Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-06-07
From the Boston Post Of June /.
The Redemuti0u NJ Mnssachuseaf

mNSsAchusclts.
There is no getting away from the fact, that
the triumph OF Know -nothingism has inflicted
deep disgrace ON the Commonwealth. For
months the lord Of misrule has been paramount,
and the halls OF legislation have been the theatre
of his harlequin works His acts have been tried;
the verdict has been rendered, and the Judgment
OF the great court Of public opinion, out Of Mas
sachusetts, is severe and damningS as it is
within its limits. There can be no appeal from
the decision.
i Some have very lenient way of dealing with
this state of things, apd for correcting it. They
do not lay the evil to the door of bad principles,
but ascribe it to bad or imbecile men; and while
the former are half tolerated, the latter are
wholly condemned. Thus few individuals are
held up to public scorn-are made the scape-
goats to bear off the heavy load Of public sin;
and the idea is cherished that a new shuttle of
the know nothing know something pack, in
stead OF nobodies, would turn out trumps and
kings. The sole evil according to this view, is
that Inadequate men were called to office; and
the sole remedy is, to choose set of other men.
know-nothngs will agree to this. They will
roundly berate Mr. Hiss; they will admit and
ridicule all the folly of their legislature; they
will Justify condemn its abnegation Of the Unions
they will denounce the whole of the stupidity
and the ncapacty, if by doing all this they can
coin new lease of life. But will this reach the
root Of the natter Another set of men, born Of
know-nothings dubbed know-somethngs
but inlct additional disgrace, instead of effectng
political redemption. Are these men, pray, to
be any the less terrible in their bigotry and ia
naticism-any the less sectional-any more ma
tional-than the old legislators What shadow
OF a chance is there tnat the same corrupt means
will not produce the same mbecile or corrupt re-
salts The truth is, that the proposed change
OF men and of names does not go skin deep 1t
is but poor, hollow, shallow, paltry game Of de-
ception. This should be clearly seen and early
and thoroughly provided for.
1t will be grevous mistake if the patriotism
and intelligence of the State, when it comes to
act, does not repudiate SO inadequate a plan.
Massachusetts, stands dsgraced in her local
atfairs-stands disgraced in the eyes Of the whole
country a member of our OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
evil principles have worked out their evil results
No action that does not look this full in the face
will meet the case. The objection to Know
nothingism in general and in special is radical
one, fatal one; it is false and rotten to the
| bad in its purpose and bad in it's working
means. The tree it has planted in this western
| political Eden is of the Upas class. Its very
shadow is noxous. Its fruit has death-dealing
stroke. Natives of the Gabriel or Buntline
stamp, robed in their coarse impervious, callous,
foreign garb, may play with impunty with its
black juices, but others cannot taste them with
out feeling the poison. 1t palsies every healthy
political lfe-nerve. Now, Massachusetts, has
taken of this fruit, and her whole heart is sick;
let her eat of it again and she will be seeker still.
| The way is for those who have enough soundness
of bone and muscle left to lay hold of the polti-
cal axe and cut it down; and then to lay hold of
the spade and dig out its roots. The Upas should
be made to die.
| The political fathers of Massachusetts were
wont, in the Commonwealth palmy days, to
| plant among them what they called the tree OF
liberty. Then in toasts, and songs, and essays,
and speeches, they spoke of the emblem as with
roots struck deep in the soil, and with branches
wide spreading enough to cover the whole land !;
and as bearing life-inspiring fruit. The tree
loved the soil of the genial savannahs of Georgia
as well as it did the rock-ribbed plains of New
England; and TO those who sat under it, whether
| il were in one place another, whether it were
| in the Old Dominion or in Puritan land, its look
was ever inspiring, its branches were ever green,
its blossoms ever fragrant, and its fruits was
ever healthful Such was the real, genuine, no
BILE, original old American treel Run out the
parallel and see what comparison is there be-
tween this production and the modern upas Ii
is the difference between life and death!