Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-05-30
THE KNOW NOTHING SOCIETY


The following article from the New York Com
mercial advertiser meets with our hearty appro-
val. All secret political organizations should be
discountenanced, for if the ma ority can't rule in
fair contest we had better doff our republican
ism and don that of the Cossack. That which
will not bear the light had better never come to
the light but always remain in oblivion. These
secret organizations are engines of great power,
and can be and will be used for evil as well as
good. Let great care be taken then how they are
encouraged:
But leaving out of view, entirely, the one Sc
cret political society, the Know NOthings, let us
look at the general question. Are such organiza-
tons in accordance with the genius of our repub-
lican institutions! We unhesitatingly answer,
no. They are totally opposed to that bold, man.
" frankness and candor which are inherent in the
American character, originated and fostcred by
American institutions. The enlightened Amerl-
can citizen-the an who feels the responsible
ties and appreciates the high privileges of his citi-
zenship-who loves freedom for its own sake, and
will suffer anything rather than betray it-who is
prepared, at any cost, as every American ought to
be. to assert at the ballot box his right to voice
in choosing his law makers and his Government
is out of his true element in secret political Or
eanization. Free suffrage and secret combina-
be Sccrcsv in political movements necessarily
implies one of two things-either cOwardce that
dare not avow the right and maintain it; or a con-
seriousness of wrong and guilty determination to
persist in it.
But more than this may be said of secret politi-
cal associations. Not only do they not accord
with the genius of free institutions, but they are
positively hostile to and destructive of popular
liberty. Whatever plea of expediency may be
urged for their existence under despotic Govern
ments, nothing can be said in their defence under
such Government as ours. They are evils IN
herently; subversve of Government whether that
Government be good or bad. Under the latter,
this very power of subverting Is their only use,
and they never rise to higher character than
that they are the less of two evils. But under a
free Government they are still subvcrsive-their
inherent properties not changed-and they are
therefore unmitigated, unqualified evils; they
subver not the despotic and the bad, but the free
and the good. They cannot co-eXlst with good
Government. Their secret combinations consti-
tutc power, which may ut any moment over
throw the Government and introduce anarchy or
dcspotism. They take the mass Of citizens at a
acknowledgements them by an ambuscade--
spring a mine upon thcm-when those citizens lit
tie suspect danger in the entire absence OF symp
toms of its approach.
But the aims of secret society may be in
themselves GOOD. Admitted. What then? Can
right ends be justly or safely pursued by wrong
means? Must principles submit to circumstances,
or must circumstances be governed by principles.
1t would be right to elect the best and most up
right citizen that could be found i'll the City to the
Office of mayor, but it would be wrong to do this
by illegal voting. 1t is pleasing circumstance
to have we'll governed city, but this must not be
obtained by Il violation of the cardinal principles
of popular freedom. The end sought to be nc
comp shed hy secret societies does not sanctify
orcncy nj secret socipties which are an iuIuS-
tce to the citizens excluded from the combina
ton.
And further it is the nature of such associations
to Degenerate. All history proves this. Secret
power is irresponsible power, and irresponsible
power always dcrcncrates into cruel tyranny
The Star Chamber of England, the Jacobins
of Franco, tn, Inqusiton of Spain, all prove
th. yet in those cases the parties were known
and their proceedings only were secret. But the
organization in our midst is secret with respect to
both persons and proceedings, and the tendency
to degenerate is prOportionably greater. Indeed
the downward progress has already commenced, a
recent ward meeting demonstrating it. This de-
generating process is perfectly natural, and as
such is inscpcrablc from secret political organiza
tons. Let the first purpose be ever so good and
patriotic, and their original membership never so
worthy, such an association must become the raj
lying point for men of mean, cowardv, vindic-
tive lawlcss natures, because it supplies the very
agency for gratifying such propensities. Thus
can they vent their spleen, indulge their spite, Or
exclude from Office any magistrate who faithfully
cnforccs the law. This is IA consideration which
ought to have weight with people who must re-
ly upon themselves for a good Government. Eve
ry American, because he is an American, should
to the utmost of his power, dscOuntenance Sc
crct political societias. They are un-American,
un-republican, degrading to the American char
actcr and inimical to free institutions.