Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1855-05-03
NisceIIaqy.
AMERTCANISM.

AMEhhCANlsM.
The necessity Of new political party TO
counteract the undue influence exercised in
our national affairs by foreigners, seems now
to be admitted by majority of the freemen
Of this Republic.-The result of recent cleo
tions and the sentiment Of independent jour
mails through the country prove the truth Of
this. The new American movement 10 re.
ceived with favor, too, across the water, as
we see by extracts from recent English pa
pers-one Of which. an able argument from
the London Times, we give our readers:
CHANGE Of PARTIEs.-The history Of the
formation, the development, and the decline
Of political parties suggests one OF the most
curious and obscure problems in the annals
Of free States. Who shall say to what cause
we are to attribute that wave Of public opin-
ion which, like the tides circling round the
globe, rises, swells, and at last breaks upon
the shore Sometimes for an idea, some
times for a leader, often by accident, more
rarely by intention i here under the influ-
ence Of religious enthusiasm, there for the
cause Of political independence--at one time
for the overthrow, at another for the main
tainance Of existing ins,i.utions-parties are
insepaIable from the conditions of political
life they are perpetuated by tradition, they
are guarded by honor, and they are rooted
ia human nature itself. Yet it is hard to
say where that power originates which ex-
ercises so constant control over the opin-
IONS aud actions 0: large masses Of man
kind. Parties are themselves. for the most
.r Al. IF tks,
pitse they obey, and they are more habtu.
ally occupied by the excitement of the con-
test than by the importance Of its result
II these remarks apply to the parties of
our own country, where ALI such distinc-
items are OF slow growth and retain a tradi-
tional character, they are much more app!i-
cable to the political condition Of the United
States, where the growth and fuctua,on of
parties are more sudden, spontaneous and
uncontrolled. The institutions of that coun-
Try put up to election every fourth year not
only the Presidency Of the United States.
but the whole patronage Of the Common
wealth. The organization of the party is
therefore constant occupation Of the Anne
rican Citizen because he knows that sue
cess in party management places nj his con-
troll the destnies of one Of the first nations
in the world. Hence the rapid succession
Of parties which have presented themselves
under various uncouih names as candidates
for the favor of the people of the United
States-Locofocos, Barnburners, and at the
present moment, Know Nothinas. We con-
fess our inability to trace these designations
to their origin, but even the derivation OF
the immortal names Of Wing and Tory is
fanciful and obscure and We are content to
know something Of the principles they are
intended to represent.
We have read with great interest State
paper, which appears to us to be drawn up
with ability and moderation, on behalf OF
the Know No,hings, or as they profess to
call themselves, the American party, in the
United States. This party has already OBJ
tanned a decisive ascendency in the North
ern States OF the Union. and it is extremely
probable that il will name the successor OF
President pisacg at the next Presidential
election but the principle on which the
party is formed is of far greater importance
thanany personal conseq uenoes it may pro-
ducc, for this principle may lead to perma.
nent results in the policy Of the Union. The
American party, indeed. places itself in op-
position TO the rival claims Of the old poli,i-
cal leaders, and il beasts that its organiza-
lions has been completed entirely without
their assistance. The object OF lis founders
has been to preserve their design from the
assaults of other parties until they rely on
their own strength; and for this purpose
they state. curiously enough, that " their or.
ganixa.ion is more or less secret in action,
and almost altogether secret in the source
from which il derives its counsel and de,
sign" Yet, in spite Of this mystery which
would seem SO little adapted to the poli,i
cal habits OF the United States, the part,
has unques,ionably gained ground with sin
rular rapidity. II must therefore represen
an opinion shared by large masses OF tn
American people. Its main object Is de
elared to be to reassert the original parpos'
Of the Union, TO revive the national spin
ofthe country. TO crush these factions which
have converted party warfare into mer'
struggle for the power OF dispensing patron
age, and, above all, 10 resist the increase o
foreign influences 10 the United States.
This last motive is more especially th'
peculiar and immediate object Of the Know
Nothing party. They state that not mucl
less than half million Of strangers are dri
ven annually by poverty or misrule to swell
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