Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-06-02
DAILY EVENING STAR
THE MAYORALTY.
THE "KNOW NOTHMGS "

THE KNOW NOTHMGs
This subterranean order, in view of the a,
proaching election for Mayor of Washington
mas mad recently, it is we'll known, distir
guisned acquisition to its ranks Some of on
cilzens-men heretofore much esteemed fc
an exalted worth, appreciated for a suppose
BUSINESS OF character and liberality of min
and sentiment, have fallen victims tn a meo
ambition by subscribing to the tenets of tbo
order. 1t is said that among others who hav
entered the ranks Of this anti American an,
anti Christian associatiOn-this order. whicl
moves by stealth and in darkness-is enumer
ated the name of John 7. Towers ESQ. He
Is not denied by his peculiar friends, il
their candidate for the Mayoralty.
Believing this to be truth, / have deter
mined to present to the public some views i,
regard to the origin Of this organization. ant
It's tendency to leopard the permanency of ou
institutions ". w.
My fears are founded upon a knowledge O.
human nature and experience as to the anna
rent success of all evil designs Error once
successfully engrafted upon the body polite, il
like cancer in the human system; the more it i.
tampered with, the more it seems to propa.
gate its malignant fbres through the systen
until it destroy it. The only successful mode
OF treatments is cauterism and the knife. Hence
the treatment recommend is that there shall
be visited upon membersof of this new order
wherever known or may be reached, an appIi
cation to themselves of their own PRINCIPLES.
That they shall be prescribed for their anti.
republican and intoierant sentiments. That
they shall not be encouraged by bounty upon
thelr efforts against society, against human
right, against Christianity. Before proceeding
further, will say something of the origin Of
this peculiar order:
IT. Is said that tho pr;no;,Ios ,,~ -,
it is founded, or in other words, that its organ
lc law, emana ated from the mind of felon
whilst writing in the pangs of despair in the
gloomy cells of the Too1nbs, Sing Sing. or
Blackwcll's island, New York, few Years
ago. mind thus oppressed by what he CON
sidered the tyranny of the law which incarce-
rated him, could have no love for the lust
principles of that law, or love for his fellow
man upon which to base system for his ame-
Iteration and happiness Whilst thus incar.
cerated, he looked out through the damps of
the dungeon upon the happiness of the world
with the same mafignancy Of feeling as did
Satan, when he obtained the first view of the
sublime beauties and happiness of Eden. He
determined that it should be marred. nav de-
strOyed. He saw, as it were, without, through
the mists of his loathsome and gloomy cell. a
beautiful country-a free country-ia which
the people from every cline commingled So
S....iy In harmony and brotherly love, and in
the freedom of the law. He saw with the
eyes of deamon, and with the malignancy of
a bad spirit, the native American, the Saxon,
the grave and sedate German, the vivacious
Frenchman, the Granny Scott, the warm heart
ed patriotic and impulsive son of Erin, who
had been driven by oppression to our shores
honestly laboring through the week to build
up our cities, and to supply their own neces-
sites. He saw them on the Sabbath, each
vending their way with cheerful mien to the
house of God, having consciousness of the
freedom of the American law, and with hearts
profoundly sensible of the privileges which
had been secured by the patriots of the Anle-
rican Revolutionary of their own country
men-and the Statesmen who organized the
federal system under which we live. Each
moved along thanking the deliverers, who in
the Providence of God had opened I'D this
great, this blessed land, for their abiding
place.
Such was the lovely picture that the felon
saw when the evil spirit within prompted him
to organize the system for its destruction now
embraced under the sanctity of an oath, by
those who call themselves Know. Nothings,
among whom it is said is enrolled the name of
Mr.. Towers, as leader. / might with pro-
priety say-looking to all the consequences
Immediately and remotely involved-that if
this order succeed, Satan will indeed have set
up his kingdom in our midst. His followers
in this city are many it is said-almost in the
proportion as the bad men upon earth out
number the good. Yet it becomes every man
nerved by consciousness Of his own good
principles, and his honesty, by his love for Or
der and good government, and the happiness
of his fellowman, to attack this evil fercely,
and call upon all good citizens, without dis
tinction of party, to aid him in an effort to
put it down.
And what are the principles of this order
II is said that they take an oath-nay, know
it to be the fact that they take an oath, and
that they call upon God to witness that oath
that they will, by all the means which they
can bring to bear upon our republican system
of Government, endeavor to have engrafted
upon it the following anti-republican and anti
christian principles
/. The remuneration OF all previously enter
tanned political principles, and the co-opera-
ton exclusively with the new order, in enforc.
ing its principles by secresy and adroitness.
2. The holding Of neither political or reli-
gious intercourse with any person who is a
Catholic; but, on the contrary, to use all
available means to abolish the political and
religious privileges he may at present enjoy.
3. That he will not vote for any man for
Office who is not native citizen of the United
States, or who may be disposed, if elected, to
place any foreigner or Catholic in any office
of emOlument or trust-the latter not being, in
the opinion of Know Nothings, a credible wit
ness in any case, unless the oath be admins
tered by priest.
How can they abolish the political and re-
ligious privileges that the Catholic enjoys in
this country, unless they do it in defiance OF
the constitution and the laws Of the land, OF
unless they can control majority of the re
presentatives of the people and Of the State:
in the Federal Legislature, and three -fourthI
of the State Legislatures; and through tha
means get the constitution amended. Suct
an effort, however, would be futile.
Know Notbingism will, l hope, be confined
to the large cities-those places that the i'm
mortal patriot and statesman Jefferson, willis
living, pronounced to be "sores upon the bod.
polite. When the virtuous population q
the rural districts of the country shall speaf
ON this subject their voice, whilst it will carry
consolation to the heart of the poor exile wht
came to this country for love Of liberty, and t,
get rid of oppression, il will cause the cheek
of those subterranean disorganizers to blanel
with fear, and their trembling knees to tOtte
under their cowardly hearts. They who thu
conceal their principles-such as they are
by solemn OATH cannot be brave. The trul.
brave are generous They have soul; ant
when they embark in d cause the adyarsar.
has notice of their approach. But these mel
entertain and propagate principles SO odiou
that they dare not avow openly to respectabl
and honest citizens the fact that they entertain
them, -.@ .-..
The members of this order are sworn, it i
said to deny all political privilege to Catho
| lies and those not born upon the soil. Accord
| ing to our institutions majority, in one sense
will have the power to do it. If majority ar
to rule in deciding the contest, the Know