The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-01


Puritan wao hung his cat for killing ra. on
the Lords Day should hereafter be held in
pious veneration, and mar BILE statue erected
in front Of the Capitol at Albany, in comnemo-
ration Of the great service which he rendered
by that act to the cause Of morality.
Highly Important from washington-The
Ant-know Nothing DEMONSTRATION I'm Com
gress a Fixxlc.
The spoils administration of General Pierce
is gradually concentrating its forces on the
election of Henry A. Wise as Governor of Vir-
cDia. If the Old Dominion could be saved
from the grasp of the new party, Pierce thinks
be could be reelected in 1856. Henry A. Wise
belongs to General Pierce--body and oreeches;
and, though Buchanan man originally, has
left a sufficient number Of hostages ia Pierces
hands to assure the latter of his faith. He has
son Secretary OF Legation to Brazil-he has
another occupying clerkship in Washington
be has near relative who is employed as
physician in one Of the public hospitals in the
same city; and there is, in short no one bearing
the name of Wise as a noun proper, that has not
in some measure shared of the spoils of Office.
Cabinet appointment or a foreign mission, as
was intended in the original programme made
at Concord, 1t was because the mutual jealou-
sizes which existed between him and Caleb
Cushing under the administration OF Tippeca-
noe aud Tyler too" are not yet forgotten, aud
between two such daringly ambitious and I'M
scrppulous men there can be no peace, unless
thau ho do In in mt NH
Henry A. Wise, therefore, was promised the
governorsbip of Virginia; for though General
Pierce has nothing to do with the Destowal of
that Office, yet the practice Of the administra-
ton to interfere with and attempt to control,
all local elections throughout the country,
gives sufficient color to the profession of
General Pierce that he is the legitimate source
OF all power and Office throughout the Union.
Henry A. Wise is now General Pierce's man,
and his election would be an endorsement Of
his administration. The whole energy of the
Kitchen Cabinet-the only Cabinet which is a
units brought to bear on it, All the clerks
Of the public offices are enjoined to write,
preach and pray for Wise; and all the power
and patronage OF the government are at the
disposal Of the friends of Mr.. Wise in Congress.
But Mr.. Wise has made one great mistake-a
mistake which is bound to destroy him, and
into which he was led by his impetuosity,
his morbid ambition to distinguish himself
in new cause, and his general want Of
discretion. Henry A. Wise has attack
ed the Know Nothings : he has made
himself the avowed champion of the adopted
citizens Surely when the question was first
proposed to him, he took a week to reflect upon
it; but he came at last to the conclusion that
Know Nothingism would not last over year.
and so-fred broadside into it. His letter Of
acceptance utterly repudiates the new creed,
and denounces it as anti American in prin-
ciple and tendency. The official clap-trap in
Washington-the Union-caught the inapira-
ton from Wise's letter, and like clock that
has been carefully wound up by its owner, has
since been periodically striking at all secret
societies.
Meanwhile, it was perceived that the stage
thunder Of the official organ will not turn its
neighbours milk, and that something more sub
. stantial and reliable must be resorted to, to
prevent general rout in Virginia. Members
Of Congress and Senators were asked, begged,
cajoled to take the matter in hand, aud to
thunder against Know Nothiugism in the forum.
This has been tried in the House of Represen-
tatives in Washington; but the thunderers were
answered, and Know Nothingism instead of
losing, has gained ground by the operation.
As a last resort, an anti Know Nothing Con-
gressioDal caucus was called by Senators with
q view to agree to some plan Of action. twas
proposed TO pass resolutions, submit them after
wards to mixed caucus Of Senators aud men,
bers, and to publish them as soon az they
should receive sufficient number Of signatures.
Every signing member was then to be pro-
nounced an antiKnow Nothing; while every
recusant member was at once to be branded
with being a member Of the secret society.
Well, the caucus was called, and a committee
appointed to draft and report resolutions at an
adjourned meeting; but when that meeting
took place, two only of the three resolutions
drawn up by Governor Bright, were agreed to,
and the thrd--whch contained the very pith
and substance of the whole matter-stricken
out. Other meetings have since taken place,
but they were but thinly attended, and nothing
impoi tant was agreed to.
We here submit the resolutions which were
disagreed TO.
Resolutions agreed to-
Resolved, That in system OF government free
speech and open discussion essential not only for
the purpose OF consulting the public mind also TO
secure due responsibility 10 tue people in regard
political action and that all which deliberate
and determine upon OF public policy secretly
and apar. from their fellow citizens, pursue course