization Of the kind in Virginia, except
at Petersburg, where one is said to have lie IN
formed. Without regard to the objects which the
society processes to have in view. we consider II
dangerous 10 our Liberties. So far as we are a,
ware, the other secret societies in the country
stand aoof from the polls but whenever one arises
to accomplish any purpose whatever by swaying
popular elections, it becomes the duty of every
good citizen to discountenance it utterly. 1t is
conspiracy against the public. The spirit Of our
institutions require thatsIl measures which affect
the public should be canvassed publicly; and the
idea .of , body:ffmen codnselling together in Sc
oret eoaclaye and then going forth to exert their
power at the polls, is monstrous and not to be toll
Grated. ,.s4.,4 80, 800 rr.
Native Americansm is said 10 be the cardinal
doctrine in the "Know Nothing" creed. The
society proposes, to place the government in the
hands oftnatiyes of the country, and to exclude
foreign'borh citizens from all public offices. Why
there should be- any pledge of secrecy about the
matter, if that be ALL we are at loss to imagine.
But this objection aside, we do not sympathise
with the object. We certainly feel indignant to-
wards those foreigners who persist in maintaining
naturally other than American and seek to in
troduce the widest and most disorganizing prin-
ciples into our institutions and the demagogues
in Congress who propose to confer upon unnatu-
ralized foreigners the same privileges in the Ter.
ritories which citizens enjoy, excite our disgust
but we are not prepared to approve of Native A
mericanisn in any form in which it has been pre-
scented. Ifdemagogues would let foreigners alone
and cease appealing to them as Germans or Irish
men, they would speedily mingle with the great
mass of the people and forget that they were ever
anything else than citizens of the United States.
Such appeals, however, on the part of designing
politicians and Office seekers encourage foreigners
born in forming distinct organizations and voting
together in solid phalanx wherever they are loca-
ted in large numbers and when these same poll
tcians find themselves unable to control the pow
or they have brought into being, they the first
to raise the cry of Native Amercanism. Some
judicious men have for time been led estray by
it, hut they have generally abandoned such no
tions As vet there are too many enlightened and
patriotic ctize.s among then aturazed foreigners,
compa,ed with those u a contrary character. and
and we are all too Immediately descended from
foreign ancestors, to justify any law excluding
them as class from the elective franchise and
participation in the government.