The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-12-06
Gbr Rraistrr.
MIDDLEBURY, DEC. G, 1854.
The Old Parties and the New
" Republicanism'' and Know
Nottingham

The utter breaking-up of the political
parties that have alternately fuled the
nation since tho Presidency of Andrew
Jackson, has been. for good while pre-.
dictcd by leading presses in various
quarters Some of those, even, that have
rendered tho most efficient pnrtizan ser
vices in years past, havc-with great
resignation, if not with openly avowcd
satisfaction conceded the certainty OF
this result. While these views have been
steadily gaining ground, and all have be.
gun to see clearly that revolution must
come, certain unlocked for events have
within the last few months, given new
and powerful impulses to the movement
The destructive process has actually and
vigorously commenced, if it is not al
ready fully completed. a feeble rem.
naut may perhaps be rallied under, each
of the old Wig and Democratic banners
for the next Presidential compaign, but
they will be poworless, if not hopeless
Those banners, it is nov generally
felt. may hereafter better be hung in the
cabinet than Haunted in the field.
President Piorce's administration was
fast running the Democratic party
would of itself have completed its ami
hilatiou. Divisions existed in the Wing
party which would have prevented its re.
vival, with any great strength, after the
unparalleled defeat of 1852. But, two
leading and powerful causes unknown
and suspected until few months
since, have precipitated the crisis, and
already introduced US to a new era in
politics. We allude to the Nebraska
excitement. and to the {" Know Nothing
or American movement
The Nebraska &C, has utterly dismcm-
bered the Democratic party at the North,
and the Wing party at the South, at the
same time that it has severed the North.
crn Wings in a body from their former
associates in the Slaveholding states.
In ccasing to be national the Wing par.
ty in effect ceased to exist at all. Hence
at the North, there has generally, in the
late elections, been a consolidation of all
those opposed to the Nebraska act into
one Republican, organization. which
has swept everything before it, in those
States where no new element was intro
duced The Wings were the nucleus Of
this new party. and the cntire Frcesoil
party. with large accessions from the
Democratic ranks, made up the balance
Had this state of things continued
without any now party element. we
should have had two parties at the
North. ono the remnant of an Admins
iration rarty,in favor Of propagnting and
perrctrating Slavery in this country
the other a great and triumphant Rep
ublican" party, before which the power
of Slavery must inevitably succumb, or
the union be dissolved alternative @.
qually fatal to the South, and the re-
sponsibility for which must rest with the
supporters OF Slavery alone. The intcn.
sity of feeling on the Nebraska villainy
throughout the North had unqucstiona.
bly, prepared the minds of a majority of
the people of the free States, at least
during the height Of the excitement. for
such sectional division There was,
indeed at one time every appearance
that the next Presidential campaign
would be fought OH sectional issues alone.
and with fearful odds against slavery
and its defenders.
More recently strong element has
appeared in several of the State elections
more especially in Maine, New York
Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Della.
ware-which promises to upset all out
side calculations, aud to render the data
for such calculations as uncertain as they
are inaccessible A few moro revolutions
like that just witnessed in Massachusetts,
accomplished by agencies entirely con
cealed from the public at large, and ut
terly disappointing the most confident
cxpcctations--would not only demon,
trate the perfect helplcssness aud hope
lessness of the old party organizations.
but would show conclusively that an
other has sprung forth armed, in day,
before which no other will be able to
stand.
An editor who is unable to unfold the
secret purposes and principles of this
marvellous order, where it began, how
far it extends, and what is to be its cf.
feet on the " Republican, movement, may
Justly hold himself excusable for his
ignorance BY the outside public de-
nominated "Know-N Nothing" its alleged
objects are resistance to foreign inhu
ence in our elections, and the exclusion
of the fpreign.born from Office 1t is al
so said that Roman Catholics, whether
forcign-born or native, are placed under
similar ban. 1t is believed that this
secret order prevails extensively at The
South as well as at the North Tho Ad
ministration being arrayed against it, o