Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-11-13
From tho Louisville Courier.
VNaW NaTuINcg

the blessing of free inquiry. The primary as.
sembages Of the people and the press are all
sufficient for freedom of inquiry into all polit-
cal matters, and almost everything may be
trusted 10 those two Institutions
A great alarm is evidently felt in regard to
the Know-N othings They peryade all politi-
cal space now floating in empyrean ether,
4 now delving into subterranean rccesses, now
| walking the streets at MONDAY, and anon how
ering over the midnight dreams Of candidates.
They are raw-head and bloody-bones which
fighten the mere politician almost rs horribly
as turnip-lantern lighting up the gloomy
vaults Of the graveyard Unseen they move
are rs ubiquitous as the familiars Of the old
fashioned inquisition. But, though unseen,
they are not unfct The Know Nothings give
no warning cry to "stand from under" but
smash politicians into cooked hat so cfiectu-
ally, that though thoroughly used up, the sores
and bruises are SO universal, that the receivers
do not know where it hurts. Old fogyism is
trembling everywhere. II scarcely dares to
move for fear of dying, and 1t is SO affected
with hypochondria, as if IL were imagining it,
self a teapot on the hearth il orders the
shovel, tongs, and poker, to be moved far
away, for fear that some elfin Know Nothing,
in fitting across the fireplace, may knock over
some loose thing that may finish the teapot
Queen NAB when riding forth in her chariot
made Of hazel nut, never troubled the brain
of any sleeper more than the Know-Notlings
do the political aspiiants. They once knew
something about starting for Office, but now-a-
days their shibboleth is at discount. The
Know-Nothings win have nothing TO do with
il, and they hang like a gloomy, spectral pull
over all the highways and byways of political
life There Is but one sign-board Of the Know
Nothings that seems to DO altogether legible
AS well az we can dccipher it, it says that the
candidate who forgets that there is an Ameri-
can people, and luxmiates in counting the for
eign vote, is doomed. Ho is at once placed
upon the know-Nothing wheel, and single
turn of that instrument brushes every bone in
his body. It is done so efficiently that the
victim is able to console himself with the re-
Election that it cannot DO done again. He is
beyond the reach alike of surgery and of the
cis medicatrir nature. The curious part Of
the operation is, that a tasteless, inodorous
chloroforn is administered, for we saw num-
Der of victims on Monday who were OH the
wheel and were regular Known things in ono
phase, for though the joints were being drawn
asundcr, and the bones preparing to be mashed,
the martyrs were utterly unconscious that any
thing unusual was going on until it was all
over. There must have been rare amusement,
if Know Nothings know anything of that en-
| joylnent, at the Known Nothing lodges when
they found themselves repudiated by some Of
the candidates. The Know othings recipro-
| Gated with an awful reciprocity, and there was
scarcely grease spot left. Whether there
was any smell Of sulphur during the rccipro-
cation we cannot tell.
These are a part of the public signs of Know
Nothingisn. Another awful feature olits work
is its uninistakable efficiency. The Know
Nothings leave no weak place in their work,
for people to quarrel over. A trip-hammcr does
not make its impression with more palpable
signs. If we were candidate for office wo
should thank the Know-Nothings to address us
a little note informing us of their intentions.
If the note smelt of reputation of our claims,
we should hasten to decline the canvass under
the plea Of other pressing engagements There
cannot be the least amusement in getting such
a cuff as the Know Nothings administer, nor
any special consolation in the fact that the aw-
full paw which gave il is as much hidden as
!" the man that struck Billy Patterson with that
brick" We should greatly prefer taking Sancho
Panza's fate at blanket-tossing And we wish
the fraternity Of Know-Nothings distinctly to
understand that if VIC have said anything in
this faithful historical sketch to hurt their feel
ings, or in betrayal Of their secrets, VIC heartily
beg their pardon, and will submit TO any pen
ance rather than feel one of their mysterious
knocks. We feel it to be our duty to expose
the Know Nothings, but we do not wish to hurt
their feelings, if they have any. The public
have a right to all the light that can be let into
the secret, new subterranean cavcrns that are
yawning with their dreadful mouths, seeking
whom they may devour.
We have taken a great deal Of pains to get
information in regard to the Known othings
We have suspected parties watched--we have
watched suspected rooms, and our decided CON
yiction is, that the Know-Nothings are those
departed spirits which kept up such an awful
rapping some time ago Our conclusions arc
based upon the following facts: The rapping
business died out about tho time the Know
Nothings began their affairs. Inasmuch ~ the
rapping has ceased, tho spirits have opened a
new branch of business. Instead Of tripping
| up tables and chairs, they are now tripping up
candidates. While rapping was the go, one Of
the most curious Of its phenomena was revealed
to the spectators while standing at windows
opening out upon space. A buzzing sound
would strike the glass forcibly from the outside.
This is very much the game Of the Known oth-
! ings; they arc buzzing everywhere, and the I'M
initiated have not the least conception from
whence the sound comes We hear the noise
wherever we GO now il is above our head,
we look up, and, presto, it is beneath our feet
We hear il on our right hand, turn to catch it
and il is on our left. And it has often been
noticed that the most distinguished rappcrs arc
regular Know-Nothings.
The communications sent from Messrs. Clay,
Webster, Calhoun, and others as rappers,
would not have done their intcllects much cred
it in this world, and il il now evident that they
were taking their degree in lodge Of Know
Nothings And the climax of the analogy Is
dccisiye-thcse Know Knothings have nothing
to do with foreigners in this country, as far as
we know anything ON this subject, and it is
well known that the mediums never started n
| Dutchman or an Trishman in all their inter
course with the rappers. II seems 10 us that
| this argument IL irresistible. II may possibly
derive some strength from the fact that the
spirits have no use for mn inhlliblc head, and
! it is apparent that the Know-Nothings do not
hold the Pope Of Rome in any special favor.
How curious that the rappers have dropped
their old mediums" and seized the ballot-box
as medium.
! In thia gtata Of thippa wp think II il the