Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-26
SYMPTOMS OF DIsCONTENT-oUT-
SIDE WINGS AND THE NEW
nRnER.

its chieftians Founded in honest times, it could
boast Of honest men and able men. II had It's
Athos, its Aramis, its d 'Artagnan, and its Por-
thos. Almost as much honored by it, defeats as
its victories, il stood up proudly before the coun-
try 1t had statesmen who upheld il in Congress
II had statesmen in the Presidency and in the
Cabinet. 1t had statesmen abroad. One thing
DESTROYED it, Its profound ambition and its love
of spoils The great men Of the party, like hun
pry wolves, quarreled, when successful, over the
prev. The small men Of the party, like the jack
ais that attend the lions followed, each, his pc
culiar favorte Internal dssension, violent as
the wars within the walls Of Jerusalem, crippled
its powers and exhausted its resources. Like
Jerusalem, its walls were broken in and battered
down. II had not only external but internal enc
mics 1t died and was damned From its pntrid
corpse sprung up band of armed men, like
those who sprung from the brain of Minerva
They were full grown and completely equipped
They knew thing or two, and yet they called
themselves Know -nothngs. They pretended to
be harmless, and yet they were most dangerous;
they proclaimed themselves conservatives, and
yet they were most destructive. The Wing party
was dead and buried. The Know-nothing party
was its ghost, AMI appeared on earth to recover
its lost treasure. 1t came humbly and as
mildly and as modestly ghost, but it became
as malevolent and insolent as devil.
The Wing party had virtues, but it also had
vices. II ,cas party. Hhad principles, traditions,
and aaiecedentS. It's ghost arose from the grave
pale with Abolitonism, and its head wreathed
with scorpion isms. Worse than Hamlet, it
would kill its mother, (the State in order to
revenge its father's death--for know-nothingism
has but two motives-frst, hatred Of Democracy;
second, the love of spoils Like the measles or
the whooping cough, or the scarlet fever, it swept
villages 1t carried cities, and even subjugated
States But, like the unfortunate subjects of
those diseases, it exposed TO danger. 1t
caught cold when it reached Virginia--mild and
genial as is the climate.
Now, to quit tropes and figures, the whole
thing was a fraud and cheat. The Wings who
Joined it, thought that successful fraud on De-
mocracy was a virtue. The Democrats who
Joined il thought that triumph would bring spols,
and that spoils constituted every excellence.
The Wing party, the real parent and original
Of the know-nothings, felt condemned and hu-
inflated, when it saw that its pretended death
was understood to be a clreat, and its pretended
phost was known to be a humbug. We verify
believe that the old Wing party could have made
far more successful fight in Virginia than It's
successor II lost courage, and threw away It's
organization In its despair it acted foolishly.
1t is plain, in spite of the clamor of the Know
nothing leaders and organs, TINT large numbers
rrripv sly n n.
and already DESTROYS for a change. 1t is plain
that numbers are leaving the order in every
State II is also plain that those Wings, and they
constitute large force, who, without having join
ed the order, yet sympathised and co-operated
with il, have become disgustcd with its leaders
and its tactics.
Among the old line Wing journals that kept
out of the order, and yet rendered it the most
efficient help, was the Richmond Wing. But no
sooner was the election in Virginia over, than
that journal filed quite long indictment against
the order, containing some grave charges. 1t
complained of the secrecy feature, of the exclu-
sion of outside Wing sympathisers from all par
ticipation in the management and conduct of its
affairs, and of divers other things 1t made sug
gestions, and proposed what it regards ncedful
reforms Says the Wing:
Cylinders enough, we repeat for the thou
sandth time, have already been committed,
through the incompeiency, Encouragement, and
blind folly Of those uh0 hare had The interests and
control Of the party IN their keeping. A NEW
POLICY AND NEW MEN ~ THE LEAD, IL what is
absolutely requisite, if the American party hopes
TO be successful. Nothing less will do. The oc-
casion demands change. AND NO CHANGE CAN
BE FOR THE WORSE"
Il is not wonderful that outside Wings SHOULD
grumble at the course of the order towards them.
The only wonder that they should suffer their
allies to blindfold them and lead them by the
nose Just whittier soever they chose to lead them
But groans come after defeats, and the old line
Wings are beginning TO groan terribly. They
very politely, but very distinctly, intimate TO the
Know-nothings that they need expect no further
help from them unless they treat them in the
future as equals, and permit them 10 participate
in shaping their policy.
Again, says the Wing:
'In the first place, them as to the manner Of APP
pointing delegates. In respect 10 this our deber-
ate decided, and unatered opinion is that dele.
gates should be appointed by the people them
selves in their primary assembes-in open public
meetings at the courthouses of their respective
ed, Republican practice Of all parties in this
country from the establishment Of the government
down 10 time unknown and not much hon.
ored, during the past year. We repeat that open
public meetings Of the people, with appointment
Of delegates and all other business transacted in
the face and eyes of the public, is what we want
TO see, Is what the times demand, and what com
mon policy requires And when the party in the
various counties shall thus call meeting, let the
call include an invitation 10 all men who agree
with il in principle and symPathise in its objects,
TO come in, take part in the proceedings and CON
slider themselves at home. Offend none, repel
none, slight none by acting upon that principle
Of exclnsiveness which has hitherto controlled yo,
TO your serious hurt-but open wide the door,
and say to Wing and Democrat, Jew and Gentle,
Protestant and Catholic, all indeed who wish TO
cooperate with you in good faith, that, as friends
and allies, they are entitled 10 the rights and
privileges enjoyed by yourselves, and are well
come TO them. In short, whether a man has
"joined" your Councils not, provided he il
with you in spirit and in principle, invite him to
attend all your deliberations and no longer feel,
while even earnestly acting with you, like a
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