Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1854-06-23
I" Know Nothings. "

40 any laid down in the books. L" Has il
worked vel! ?" is question which sensible
men always ask in relation to plausible
schemes "Wha: mas he done p Napo
Ieon would demand before asserting to ,ts
promotion Of any new candidate for place
or hor'rs. lfw examine, b. the light
Of Its deeds, the merits cf the order which
has recently exercised so irnpo-tat al in.
fuence on the ioca, politics of our eastern
cities, VIC are forced to favorable conc.u
sion. The first impressions Of the public,
that this mysterious order was au organized
design to secure the sp is Of Office for its
members, and WELD, in secret, the terrors
Of political prescription, has been proved to
te erroneous. In every well au;hentica-
ted instance Of its action, its influence has
been thrown On the right side. In every
case where il has brought forward q NOM
inec of its own it has been superior in
merit to its competitors. 1t has ailaycd
the jealousies arising from personal pre-
tentions, caused candidates to withdraw
who weakened the chances Of SUCCESS and
elected reliable men who were uncouuectcd
With it. Whatever it may do in future,
even its enemies mus: admit that, up to
the present time, it has exhibited iiscrc-
tion, disinterestcduass and public spirit.
We would add that it has already accom-
plished great good, aud will accomplish
more if it viii but guard itself against the
proscriptivc spirit of scctarianism ard the
intrigues Of unprincipled men who would
make it stepping stone to posts Of trust
ana profit.
Secrecy in relation to the names of
members is not in itself a valid objection
to any society. The early Christians of
Rome met in the scpulehral gloom of the
The Swiss patriots who lea
gued themselves with Tell TO redeem their
country from desp";ism Of the Aus,rians
bound themselves not 10 tell each others
namcs; the Carboaori Of Italy, the .Soci-
s,y o. the FtmIics in France, and simili-
ar organizations everywhere recognize the
same principle Of secrecy principle uni.
vs,sally aiciit;ed to lie indispensable to
That it is a wise policy in
resisting the encroachmcn,s Of the Caihol.
&c hierarchy on the purity of cur American
institutions, seems to be proved by cxpe-
vi-nce. The contrary Ole has been tried
withcu. much success. The Jesui;s ami
fsrcignsss Ssier ,heis control have alsays
ncved in solid column to prescribe poll
ticians who dare, to thwart or expose their
plans, and have kept public men in such
fear tha, few haze been found 70 risk their
None Of our statesmen had
the harIihood TO decline the invitation.
three years ago, TO the dinner in honor of
Bishop Hughes :. and aoss os our Federal
Senators werc obsequious 10 Bcdini. The
sOlid column Of Jesui:s and foreigners
phould he met by solid column Of Free
pan and Americans. Parties aud candi-
dates should know that they lose uore
votes by flattering the tools Of foreign
dcsrot than by d,fyins them.
Large cirics especially necd action Of
this kind. As they are the fountains os
public opinion, the object Of the priesthood
Is to get the control Of their political ac-
tion. The principal mode of efccting this
has been tue accumulation of Catholic en,-
migrants on those points, aud unceasing
and systematic efforts to place them in all
the Offices, small or large, within their
Acach. As, with rare exceptions, they
Use for the fur,herancc Of the priesly am
bitinn the influence they acquire, their
promotion has been productive of danger
to ous institutions. The priesthood al
ready enjoys vast wealth and political
power III all our large cities. l. is no Ion.
ger the congregation that owns its church,
parsonage aud graveyard, but the Bishop
who possesses lands and houses, colleges,
hospitals, churches, asylums, nunnerics,
cemeteries, blocks of stores, and school
houses, dwellings and vacant lots, with
sbsolute power to dispose Of them as he
p!eases. lie is an ecclesiastical milliona-
Eie, removable at the pleasure Of fcreigu
po;nntate,. uaconuected by family ties With
the community in which be lives, and
whose only desire in life is to swell the
power Of the Church which never Iies,
aud which persues its plans Of aggrsndise-
ment through centuries ofsleer!e.s action.
To guard against the control of our cities
BY men who are at heart hostile to free
institutions, is a solemn duty. Much can
be effected by steadily voting against the
candidates they patronisc,, aud by the pas
Aase Of general laws against accumulation,
in single hands, of property for ecclesias.i-
cal purposes. The "Know Nothings"
may prove, for these purposes, an efficient
.as;famentality, if they continue to avoid
= sectarian and prcscriptivo spirit. We
shall watch their further public acts with
interest, bestOwing praise or censure as it
may he ,ncritad - pI,1,'J D,,y,, p,,;.,,-