Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-27
THE KNOW NorHINes
by KNOW SOMETHING.

INV eiiiS ne" poll.lcal secret society alter
the following fashion: A.s s'i Z" 2l
There are certain persons who 90 about
town whispering strange things. They
surprise everybody by announcing that a
= surprise party" is to elect the city Of
ficials in June. This will be effected, say
they, without noise or preparation. Our
municipal fabric is to go up like the tenn
pie Of Solomon, upon which was heard
neither hammer nor axe, nor anv tool OF
non while it was building. These mys-
terlous gentlemen, who are spreading a
panic fear among the young and timid,
constitute the occult poiitico-religious sect
of the " Know Nothings." IT, gentle
reader, YOU would find out who they are.
and what they are driving at, VIC can put
you IN the way. When an acquaintance
scratches his left eyebrow with bis right
iorefinger, and locks straight into your
eyes, you may be sure he has not known
enough to keep out of bad company. Or
if, when he shakes hands with YOU. he
presses with his middle finger the lowest
joint of your little finger, he is certainly
an lgnoramuS after the new fashion. In
the latter case say, where did YOU get
that g he will answer, sT don't know
This is untrue. But to beeven. with him.
you must tell the same fib by replying,
Il don't know either" After these pre-.
limlnaries, enter into conversation with
him, and you will find that he really
knows very little about the society into
which he has been inveigled, and little
suspects that he is under the orders of
that notorious scapegrace. Ned Buntline.
Commander-in Chief at New York Head
Quarters.
If the members Of the new order do
not know what it is, other people are
more fortunate. 1t is only the meal with
which the starved old cat of Native
Americansm has covered itself for .hc
better entrapping Of young and unsus-
pecting rats. The Natives cannot con-
tent themselves with their American
Order" but must "come down" upon
the communityin this new form, making
society quake with their oracular givings-
out and ominous snakings of the head
The only historical parallels of the pres
ent panic are to be found in the terrors
of the ancient Romans, when poltroon
sons of the noble sires went through the
forum, telling with white lips, that the
Goths or Vandal were advancing through
the fertile fields of Etfuiia toward the
gates of the Eternal City.
There is no serious cause Of alarm,
however. The new order has established
several '' wigwams" in this city, without
enlisting more than one in ten of the
Native Americans themselves. If the
fun of organizing repays the members
for the expense, they certainly can 90 on
ad Hbifum. But really =" the game is not
worth the candle
The q Know Nothings" are the only
Order that asks an applicant for admis-
sion who his grandfather as or is. If
man can not show that his grandfather
was born in this country, he can't come
in. Out West, where a man is not sup
posed by these anti-wiseacres to have a
grandfather or know much about him,
the parents must be Of American birth.
At any rate, the applicant must be such
a Jealous anti-Catholic and Native as 10
be willing to swear an active and con-
slant social, political, religious and civil
hostility to all Catholics ard foreigners.
lie must bind himself by sort of Ham
nibal oath to do his utmost to exclude
the prescribed classes from all political
privileges and office.
The - signs and passwords" for ad-
mission into lodge are simple enough. We
give them for the benefit tofmembers having
short memories. Rap at the outer door sew
eral times in quick succession As the door
keeper peeps through the wicket, ask him
- What meets here TO nightl" He will
answer 81 don't knor." Reply 81 an
o,.e," and he will open the door. Rap
four times slowly and distinctly at the
second door. On its being opened, whis-
per to the conductor (. Iaifeea," and
pass in.
If you wish to retire before the adj
iournment, salute the President, who sits
at one end of the room, and the Wee
President, who sits at tie other, by
placing your right hand on your left
breast, and as you pass out, whisper to
the dOorkeeper the word: &C Thirteen"
supposed to have reference to the old
Thirteen States.
The Know Nothings" have great
faith in the mysterious virtue of the
number three. They have three degrees,
and after taking one, three weeks must
elapse before another can be taken.
Three times three makes nine, number
whose magical power is acknowledged by
all professors of the Back Art.
1t would require more faith in magic
than we possess to attach much impor-
tance to this new phase of nativism.
The order is sort of pirate craft that
Ned Buntline has rugged up and Set
ahoat it scareS the old women and boys
on the political coast, but will be blown
sky high by the first regular cruiser that
meets it. Men know little about it and
exaggerate it; the rumbling of go-cart
on bridge may be mistaken for thunder,
and musquito near the end Of ones
nose for an eagle poised high in air.
Wait few days days and the order will
be recognized to be one of Med Bunt-
lines Own" as illegitimate in politics as
the novels by the same author are in
literature.
A great city like this is not to be gov
erned by mountebank jugglery, The
farty that would rule must show more
judgment, discretion, toleration and abil
IL IL L r -