Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-04-22
THE "KNoW-NoTHrNos.n

e'Hee' ana siHce lhen II mas spread, and is now
SPREADING with great rap!dity all over the coun.
try and from the knowledge of the society
winch circumstances have impaired we have nc
doat. thai every village in the land will soon
have its lodge of "Know-Nothings."
Except the members themselves, we presume
mot no ona really knows anything about the
"hnow- .iothings," more than what their acts
have divulged. Those acts vcry plainly prove
Tat the political object of the Association is
{ to destroy the influence of the foreign vote in
our elections Of every description, and thus it
is Native American in all its feelings and SYM
pathies. The success which has attended its
exertions, denote the popularity of the Society
and as this foreign vote is almost wholly con-
nected with the interests of the Democratic
party, we have consequently seen none bat De-
mocratic papers which assail and condemn it.
We are only astonished that such Il society
as the "know-NotLings" has not long since
been established in this country-if, 10 fact,
its object is to prevent foreigners who settle
amongst us from directing our social and poll
teal affairs, by banding themselves together
for that purpose. If so, it is one which cannot
fail to find warm and influential supporters in
every section OF the Union.
We are no enemy of the foreigner-far from
it. No matter from what part Of the globe a
man m from, to enjoy the blessings of our
free institutions, if he be honest, upright and
intelligent, and with 4 proper modesty which
Restraints him from endeavoring to figure and
to lead in our political affairs, he should re-
ceive the respect and the brotherly recognition
Of every American citizen, who is sufficiently
noble himself to extend the hand of friendship
and esteem to the man who deserves it, whe-
Their his birth place was near the grave of
WAsHIyGTo n or the toDbs of Westminster
Abbey. But, if he comes into our country a
brawler and a rioter, who has never had any
other feeling than that which the lash of tyran-
ny gives-whose moral instincts have never
known the promptings of virtue and gratitude,
and whose life has been passed amidst the vii
. Shho u u'iih NOiiAtt'h tlii4 YAK iAihAioi /
in the old worlG-if, we say, such come into
eur land, and are determined to ming'e il our |
and destroy the purity of the ballot.
box, the palladium of our Liberty, then We ssy ,
the strong arm should be raised, and force met
BY force if our Institutions are to be preserved. /!
And as this seems to be the main aim of the
Know othings," we can only say. that j, is
me which every trre>hearted America an citizen
will rejoice to see carried out.
Rejecting upon the enormous and ~increas-
ne number Of foreigners who are daily flock
TO our shores from every part of the habi-
glo5e-thcre were five hundred thousand
.uring lS53-of every trade and profession,
nd Of every aim and ambition under the sun,
nd we may add every vice, it is a wonder that
UGH 4 society as the "Know-NothiDgs' has
OF long since been established.
There is not a nook and corner of our wide
pread land, but the foreigner, from some part
t Europe or other quarter of the world, will
e found pursueing to advantage some vocation
r other, while his neighbor in the same bust
ess, an American native born, may be anguish
g for the want of support. Who has not
cen many instances of this kind? This fact
hould satisfy them that the native born has
o prejudice against the foreigner. On the con-
rary, the hand of friendship and of patronage
as always been extended wherever it is de-
erved.
1t seems to us that if immigrants seek our
hores that they may be protected by our free
ag, live under the outrageous foliage of our
land, without the fear of the c%onscript
lttoo and the tax extortioner, and enjoy every
which the sons of our revolutionary
res enjoy, surely snch equaIities and such :
should satisfy for a term of years at !
the most restless and unruly, before they f;
Jingle in the strife of our elections. Ii salts !
cd with the manner in which we manage GU ;
overnment, before they leave the land of their !.
nth because of its misrule and lack of the .
essings of life, every prompting of propriety :,
I'd modesty, if nothing else, should induce !,
EN- to allow US thus to conduct our political ),
Fairs without their interference, (whateyer ;.
lght be the complexion Of existing Iaws) un- .
after the lapse Of a series of years, when !.
Ime and a practical knowledge Of our politi- !,
| interests and political differences should .
We them a legitimate right to endeavor to 9
We their political wishes carried ont BY ap- :.
aling to the ballot-box. And we have no :
ubt that there are and have been thousands ;;
foreigners who would thus be contented to e
G in our land, free from the excitements and :.
cesses of politics, were there not u~nfortu- :.
te'y individuals everywhere, belonging to a :,
rty which requires no deviation to mention,
10 are ever on the alert whispering political =,
into their willing ears, pouring poi. :,
n and prejudice into their minds against ano. "
II party Of which they know little or nothing, g,
Tile the maddening goblet finishes the work, 80
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