Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-11-16
From the Pennsylvania.
Picture of KnOw-NOthIng City.

The brief existence of the Know Nothing party
has developed two facts namely, that desuctiveness
is the ruling feature of their principles and Ignorance
the only guide to their actions. In the short space
of sixteen months they have destroyed the credit oil
Philadelphia at home, and made her the reproach oi
her sister cities abroad Peculaton has hourished to
an extent never before conceived in this State, and
the cupidity of York officials has even been
eclpsed. lllterate political babblers and crafty beg
gars have suddenly sprung into legislative life; and
While the few prated many plundered unnotced, or,
if detected parceed their spoils with the babbIers
influenced by no sentiments of honor, and restrained
by no feeling of honesty, every fund raised or expend
ed was subject to curtailment by process new to
our people. Appropriations, sacredy set apart for
specific objects, were seized upon without the slight
est compunctlon OF conscience, and squandered with
facility which baf1led pursuit In the estimation of
jority of Councils, nothing appeared sacred but
yllany. In violation of the fundamental law of the
Municipality, even a Committee of Councils dared
borrow large amounts from the banks, without deign-
ing to consult their respective Chambers and dsburse
such sums without authority of law The sinking
fund; the especial appropriation Tor the Bridge at
Walnut street; in fact every other fund divert
ed from their legitimate uses, and frtered away on
objects and for purposes of the most Objectionable
character. Beggars have suddenly become bankers,
and astonished their neighbors by mysterious
show of wealth, where they have been accustomed
to speak of broken meats and cast-off garments-
The wand of Aladdin could not have exercised
more magical influence. Integrity to have in-
dlgnantly fled the portals of the Secret whose
members view it as sentimental relic of antiquity
useless as it is Improbable. The reign of sefshness
has not always been the reign of rascaIity but the
secret order has rendered the two Identical. Merit
is declared convenience, to be used only when
the fruitful faculties fail Under the control of
such persons, our proud city has FASTENED TO ruin
and disgrace.
Citizens OF Phlladelphla-yOu are asked to give
those men the privilege TO borrow $l,0Oo,OOo! For
what To liquidate the City floating Indebtedness?
Certainly not-tor that amount would not half an
swer the purpose. Double the sum would fall short
OF her vagrant responsibility We call them vagrant
because they have been incurred in spirit of wan
tonness and lawlessness. But what security have
the people that the Sl,OOO,OOO would be honestly
expended for the purposes specified in the loan :? No
fund yet has been permitted to have distinctive
character. We know that necessity is stern advo-
cate but where it is the effect ofspredetermined
ton, it is never to be extenuated, much less justified
The idle pretence that 100000 will be saved in the
Highway department is patent absurdity. This is
to be effected in the item of paving That to say,
that no new streets are 10 be paved; but the Voli-
tion which directs this, may with equal facility de-
termlne otherwise. Let have a substantial at
tempt to economlze-not mere declaration that
such thing will not be done when ii is well known
that it may be done Reduce the number of Police
men; abridge the number of useless officers; and
make the salaries conform 10 the amount of la |
Dor expended-and then, if you please, throw in
something for dignity. But do not aim at dignifying
every monkey who chooses to clothc himself like a
gentleman.
Why is ii that Councils are afraid TO reduce the
declare, that it is because those officers have pur-
chased their places, and paid to various members of
Councils the full price stipulated for their appoint
ment They hold verbal guarantee for two years
continuance, unless a too grossly iniquous course
should excite public indignation against them, or
some of the influential faithful should complain
Attempt at murder is not one of the nterdIcted Of
ences-on the contrary, it is the certain road to pro-
motion, provided the victim be of foreign birth. Nor
does a conviction in a Criminal Court detract from
the character of policeman. He has paid the full
figure of his bond, and therefore holds his office by
prescriptive right. disturbance of the police force
to any great extent, would food the city with facts
and bring many an impudent face to shame The
Kr ow Nothing Councllmen, hence, dare not vote
decrease in the number of officers. They have re-
ceved the wages of iniquty, and must pursue their
evil course to the end of their terms Who doubts
but that the 81 ,0O0O 900, if given 10 Councils would
be squandered in an attempt to keep themselves in |
power tor another year. The only correct way of
judging what men will do, is by what they have
done. By this standard, what would become of the
81 ,OOO,OO
AS if determined 10 see how speedily they could
ruin the City, the CounciImen of the se&et order
created host of Police Magistrates, and gave them
$500 year as salary for robbing the treasury
To be sure. they stipulated that these Magistrates
should pay into the treasury the received in all
dishonesty was for the Magistracy; hence,
a very small sum has been received from that splen-
did fiction of revenue. But the mind can be turned |
in no direction in the municipal affairs, without en-
counterlng the same abnegation of honesty. NOR
bid pecuniary depravity pervades the whole official
atmosphere, and penetrates every bosom like ma
lara. GlVe-gve-is the invariabe response to
each attempt at REFORM until the Of the minority
are stunned with the outcry. The poverty OF the |
treasury has been caused by the illegal abstraction |
OF the money, fast received, to iquidate the
four hundred thousand dollars borrowed from the |
banks by the committees without even the color of
law. That sum obtained 10 make mp a defcen- |
cy arising from the squandering propensity of Coun-
ellis, IN the character OF aid TO camoOus political
partlsans. and private peculation The Idea of
ing S2O0,O00 by simply abstaning from doing the
work, is preposterous. Who has any faith in Birch |
Let him eXoneratc himself from the charge of having
the figures in proposals altered while in his office,
previous to the contracts being awarded, before the
people are asked TO believe anything he may pro- |
pose 10 the Highway Committee. His position is TOO
profitable to yield without fierce struggle for sue
cess III the spring, and they who know the man. can
Judge whether or not The streets will be filled with
laborers just before the election. Let the majority
begin reform in earnest, and the minority will not
hesitate to vote ample lift the city from her
present state of degradation but there must be no
more public robbery. The man who spends more |
than his income, is either fool or a knave, al
ways fit subject for restraint SO, too, with NUM-
cIpal corporations
A VIGoRUs OLD AGE.-A correspondent of the |
New York Abend Zeitung states that the 14th of
September, Alexander Won Humboldt celebrated his |
eighty sixth birthday. His activity is said seem
as if inspired by youthful vigor and he still con-
tnues to labor at his literary and scientific avoca-
tons "with incredible force and endurance So
good his health and in such excellent spirits does
he seem, that hopes entertained that be will still