Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-05-03
From the New Orleans Picayune.
Secret Political Associations.

The feature of the new American party's orrani-
zati0n which seems TO trouble the leaders and or
gans Of the old parties most gievously is its secret
element; the fact that, in It's incpiency as party
II was found expedient totake the precaution of
ascertainng who we're with and who were against
the founders of the party and it's principles before
declaring to the world all that the world were Of
course desrous to know. Upon this one string
there has been good deal of harping, and great
has been the effort to prejudice the new party 4,
the estimation Of the people, by playing the same
monotone on every occasion and every oppot-
tunity. ~ ~ f4
The result, judging FROM the daily record Of the.
progress Of that ubiquitous personage, g uSam.s,
throughout the United States, does not appear to
have been very successful for these modern Paga.
who have not danced 70 their tune Ana hSYfs IN ftns
meantime this terrible secret element 80 much
complained Of has been rapidly disappearing un-
ill Il Is now as plain as "the principles of '9s,,
what 1t is these truculent Know NothDgs are after
and mean to do, are in fact doing, and how and by
what means. N4 .t . fQs
. In abstaining thus far from coming out with all
this, the American party Processes TO have been
induced by considerations of the greatest weight;
having in view the successful pursuit of It's object;
considerations that have been approved by its de-
liberate Judgment ~ altogether proper and just
Conscious Of thsssyesds Of its purposes, IL tells
u.s. and e s e ls e. Isrs Salss Of ,. The
u
ccnsure which ION to expect from its
opposers, TO - ko fact Of its secrecy has,
Afforded such s9l 6nsnt Of defamation. II had,
moreover TO sce The yet greater difficulty, at the
outset Of abiding the reproof Of many whom it
knew 10 be friendly to It's objects, but who could
not concur in the endeavor to promote them by a
secret organization - ~ e fsaate
The Twelfth Council Of the Fifteenth Ward of
the city Of New York have put forth declaration
Of the principles and objects Of this great and
increasing party, In the course Of which they
argue this question Of the expediency Of secrecy
the incipiency Of such an organization, with grent
clesrness and force. They appeal 10 those who
properly estimate the overwhelming power Of the
old party combinations, in crushing the early
growth of an element they might think adverse 10
their exstence-who understand the influence Of
inyeterate party discipline In persuadng the weak
In overawnng the timid, and In Hstterng and CON.
| trolling even the most resolute--to say uhether
the American party, II il had exposed It's first
efforts al union TO the assaults Of such force,
long-nursed enmitics of political leaders ON sl
sides, they reason, would have been suspended, in
q temporary alliance 70 defeat the new disputant
of their claims 10 supremacy over the public will
All party organisation, whatever may be ts osten-
sible FORM Is AZ we have taken occasion more than
once 10 urge, more or less secret In action, and
almost altogether in the sources whence derives
i US C0u0ofl auu ut&Eu huu ~ " True, nt tnc uC-
claants whom we have just quoted aver, that no
political organization, destined to make any very
profound impression upon the regard Of the coun-.
try by counteracting and disappointing the aims OF
powerful and selfish antagonists, expect 10 pass
through its process Of formation without encounter
ing enmities that may be found inseparabls, or
hazards amounting almost 70 the certainty OF over
throw. Toquotc still further from the declaration
we have mentioned:
| A new public opinion must attain its full cspac
ty for resistance before II can face the opposition
or the old systems and interests which II Is design.
ed 10 assail and conquer The history Of success
full popular organizations, In al countries, demon
strstes this fact Their Ate has, In great degree
| generally depended upon the prudent reserve with
which, in their incipicnt movements, they have
screened themselves from assault,
| We have noticed, while watching with some In
terest the progress Of the campaign In Virginia,
| that the old line Democrats the real true blues
are the most deeply affected and strongly exercised
on this element OF secrecy, which was adopted as
one Of the necessities Of the case in the formation
OF the new party. The old hunkers Of New Yotk,
New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts, had
good deal 70 say In the same lugubrious vein,
while "Ssm" was swinging his sevenleagued
boots 90 tiumphsntly over the soil Of those
States. NN M tsh
| Meantime, we see that one Of the annual fsssts
| Of 81. Tsmmsny has come round again, and that
the old wigwam has been lighted up with coun-
Gil FIRE. and that over much smoking Of the cslu-
met, and not a little inhibition of the hre-wster,
new board Of "Sachems," new Sycamore"
and new "Wiskinkie," have been elected TO
serve az officers Of the Tammsnics for the year en-
suing Tho cali for this meeting purported 20 be-
signed by one hundred end eighty-eght immors
tals.n s4 ,f.s 6res a.
Here now, We bethought u., Is we perused hi.
mysterious announcement, Is another Of those