Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-08-25
Origin Of the Know.yothing Movement
In Massachusetts,.

following candid account Of tho Know Moth.
in. movement in hat State. With a knoSl.
edge Of the facts here presented; and with
knowledge. likewise, Of the fact tina, the true
Democratic Party Of that State hslded BY
( Banks. Bishop and Others have used their az.
mos, efforts to reform certain arisiocraiie Tea.
TUE, In the old Constitution is Il strange that
some movement should be started by the Peo-
ple-,he Democracy where these efforts have
ever been defeated by such means! We are
no, surprised in view Of such oligarchy and
corruption iha, the men who have heretofore
cared bn, lule cor party in that State shoul''
rise in their fulI might, and carry forward the
measures Of Reform and progress contcmplai
cd in the teeth OF such Obstacles. We have
no preladices to crafty OF be alarmed al ir
hi, matter. We knew the strength, the
moderation, the power, the recuPerati'e ener
Gle. Of the American mind and We eonfds
in its ability to graPple with every influence,
however subtle or detrimental.
The following iS the extract.
The Know. Nothing movements ous.ul.
ted in hostility to foreigners Il il the na,a.
raj reaction consequent, on the manner 10
which our parties have treated foreigners. who
have been appealed to, particularly the Irish
Catholics, by pretty much IN our public
men and political organs, until they have
come to consider themselves a power 10 the
state apart from all things, and TO display lla,
insslence which is always the result Of tho
consciousnc,s ofs,rengih on the part Of The
ignorant. There has been a growing inter
ference in politics by the Catholic priests,
sometimes on one side aud then on ihs
o,hcr, until last Gll, when their action va,
open and 90 50 great a sale, that even
those leas, disposed To he alarmed were com.
pellcI to admit that the matter had become
decidedly serious and worthy Of the graves,
attention of All patriotic ciiIzens. The nice
ton Of the new constitution and the dsfcaiof
the coalition consequent, on that event, were
the deliberately arranged work ofiLc Ca,al.
lies, who acted under the direction Of ,os.r
priests, who had themselves been hired or
Otherwise induced by the leading wings 90 ar.
ray their obsdicnt followers m the eide Of llc
very party, which. lhroug hout ne history, Dad
been distinguished ior IT. settled aversion 90
foreigners, and against the party which hal
always advocated and Supported libcralr o'l
cy towards them. Atile time ol the ad,u-m.
men, of the constitutional convention there
vas not a man IN Massachusetts, who doubted
oflhc new constitution being adopted. The
wings were IN despair and were no, able go
pluck up courage until no very last DAYS OF
the con,c., a0cr w Boston Wing Leaders .aI
mad, their bargains with ,h. Catholic nr.'s
who undoubtedly received large nm ofm'.
ncy and a number IT fine promises Tor their
aid To vhi.rcry when in difficulties. The
priests, however, hld 10 fnl some reason,
ms their followers, many IT whom hai 'urg
acted With the democracy, aui Who wou.l Do
reluctant 10 abandon their old assocI4irs--
They told them that the ucv constitution cone
riincd an Article f,rb.I,n- rlc u,r NJ pra..r
roacy, iir bee use 1t Catholic Schools, vlcrr.
a, there was nu, ,hr slightest mention OF lar
subject in thl, instrument. There uasas..-
arl,c aucl,. Crb,l.nr ,hc application of'n.l
moneys tu srciIrln schools, Which could Do
voted ry- or NOT rs shoe WHO wished 10 .rr
: ,hc constitution adopted. Th1, article $50,
defeated by only few hundred votes, uh,.a
= the constitution iisr'lwas Dos, by 5000 m7' nr.
.ly. Aau,hrr argumen, asains, he uev coz.
.,lulion, addressed by ,he priests &C. llc lash
> Catholics, was ,hi.; llatliat iusirrmu'Irr.
. yidcd foI the cutting OPP Of lhe cities INTO rr-
preventative dist riots, lrd in tie cities lic J..
/, ri,h Catholics wero 80 strong and growing go
, rapidly in numbers, as to lead them to the De.
licfthat they would soon be- able 10 CONTROL
. an their elections Would II not be better
j tu have whole cities than mere districts -
Was M, the dist risiing Of the cities INTENDED
, to proven, the Irish Catholics, the majority
. that they were soon to be, fr0m governing
. Such were the Questions quito the Irish by
/ those vl.o had been hired BY the wings to acs
= on ,lcir religious and political prcludiocs: is.
! CARROT Brovrson, who hates democracy with
all the rancour NJ the renegade, took the Cell
] in behalf Of the wings, and the entire Ca'ho-
lie body, as a body, was marshallel against
b the new constitution. The great mawri.c
: iha, were obtained by the wings were rcrcI'.
+. cd in thc very towns where the Catholics lro
8. most Numerous. Whose joublsih.s, lc, h.n
4 iulelgcnily analyz, tie votes east in various
places in Massachusetts, last November, arl
F.. all his doubts Nll be removed. In some PA.
: ces the interference ofthc priests was nieiani'
r. " apparent. The vote against the new co1-
uituiion was blessed, and so made sacred 20
the estimation orthe more supcrsutIous cath.
olics. 4 few catholics, men Of enlightened
minds, voted with the aboliion.sts, and more
+ compromised the matter by not voting At all
= bat more than nine ienihs Of the voting mem
4 bcrs OF the Romish church in Massachusetts,
gave their support to the wings, large ma
c oriiy Of them voting deliberately fo' that
r purpose at the bidding Of their Pric'i'. II
L was the greatest display ofprioslly Povere'-
er exhibited in this part Of i.'dFogld since
6 the days Of the mos, ultra puritan rule.
That there would have been 4 Know.Nc-
j. ,k;,, ,,.,,, a., M,,.,.Lr-c,t. b,J tho nov