The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-04-18
The Know Nothing MOvement-Its Varying
Phases and Dubious Prospects.


Phases and Dubious Prospects.
Three-fourths Of the little local elections Of
the last few months round about the country
have been carried, nominally at least, by the
Know Nothings. Very likely, too, they will
carry the State Of Virginia against Mr.. Wise
by large majority. Yet, with all their sue
cesses, past and prospective, it is impossible to
define accurately the purposes, principles, or
prospects of this new political party.
What are their principles and purposes as
great national organization? They are as
mysterious and inexplicable as the future des-
TIMES Of the Order. The party themselves, in
this respect. are veritable Know Nothings.
Look, for instance, at Massachusetts. There
they have absolute and undisputed possession
Of the government; yet there they have favor
ed US recently with some of the most abomina-
BILE legislative Developments of fanaticism,
treason and indecency-treason to the consti-
tuition, and indecent outrages against private
rights and public morality. In New York,
again, we find portion Of the Know Nothings
aiding in Stewards re- election, and aiding in
the passage Of the new liquor law Of pains and
penalties, which is destined to produce more
disastrous revulsion in the business affairs of
this community than all our Schuyler frauds
and bank and commercial failures of the last
ten years. There are already two or three
branches of this Know Nothing movement in
this State, two or three in Pennsylvania, two or
three in Massachusetts, and similar symptoms
of division and discord are not wanting in
other States. How all these discrepancies are
to be harmonized ID the inexplicable mystery
Of which we speak.
In the meantime, "Sam," as he is facetiously
called, appears in most Of the petty elections
of the day, South as well as North, to hold and
WELD the balance of power. His last notable
achievement has been great victory in Column
bia, the State capital Of South Carolina, in the
most ultra pro-slavery community, perhaps, in
the United States. Very curious, this, and
embarrassing to all reasonable calculations.
Yet these scattering shots will doubtless be
continued through the summer and fall, East,
West, North and South, in favor of the Know
Nothings But how are they to be fused into
homogeneous mass? In the North, they are
allied with the ultra anti-slavery sentiment; in
the South, they are leagued with the ultra
shareholders. From these clashing materials the
Know Nothing or new opposition elements will
hold the House Of Representatives of the COM
ing Congress, and very likely large majority
Of the State Legislatures next winter. From
these materials, too, they must then begin to
arrange their plans for the great campaign of
1856. And who are then to be sacrificed
their anti-slavery confederates of the North, or
their conservative slavery allies of the South?
Nice question-rather impertinent, perhaps,
just now, but suggestive of extremely difficult
and dangerous navigation.
Consulting these Know Nothing embarrass
ments, it is evidently the policy of the scatter
ed elements of the democratic party to await
patiently the final snuffiug out Of this expiring
administration, and to postpone their National
Convention till July, August or September,
1856, in order to appropriate to the best ad-
vantage the sectional divisions and reconstruc-
tons of the various opposition forces, which
can hardly be brought sooner into definite
shape. Otherwise, we must depend upon the
eventualities Of scrub race--a most miscel-
laneous, exciting and ludicrous scrub race
before the people-and a still more exciting
and perilous squabble among the factions of
the popular branch Of Congress upon the three
highest candidates. Upon a new departure. q
new organization, new men and new measures,
the field is still open for the reunion of the
scattered democracy. Sebastopol is not yet
taken.
REyULSION TO RE PRopr-crn ny TEE T.rorop