American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1855-12-29
From the (RichmondJ National american.
no 1EHNRX a. WISE, ESQ,
C&overnor-Elcct of Virginia.
CHARLOTTEsVILLE, Dec. 4, 1S

oa CHARLOTTESVILLE, Dec. 4, 1855.
,Sn:-The results of the recent e.
lections in the so called Empire State
of New York particularly, and several
other States, together with other indi-
cations, induces me, as friend and ad-
mirer of the principles and objects of
the American or Know Nothing party,
as it is called, respectfully to address
you this letter.
5orMy chief object in doing so is, to ask
the favor of you to say, in reply,
whether from the demonstrations made
in. those elections, and especially those
Of New York, and from various other
indications, you are not better satisfied
now Of TIE sincerity and purity of the
motives and institutions of the said
party, asa constitutional, Union-loving
party, than you were during your late
Gubcrnatorial campaign.
u You may recollect, perhaps, that in
the speech which you delivered in the
town-hall of this place, while engaged
in that campaign, and no doubt you
did the same in speeches delivered at
various other places, you, in effect,
represented the said party-directing
your remarks more particularly to the
New York portion of it, to be an abo-
lition party indisguise- that the move
ment was conducted by grand council
ef, '133 in New York, with Barker at Its
head, who passed to their local councils
their passwords, signs, &c. and made
nominations for the States--that you
had no doubt there were many mem
bers ofthe party in Virginia who were
honest in their intentions, but that they
were the dupes of the artful and de-
signing portion of the party-that the
object of the Northern portion of the
party was to inyeigle the South into
its anti-slavery scheme, in orderto ena-
bic it to carry out more efectually its
abolition movement against the South.
And what was still more surprising,
you also added, using this very Ian
guage as reported in the Jeffcrsonian
Republican of this place, "that there
aCerc emiSsaries of tie North IN oar
midst qcho Were employed to carry out
the mouement- -that these agents vcre
paid $3.50 for every member they sue
cceded IN gettiny initiated into the 1oQg-
es." Strange things to Know Nothings,
or ] would say even to Know Some
things. Yes, sir, it may be well imag-
ined that such statementsas these SCUM
ded very strangely, yea, echo answers
maryellously strange, not only in the
ears of Know Nothings, but in the ears
Of many other Of the more intelligent
portion of your large audiences, and
especially those who at the time you
were making them, were sufficiently
informed to know, that at the very
time, all the noted abolition presses of
the North, beginning at 'The National
Era at Washington, and on to The
New York Tribune, the so-callcd Sc
ward organ, 'the Albany Journal
the Van Buren organ, and others that
might be named, together with all the
noted Abolitionists of the North, were
with one accord open mouthed and with
equal vehemence with yourself denoun-
cing and abusing the said American or
! Know Nothing party of New York es-
pecially, and elsewhere, as a party
! seeking to check and smother the
growing anti-Slavery sentiment at the
North, or as a pro-slaoe,y party, as
they arc yet doing. These were Ger
tainly very incongruous things, and
considering your known intelligence
and chances for acquiring correct in
formation on all such subjects, could
not but be regarded as infinitely
strange, and indeed as presenting q
problem of impracticablc solution in
the entire inconceivableness of their
origin or paternity--or when, where,
4 Or how, to locate them.
These statements, however strange
sand inconsistent they were with the
4glaring facts, to which allusion has been
i made, and with which they so striking
8 y come in conflict, addressed as they
were to the passions and prejndlces 50
agencrally known to exist in Southern
minds against Northern abolitionism
land frce-soilism, doubtless had their
effect, to no small extent, on the minds
ofa large class of tho more unlntelli-
Eont, or loss informed portion OF your