Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-12-29

ganizstion itself we do not look upon as per-
manent Ii secret character has, doubtless.
contributed greatly to its amazingly rapid
development, but having served its pur-
pose, II will hereafter prove an injury rather
than benefit. Publicity is the law Of A.
mcrcan affairs, ard every political agency
which means 10 operate powerfully on those
affairs must observe 1t. The organization
must rid itself of its secrecy of operation.-
Ii, as is SAID, it puts any sort of civil disabl-
ity upon men for the mere possession Of
particular religious belief, il will have 10
give up all such arbitrary prescription. No
such intolerance is admitted as VIC UNDER
stand, in the order rs IT exists, in several Of
the Southern states, and It cannot long sus-
tain the force of intelligent discussion any
where. We look upon these features, OF
what has been styled the Know Nothing par
ty, as merely non essential and injurious, and
therefore temporary. The design OF amend
ing the naturalization laws and the spirit OF
resistance to foreign Influence, both internal
external, and the disposition 10 hold TO the
living idens and the solid rules Of the carly
DAYS Of the Republic in distinction from the
empty chimeras of modern radlcalisin, are
calculated to predispose oil truly conserva-
tive men in their favor, and will, IN the end,
consolidate a party, made up, as we may
trust, Of the best elements OF oil those now
existing, which shall exert redeelning, and
we may hope, an abiding influence upon the
des,inies of the country. There are agen-
ces in operation, not vet distinctly manifest
TO the public eye. which are fast producing
this result, It is sufficient that II will advance
rapidly enough TO have most important
bearing upon the next Presidential election.
In another quarter we also find Indications
entirely adverse to Know NothngIsm, as q
secret political society. though not adverse
to genuine Americanism. We refer to
Pnndms .Naga- ne--one Of the ablesi and
best Of the country. The number for Jan
uary has a somewhat elaborate and very in
terestng article on secret societies from old
en- time until the present. concluding thus:
Strong, however, as the impelling motives
Of these associations are, the forces of Co
hesion which bring them together and the
outside pressures which keep them so. they
are intrinsically exposed TO one or the 9th
er of two fatalities. They corrupt inwardly
or they provoke outward hosilities that be
come their ruin. No matter how pure their
original intentions, they sooner or later de-
generate or, if they do not degenerate,
they get to be so powerful, that society, by
an instinct Of self preservation, rises against
their life. I he ancient mysteries were un-
doubtedly at the outset purely religious OBJ
seTvances, bu; they became the scenes Of a
/ lcentlOusness which can not be expressed
IN words, the very name Of their ceremonies,
orgi0, now sigEifyng whatever is detcs-
table and repuslve IN human Indulgence
The schools OF Pythagoras, IN Greece, at
last excited an indignant Instruction OF the
people. The secret discipline of the early
church. in It's niliatorv rites have grown in
: to the reserve and the rnunneries Of Ro-
inansm- The Knights lemplars. who pro-
lected the political unity OF Europe, ended
as n grispn AMI avoricious sect. ! he
Froemdsons have never recovered the abduc-
ton Of Morgan, aud if we may believe De
Quincy, Their prnclpa secret now is. the
imposing style in which the Right Worship
tul Grand Master causes the trembling neo-
phyie To "iork over" his two guneus for q
general supply of brandy and water. In a
word, our humanity will not be cheated Il
vii! not permit any of its representatives to
seclude themselves with impunity from the
general mass; even IN its own apparent in
teresls; for when they make the attempt, it
either wthhods from them the sources of
life, allowing them to dwindle and mortiv
like limb cut from the parent body, or II
stimulates the jealousy OF its fellows into
internecine hatred
We have made a long preamble, in what
has been said, to few words which we have
to utter about the Know Nothings-bu it
was necessary TO proper understanding OF
the subject. 1t seems to us that the society
which baptises lis members as ignoranuses,
and which has made such strange havoc Of
late among the political part!ess ,.esrep soeisc
ties gone before. 1t has originated in many
of the same causes, and will, IN all proba-
bility share the same fate. Whether It's oh
iects are as dgpificd or liberal as some Of
theirs have been, we can not say, because
in respect to those objects it is literally nes-
Gent II refuses to declare iis purposes,
save as they may be learned from It's acts,
which fall, ever and anon, like Chaps of thun-
| der upon a startled world. But II Is quite
universally believed that lis ann is TO estab-
I lish strict Americanism IN the public life
of tins country; and, in order to accomplish
that end, TO exclude all foreigners, especially
Roman Catholics, from the pursuit OF Office.
If this be so, we feel bound 10 say, that ITS
doctrine, us well as its discipline, is ohJec-
tionable, and that neither Democracy moi
Christianity will Justify the means or the
ends 10 the purpose.
As to the former, unless we have grossly
mistaken the fundamental principles of I
true State, ana a true Church, the very ldei
} Of secret organization is at war with buii
, at war with the grand humanitary aims
{ their open, frank, manly, and comprehensive
q character. Democracy Is theory of socie
: ty, which rests the liberty of all men upo
n footing of perfect equaty, and bounds il
n symnathlcs only by the good of the Who'll
J. people. Il concentrates nothing less tina
c ,he Com,nonweal,h or ns The word truly SD
v ui6es the co,nn,nn veal /, can euter,,i,
: ,hereiors no ye,v friendlv fs,ling ,nr an
q sche,ns Of .c,ion which f,lls sbo,, ~ m,
:. .yal,ed a,d ;,,n,,,,sI scon, Tn,,o,s,t
- ~, s,', ~ wv o.f,,,,,, g. 80.