Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-11-08
For the Spectator
MIR. Wise on Know-Nothingism.

Mr, Wise on
.Messrs. Editors Some time ago when Know
No,hnoisn began to raise its head, number of
the Newspapers hurled at 1t their denuncialIohs,
expectng thereby no doubt to put il down. They
very SOON. however, found the thing 10 wear
most formidable head looking them sternly in the
lace, telling them their days were numbered. that
they had been weighed in the balance and found
wanting finally the Union comes out with quite
respectable article insfayor of know-Nothing-
ism.
The latest thing, however, that has appeared
aoainst them ia a long sermon preached TO the
people of Virginia by Mr.. Wise. Mr. w. may
begin to feel that he is growing gray in politics
and that he has the right to lecture us and tell US
what is proper and right. We will not attempt
to follow Mf w. in his long discourse, having
based 1t all pretty much upon three things: first,
that there is no necessity in the present state OF
affairs for secret political organization; second,
lis secrecy and third that it is proserlptiye. 10
sustain his position he nrokes the Bible, The De-
cIaraton of Independence, the Constitution OF the
United States, the Act Of Religious Freedom, and
the laws in general.
As am very plain man lpropose treating the
subject in a very plain way. have nothing OF
.'hyfalutnary" and Latin quotations about me-
By way of showing the necessity for such an
organization | will try and do what Mr.. w. has
failed to do-tell what Know Nothingsm is. and
believe can best do that by telling to what It
is opposed. SO many abuses exist that KNOW
Nothingism is intended to be political purlher,
and not society plotting evil in the dark. First
then the Know Nothngs are opposed to Catholi-
cism they believe that Catholicism is opposed 10
our institutions; that Catholicism and Republican,
ism are antagonislcal. The man who believes 10
the supremacy Of the Pope cant be republican.
Catholicism has begun in this country TO raise It's
head and show its hand in the establishment OF
newspapers promulgang the doctrine that every
thing temporal is subordinate TO the spiritual, IN
other words that government is subordinate to the
Churcll-that the descendant of Peter, as the Pope
of Rome claims to be, is the supreme head over
all, both temporal and spiritual. Some OF these
same papers have sided with Catholic Austria a.
gainst our government, and have rldlcuied some
vf our best men and statesmen, particularly our
immortal Webster, and the Hulseman letter, the
sentiments of which made the heart OF every tue
American rejoice that we had such men as Daniel
Webster. And did they not call Capt. lngraham
huccaneer for having rescued Kosta out OF the
honds of the Austrans? One of these papers Is
nubl,sbed under the eye of the Pope's Archbishop
Hughes Is there nothing in all this to give alarm
70 naive Americans and justify them In moving
on this subject
Secondly, the Know -Nothings are opposed to
foreioners exercising the right of suffrage unless
thew have stood a long probation. They are gen.
erajlv Catholics, unaccustomed TO republlcanlsm,
unacouainted with our institutions, and iterate;
and now as things stand they are mere automatons
in the hands of demagogues and politicians. They
should stand off until they are informed and have
time =, become Americanized. Our forefathers
placed the sovereignty of this country in the hands
of their descendants II foreigners see fit to change
and leave the crowned heads Of Europe, to accept
the nrotecton of our laws, they should be willing
at least for considerable time to become subject
to the will of the American people without lmme-
diately asking to be invested with all the rights
of sovereignty. If they were debarred this right
altogether they would have nothing to complain
of. as the country is ours not theirs. Their CON-
inc here is an act Of favor on our part. From
these considerations the know-Nothlngs demand
an alteration in our Naturalization Laws.
Thirdly, the KnowNothings are opposed to
demagogues and radical politicians of that class
who are willing to cheat us and our children out
Of the public domain by giving it away to foreign
ers in The manner proposed by the Homestead
Pill and Hunters Bill for the purpose of catching
FOREIGN votes. (by the way is Mr.. Wise in favor
of Hunters Bill? and those who were IN favor
of oivinc votes in the new Constitution of Virgin
ia npou residence alone without even paying pub
lie dues. This is calculated to favor foreigners,
and we venture to say although tho Constitution
has been adopted, seven out OF ten native Virgin
ians disapprove this provision.
In short. Messrs. Editors, the Know-Ncthings
want Americans to rule America. Although when
we compare in numbers foreigners with native A
mericans the latter are greatly in the majority,
vet foreigners may hold the poise of power. And,
inst by the way, suppose the question OF an a.
mendment to the Federal Constitution were to a.
rise. in which it was proposed to take away the
recooniiion and protection of slavery, where would
tho foreipn vote be on which side ? The in6u-
ence of foreigners is death to the institution Of
slavery. Abolitionism came from Europe. The
first man that preached it was foreigner. five
are heat by Americans we can stand it, but We
don't intend to be beat by foreigners if we can help
it.
Now. Messrs Editors what is all this secrecy
complained of? The -Nothings proclaim
their principles along the highways and upon the
house tops All that is kept secret is their mode
of operation n carrying out their principles. The
now. Nothings are condemned because they work
in secret: we would like to know how many pri-
v,te letters will be written how many secret eau
cuses will be held, how often the wires will be
secretly pulled between this and the 30th BY as
piring gentlemen and their friends.
But. saws Mr.. Wise, the Know Nothings are
proscriptionists because they wont vote for Cath
olics The people are sovereign. If they don't
like the moral, religious, or political character of
man they have the right to refuse to vote for him
he has nothing to complain of. If he had the
RIGHT to complain the people would not be sove-
reign. and in order to prevent the Catholic from
crying out prescription the people must give up
their sovereignty. There is no prescription when
we are electing our servants and law makers in
preferrinp one man over another. This is tho
beauty of cur system. will tell you what my
idea of prescription is-when one man has been
legally and consttutionally put into office, and 10
discharrng the duties faithfully, to turn him out.
not because he is Catholic OF foreigner, but be-
cause he is native born American Wing, and
nut another in his place because he is Democrat,
no matter if he should be Catholic or foreigner.
wonder, Messrs Editors, if MIR. Wise knows that
here about Staunton and at the Executive Mansion
at Richmond it is thought that Whig is unfit to
be Director in either of the State charities locs-
ted at Staunton.
FRIEND OF THE Know NorHfEos.
OBrrUAarEs.-The Southern Christian Advo-
cate makes somo very good suggestions to persons
who write obituaries. 1t says: "Perhaps it will
be read by twenty ubscribers-perhaps not. If
Won wish more to read it, write it so to interest
the majority. This may be done if i; be a terse,
well written account of the death Of some good
christian, comprised in dozen lines. But if you
m of oil he