The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-13
The Late Southern Elections and the New
American Party--A Good Beginning.


certained that the new American party have
not only exceeded the calculations of their
enemies, but the expectations Of their most
sanguine friends in this section of the Union.
The Virginia election, the split in the Phila-
delphia National Council, and the subsequent
Northern Know Nothing fusion movements
with the Anti-Slavery Holy Alliance, it was
supposed, had completely finished the natives
on the south side of Mason and Dixon's line
and the Ohio river; and that we should have
nothing more nor less to record as the results
of the Southern August elections than the last
funeral ceremonies to "Sam."
But what are the facts? This new party, so
far from having been annihilated in the South
by its defeat in Virginia, the secession of Will
son and his Northern anti-slavery gang from
the Philadelphia council, and the late
abolition fusion movements from Massachu-
sets to Ohio, is still in the South, living, &C.
tive, aggressive and advancing party. Super
seding the defunct wing societies as the oppo-
sition party to the spoils democracy, we find
this new American organization in Ken
lucky carrying the State as by an avalanche;
in North Carolina pushing boldly into the
strongest democratic districts; in Tennessee
running neck and neck with one of the most
popular democratic Governors of the State Of
the last twenty years; and in Alabama creating
a regular stampede among the faithful, where
they had imagined themselves perfectly Sc
cure and invulnerable, with their usual ma
jority Of from eight to ten thousand. These
results, we say, under all the drawbacks
and impediments with which the Know No
things have had to contend, very clearly
indicate that there is spirit abroad among
the conservative people of the South, deci-
dedly favorable 10 radical revolution in
the government at Washington; and that this
new party, with the same pruning and trim
ming, and shaping to consistency, contains
within itself the nucleus upon which O victo-
rious national party may be easily founded,
and the elements Of conservatism upon which
great Union triumph may be readily achieved.
But while these late elections illustrate the
activity, energy and confidence of the Know
Nothings of the South, they also betray to
great extent what might have been done had
constitutional American platform. A party
intending to inaugurate q revolution should
never be thrown upon the defensive. Revo-
lutons are aggressive, and against old ideas,
and systems and demagogues-they are the at
lacking and not the defensive party. In these
late elections, however, the unconstitutional
exactions Of the Know Nothings concerning
IL. r.t -. 3, 60
placed the new party in position in which it
was almost entirely cut off from offensive ope-
rations. The nativists, in the first place, had
excited and rallied the adopted citizens and
Roman Catholics against them; and next those
doctrines Of native and Protestant monopoly
Of the government and the public plumber ex-
posed both tanks Of the native organization to
the attacks of the democracy. Thus assailcd,
the new party could do nothing more than de-
fend themselves, and the ground they occu-
pied. They had no power to advancc-no au-
thority to retreat; and consequently towards
the great revolution which they promised in
the outset, nothing practical has yet been
done.
Now, the true policy of the Know Nothngs
is to cut of these proscriptive excrescenccs,
especially against those foreigners and Catho-
lies who are entitled under the constitution to
the same general equality in political and reii-
gious rights with natives and Protestants them
selves. This done, the next step is full ey-
posurc to the people of the budget of blunders,
follies and extravagancies which make up the
history Of this Pierce administration, decla-
ration of active war against it, and the procla-
nation of a schedule Of progressive yet pract-
cal measures of reform in government affairs,
foreign and domestic. This accomplished, all
that will be wanted for the spontaneous con-
solidaton of great national party will be the
doctrine Of non-intervention upon the subject
of slavery, and a new man for the White House,
whose history, associations, character and prin-
ciples will render him satisfactory to the Union
men of all sections, with or without platform.
Major Donelson, in the late canvass in Ten
nessee, endeavored earnestly to bring the Ame
rican party to this policy Of a campaign against
the administration, and to make the dement's
of Mr.. Pierce and his cabinet, and his spoils-
men, the ruling issue Of the election; but he
failed These new and startling anti-American
and impracticable doctrines Of ostracism
against foreigners and Catholics could not be
ovcrshadowed by the small beer thimble rig
ging in the cabinet for the succession; nor yet
by the great corruptions of the whole concern,
from the parlor to the kitchen. The Know
Nothngs, then, in North Carolina, Tennessee,
Kentucky and Alabama instead of being per-
mtted the policy Of q war upon the admins
traton, have been compelled, from first to last,
to vindicatc themselves and their platform
against charges of treason to the constitution.
We repeat, then, that under these dead weights
Of treason to the constitution and trcachery to
the South, it is surprising that the American
party upon its first trial, should prove to be
stronger in the South, and much stronger than
the old whiC party in its best DAYS with Henry