Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-08-07
The KnoWeNothinss.

"
heralded forth as part of their creed,
"war to the hilt on Romanism, aud oppo-
sition 10 Foreigners in general. The ex-
PLANTATION now offered is, that it is opposi-
ton to "Roman Catholic politics." and pot
to the "Roman Catholic religion" Now
can any one inform US what the politics of
the Roman church are? It is a species O!
political belief of which We have never
before heard, ard We are sure the an
nouncement will De news to the Roman
Catholics in .,his section.
:. W2tson Webb, in his Courier and En-
quirer Of the 29th ult.. says that he lis
in favor Of the repeal of our naturalization
laws, and of refusing to all foreigners the
right Of suffrage, and consequently the
right to hold office, in this country, unless
by the special action Of Congress, for mer-
itorious services done the country. He is
said to be know-nothina although he
denies it. This, it would seem, is one Of
the leading features Of the organizations
and with opposition to catholicism, eonstl-
tutes the sum total Of their platform.
While we do not intend here to go into
an extended argument defining our views
of this organization. it may not be
amiss to compare the spirit which animates
these new lights, to that which influenced
the bosoms Of our revolutionary sires, and
drove ,hem to declaration of rights, aud
a struggle for their maintenance. In that
declaration, We find the following language.
HE has endeavored to preveat tie pop.
ulation Of these States, for that purpose.
obstructing the laws for tie Naturalization
of foreigners: refusing to pass Others to
encourage their migratioA bither, and rais-
ing the conditions Of new appropriations
OF lands"
Such were some Of the reasons which
the signers Of the declaration of indepen-
dence urged in justification Of that paper.
Such We're some Of the causes which lead
! to tie Revolutionary conflict, and which
secured to us the liberty we now enjoy
( Foreigners placed their names to that
declaration, pledging their lives, their for
tunes and their sacred honor, to stand by
it. Foreigners drew their swords, and
split their blood, in defending the spirit
and principle Of that declaration. Yet
outstanding this, the 18th century
the century Of fanatics and isms--has
given birth to class of persons--doub tless
many Of them the direct descendants oil
Foreigners, who raise their puny arms of
rebellion against the principles Of the
declaration Of independence, ard OF the
Constitution Of the United States. Are
they purer and wiser than our forefathers
that they should thus aspire to undo what
by them was done-and sealed aud rem
dered sacred BY their blooda Have they
at heart more dearly the honor, welfare
and perpetuity Of our institutions than the
men who sacrificed all in their defence -
We opine not !. and if we do not much
mistake. the conservative, independent,
national spirit Of cur country will cry
down, and defeat the ungodly aims OF
these fanatics. II would be black day
for constitutional liberty, and republican
government, such as ours, when the works
Of our revolutionary heroes and statesmen
shall be repudiated, by :hc American PEG.
pie, and in their stead erected platfor M
whose tenets would contravene the whole
policy of the country. Should such ever
be the case, the stars aud stripes should be
rolled up, and touched with the torch that
set OH fire the Ephesi an Dome. The Ea-
gle-the emblem OF our destiny-shoala
be then enshreuded in mourning, aud with
a requiem Of despair over the ascending
smoke, depart from its throne to appear no
more. The essence Of our institutions will
have been sapped, and the great SUPER
structure Of constitutional Freedom, will
stand amid the ruins, sbeared OF its fair
proportions, wreck Of our former great
ness
Our constitution has the following very
emphatic language, which. it would seem,
was inserted to meet the case now in ques-
ton. How the friends of this new organ
ization can get around this, and still pro-
tess to have regard for their country, We
are at a loss to know:
mo religious test shall ever be required
as a qualification to any Office or public
trust under the United States"
Let every man consider the tendency of
such direct opposition to the letter Of the
Constitution. 1t cannot but encourage a
disregard for our constitutional obligations
1t will bind together the foreign popala-
ton OF the country, who hold the balance
OF power, and will consequently exercise
il to their own interests. Already has
new organization sprung into existence at
the North, which from its name is antago.
nistic to the KNOWN othings. 1t is called
the "Knoat- Something's and originated
with the Gefmans. Such must ineyitabl, |
be the result. Factions, different In aims
incongruous in elements, and hostile in