Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-12-07
me Ratification Meeting.

VIVA PuohC uoCuuicntS, prcCuucS uS from giving an
extended notice of the ratification meeting held by
inc Spartans, at the African church, on Tuesday
night The whole ticket was there, from Wise down
70 Bocock, and each Of the candidates had some.
thing to say for himself. Mr.. Wise led off, with
Whatnota few Of the audience thought very anrise
speech. MeSsrs. McComas and Bocock followed with
speeches about rs good as expected from them.
Tho cause Of Democracy, the credit of the State,
internal improvements States rights, the rights Of
tho South, &c were touched upon in the usual style
ofDemocratic orators only rather more breHy-their
attention being absorbed, that OCCASION to mark
ed extent, with another subject" Their imagina>
tons seemed to be haunted with the idea Of some
terrible monster; and each of the speakers soon took
occasion to pitch into Know Nothingism Mr.. Wise
launched forth his denunciations against the Order
and in manner that was crcditabe to his reputation
for boldness, if not for his discretion bid them de-
i'ncc His subalterns followed suit on this question
and swore eternal hostility to Know Nothngism. We
were quite amused at their on this subject
They were not afraid OF Know Nothnvism. They
dared the "dastardly foe" to the encounter. Mr.
Wise went so far to say that if elected to the Office
oil Governor by Know Nothing votes he wouldn't
have it They scorned the idea of the unterrilied
Democracy of Virginia being frightened by this Know
Nothing humbug; yet, oil the while they showed bv
the Importance they attached to the Know Nothing
question, that they were considerably terrified and
had an awful dread of its effects upon the apnroach
ing elections The result of the recent elections in
other States we'll calculated to produce SHAKING
among the dry bones of the Virginia Democracy and
We can excuse our Democratic friends for the repida
ton they manifested Tuesday night Whistlinr. to
keep their courage up, was the best they could do
in the exigcncies Of the But the challenge has
been given to the Know Nothings, and every body
else who chooses to take it up and by the fourth
Thursday of next May shall see the result. Il is
calculated that the Richmond ratification meetipq
made several hundred Know Nothings OH the spot,
and how many more, such Democratic exhibitions
will manufacture, God only knows
The Hunter Land Bill was given the uo-Sv M,
one Of the speakers ventured touch upo, it and how
The Democratic ticket stands on this essential princi
pie" not word was said. Mum was the word. Mr..
Wise either forgot, designedly avoided saying any
thing about the ansoerdJle objections to The Neba
ka Bill, and none of the speakers VIII, followed him
were kind enough. or thoughtful enough to say aught
for their "uslros chie on that nrea, question Of The
day.
We have not often attended the Spartan exhibitions
and are not prepared for ourselves To say how the one
oSSsSpA'
times; but we learn from those who have eaoyed IN.
sport Of Witnessing the performances of the Sp,rians.
these many years past, that it presented sad conmen
tary upon the spti. and enthusiasm that
their gatherings in times gone by, and was sorrowuy
omlnous of their speedy "decline and fall" Those
who had given the glowing accounts of the ,re
mendous oraorical powers of the candidate for Cover
nor, admitted that his effort on Tuesday night was
fuIIur du,lnI I,,,,
once was Not much was expected from the rest Of the
candidates. and hence nobody was disappointed
Several other Democratic speakers, Messrs. Irwin. of
Lynchburg, Kenna, " Kanawha, and Gen. Gord,n. OF
Albemarle, addressed the meeting with the view Of
ge'ing the steam up, but i, was mo CO." compared
with the accounts we have of the way the Sparaas
used 10 90 ihings fearful iuebojng OF defeit ap,
pears to hang over the party. Whether it is to be al,
tfibuted mostly to the unfortunate nomination Of MIR
Wise, or TO their dread of the terrible Know Nothines
We snail not say Some think that it is owing mostly
10 The latter cause LIE, that be it may it is palpa
Bile to every one that something is wrong.
How Isltl
IL 10 noticed as matter of sJne surprise tina, there
should be Cooperation against No,hinI ism by
Southern Dem ,catic journals and Southern Democrt,
icPo.Icans, on The hand and the rampant. Aboll-
I
the South we have the Richm,nd Eaqpirer, Charles-
Ion .hereury. &c. together with such Democratic lea
ders as Henry A. Wise, making war upon the Know
NothIngs with savage ferocity; while at the North we
have The Boston Liberator, New York Tribune, No
''onal Era, &c. together with the most active Ab
ton Partizans, pursuing the line Of p,cy. Tin.
former tell us that the Know. Nothing ORGANIZATION
throughout the Nriern States is an out and out Ab,l
thav, ,Ia
ground. The latter tell us that this same orr,nz ,ion
ieagued win The slave interest," and they make war
upon it with the most determined opp ,s,on and the
bltterest denunciation.
ine inquiry may therefore, well be made how this is
Both parties cannot be right in their opposition IT, and
dehunc'a'iono the Know Nohings for reasons direct
~ an'asohs''c. Father our Southern friends are
WIong' or the aoolilionisis are wrong. The KNOW
'o'nngs' 50 lar as The organs which profess speak
'or Them. which advocate their cause, and which are
'"e o"y recognized opponents Of their purposes we
nave deny ~ The most unequvoca terms thar they
nave any alatIon or sympathy whaeyefwith Abolition
ism and they point to the fIct, that the Ab,i,ionsis
are among the berest enemies they have to encounter
as proof Of that denial In the elections which have
taken place. since their oganziton they contend that
they have gone against every thing Of contacted sec
tIona', an-slayery spirit.
Now, as this new party is becoming very i'm pntant
element IN controlling the action Of the G,yernm
state aud federal think that it is incnnben, mn,
the Southern journals aud Southern men opposing il to
furnish the public with all possible evidence Of the dan
ger TO be appfehended from ii the score Of Abolition
ism, beyond their assertions fiji is the tina
the Know NOthings are tlin,ed with the spin, of Abo
tIonlsm, and those Southern men know the fact, ,bev
" course, have the evidence before them upon which
iha, Knowledge is based and justice to the s,u,b
they cannot withhold it, We make these snopes,ions
not 10 defence Of the Know Mornings but in consdera
ton Of the welfare aud safety Of the South Ir Know
NOthngism is dangerous 10 the institutions Of the South
we want 10 know tive want 10 see the evidence Of
II from those who make the charge. that we NAV At
once denounce the whole a, they would pro
Pery deserve 10 be denounced Let us have tho proof
then.
Aiprescn we havs the facts before US that the Rich
mond Enqubp. Charleston. Myeury, Henry 4.
Wise. &c.. together with the New York Tribune,