Eastern times., 1855-03-29
Know Nothing Spread"

Some one has sent US "Speech Of Rodney
G. Lincoln, of Hallowell, on the bill annull-
ing the naturalization powers of State courts,
delivered in the House of Representatives,
March 6, 1855. The speech occupies almost
three pages of common tract size, one of which
is occupied with quotations from writer of
antiquity on the power of the pope in those
days; the remaining two pages are devoted
TO kind of know nothing ''spread" with
which the eloquence of Webster and Clay
bears no comparison. According to appear
ances the gentleman seems to be harrassed
with the nightmare about the pope coming
over with "rotten and pestiferous breath, !"
and believing like ''beast'' about here on
brother Jonathan's domain.
The wonder is that SO much eloquence could
be squeezed into two pages. We cannot con-
ceive how such spread was brought about in
SO small a. space. What there is of the speech
not cribbed from others brains, is of terrri-
bic portentous nature /; as to fact evolved,
we have carefully looked for one, but cannot
find it. The following story is told:
&C In the last Presidential campaign, while
General Scott was willing to give this anti
republican power one seat in his cabinet, and
put the contract in unmistakable form, Gen.
Pierce would give three seats TO this same
power in his cabinet, and do for them many
other pleasant things. And has not Gen
Pierce kept his pledge in this particular &
Whatever other pledges he may have forgot
ten, he did not overlook this. Who does not
know that the foreign vote decided that cleo
tion !''
As we have before stated, the author of this
speech stumped it for Scott in tho lao. Prosi-
Dental campaign. Now let US hear what the
old General has to say about this matter =
New YoRk, March l, 1855.
GENTLEMEN Il have just received through
the Hon. Mr. Hibbard, NJ. c., at Washing
ton, your joint letttr dated the Oath ultimo, in
which you. say 10 me that, in some recent po-
litical address, delivered in your neghbor-
hood andin your presence, the speaker de-
clared substantially that in the last Presiden-
tial canvass
1" Bishop Hughes of New York, proposed
10 Gen. Scott to sell the Catholic vote, who
hesitated to reply, when the proposition was
made to Gen. Pierce, and he assented."
And your letter to me is thus concluded
Believing the statement 10 be false and
basely calumnious of the fair fame of yourself
and other distinguished gentlemen implicated
thereby, we would respectfully request of you
TO inform at your earliest convenience
whether the statement of Mr.. -, SO far as
it relates to you, is true"
hasten 10 say that the statement or state
ments l have quoted from your letter, as
above, are, in respect TO myself, ABSOLUTELY
FALSE, and haze no doubt they are equally so
in respect to my political friends and opponents
in the canvass alluded to.
l remain, gentlemen, with great respect,
your obedient servant, WINFIELD ScoTT.
In 1852, Mr.. Lincoln was an abolition del
egate from Maine to the free soil national con-
vention at Pittsburg, Penn. Then he was for
the largest liberty to the exiles from the Old
World. NoW he fears they are going TO up
set the government and shake the Union into
fddle-strings. The following resolution was
passed by that convention
80 Rcsolped, That emigrants and crihs from
the Old World should fud cordial toeLcozae to
homes of comfort and fields of enterprise in
the New; and eUry attempt to abridge their
privileges OF becoming cltlZens and owners OF
the soil among us ought 10 be resisted ,0ih in
Perl6le determination"
We wonder Mr.. Lincoln did not perceive
the dangerous character of the sspesky furrin-
ners'' when he voted for that resolution. But
he rode that horse to death, and will probably
SPAWN or founder ''Sam'' by turning sharp
corners.
AS this is the only speech of the recent Leg
islature we have seen dressed up in pamphlet
form, it is conjectured that it was put forth tn
show what talent there was in that imnos;no
House of Representative The Ajax Hill
must look to his laurels. Lincoln is abead q,
him with his speech against the "furriupers,,
in his breeches pocket for distribution, and
the speech in favor of chopping up The pauper.
under way. But we will close our notice o.
this astonishing production by copying an item
of news we have not seen in the newspapers
The fact was probably known only to the
members Of the last Legislature. Why it was
kept dark and reserved for Lincolp to throw
upon our astonished and trembling communi.