Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-09-16
THE KNOW NOTHING SUBJECT.

|
facts which may be furnished you. With that view,
| then + send you the following articles from the
! Richmond Examiner and Norfolk Beacon. The first
I of these is we'll known to the public one OF the
| ablest Democratic papers IN the Union. l..
! On A VERY KNoTTY SUBJEcT-We have more than
! once spoken in unmeasured censure of the Know
! Nothings. We have recently learned more about
them from intelligent persons, whom we suppose to
be members. None of them avow membership
| We have no idea of intentionally misleading our
readers on any subject, and WILL there fore, do these
people the justice of stating, impartialy, what we
understand to be the Know Nothing view of the
Know Nothing Question.
They avow no opinions nor creed They present
no salient point of assault. They repel no attack
nor unjust imputation upon their conduct ends or
motives. They engage in no controversies-do their
work quietly, peaceably and efectually-making no
a"owals- asking no aid-taking counsel of the
world Their only language to the world is, Judge
US by our works'-the tree by it's fruits. Their OBJ
ject and aim is to build up baance-power in the
land which shall neuraze the sway of fanatcism at
the North, and of the foreign vote at elections
They say that the rancor of party spirit and the
equpoise subssting between the two regular political
organizations of the country have led each party at
the North to court and consort with that bane of
nationality and breaker before the Ship of State
Notwithstanding it vitality and political con-
troll which it could not secure ofitsel which is fac
tous altogether, and in the last degree pernciouS.
They say too that this same partzan rancor and
party equilibrium have given Ike political ON
Impotence in this country to the foreign vote
investing
broad the moment of setting foot on American soil,
with the same voice in the affairs ofthe Republic
which is enjoyed by native and educated citizens
giving them in fact, greater control in our public
affairs than equal numbers of native citizens, by
virtue of their being constituents ola balance power
thus breaking down all the barriers to naturaliza
tion and all probation to citizenship.
This new organization, therefore aims to erect
itself into balance power, strictly neutral between
the two regular political organizations of the
try, which shall counterpoise neutralze annihilate
the present political omnpotence Of those otherbal
ance powers in the land-namely, abolition ncendi-
arism at the North, and that uncurbed foreignism
that is having its way with public affairs wher
ever it plants itself down in the country.
Hence the Know Nothings have incurred the ven
omous hostility of the Abotonists and the violent
ennity of the educated Catholics. They profess to
oppose both those classes national and somewhat
similar grounds. They make upon all creeds
which acknowledge higher authority than the Con-
stitution and laws. They oppose Abolitionism be-
appealing to its higher Law for the justifca-
ton of its aims and purposes and they oppose Cath
o!icsm because, as they aege, It subordnates its
allegiance to the Governmcnt its allegiance to the
Pontticate. Yet they make no war on Catholicism
a religious social institution, but only apo
tca power carrying theirepposition no farther than
preventing its members from holding Office They
allege that so far from exciting mob violence and
Church burning at the North against Catholics,
their principles require them to interfere for the pro-
lection of Catholic persons and property from vio
lence. In short they claim nationality as the fun
danenta idea in their creed, and motive in their
duct EsT s
This, we understand to be their own view of the 1
expediency necessity and propriety of their organ
iZation. .s&S
The organization seems therefore a compound of
Unionism and native Amercanism, using the tactics
of Free Masonry, with Nationality their shibbol
eth. For ourselves we fear we enjoy two euafca-
tons for the ordcr-having great admiration for
Unonism, except in its hostility to Abotonisn-or
for Native Americanism, in far as it aims to
institutions from the control of the igno
rant and depraved among foreigners. Having no af
filiation with the
"Brothers of the mystic tie"
and boasting very small share of nationality. We
go for the South more than for the Unon-the South
first, last and all the time We suppose Know
Nothingism to be bitter agant Seccssionism as a
gainst Abolitionsm-yet we hold to that measure |
not as presently expedient but as the only ultimate
remedy and redress for the South regarding it |
somewhat as GuiZot regarded similar right in
other state of society, of which he says:
1.-The right of resistance which the feudal system |
Ito which federal system is strkngly similar
maintained and practiced, the right of personal
resistance terrible, unsocial right since it appeals
to force and to war, which is the destruction of
ciety itself; right which nevertheless, should ner-
be abolished from tile heart Of for ats a6oli-
ton is the accepatiOn Of sereitue. 1t is the boast
of civilization, we might say Democracy in easel
to render this right of resistance always useless and
inactive is the boast of feudalism I'VE might say
the State Rights ofpoltics in easel to have
stantly professed and defended it
Nor do we believe that Catholicism per Sc dis |
qualities for office with Know Nothingism; and |
have not regarded, since leaving the Sunday |
School and graduating in the Shorter Catechism,
Catholic priests and popes modern Anthropop- |
hagi who delight in devouring tender children and
horribly treating innocent young women and tough
old ones or as half so severe oil either creature
thing Puritans used to be witches and broom
stick seronauts.
We admit that the great desderatum in regard to
foreignism is-how to separate the vicious bestal |
and nomadic from the better class of aliens. The !
Know Nothing remedy proposes absolute denial of
suffrage to the alien born /; and the closing of our
ports against and sending away from shores of
all who cannot furnish proof of moral worth, and
who cannot pass the physical ordeal of jury de
pore inspiccendo. We do not go that far by any
means but the Know Nothings have right to
their opinions on the subject we'll as we have
to
For ourselves regard the principles of the DEM
ocratic party, announced by its national conven
TONS the best guarantee of the rights and instu
tons of the South while the Union lasts and in
hurry to give the party up We should not be
apt to quit this great and tried national organza
ton for new one, ifthe new avowed its prin-
ciples and stood out before the world as plain as
city hill and certainly shall hunt it up in
its and secret abodes to become part and
parcel of it. Yet understanding that it harbors no
hostility to the Democratic party nor to the South,
her institutions; and believing that if monster
at all, it is too ugly customer to be triied WITH
we have no disposition to muck with it as yet
or to waste our powder and shot by blazing away
at it in the dark. Judging by its polled else
where, it numbers as many Democrats as Wings
and judging from its liberal bestowal of Office on
Democrats, it has not done the party much harm as
yet. We shall, at least for the present, save ammu
milton and surplus rhetoric, trust to Providence and
Ena1 dry ahori hot |