, 1855-08-03
Know Nothing Convention in
philadelphia.


doubt aware that amongst other important
information furnished by the last express and
mail, is that Of the assemblage, at Philadel-
phia, Of the long talked Of national know
nothing convention, which had, ostensibly,
for its object the PRONUNCIATION of doctrines
calculated to suit, alike, the north and SOUTH
and through which an American" party
was to have Origin-calculated to be sup
Sorted, alike, by all the states and terrific
ries belonging to "Uncle SAM" which
"Sam,p without the Unoc," was to care
for and foster The democracy of Wash
ington territory will learn the result of the
deliberations Of the convention, we doubt
not, with the utmost satisfaction. That re-
suit is before us, and announces that fifty
three out of the eighty-four members from
the north have seeded, upon the adoption,
by the convention, Of the majority report on
the subject Of slavery Though brief, the
announcement is sufficiently explicit to leave
no doubt Of the fact, that the convention
has failed, signally and hopelessly, to effect
its objects. In this our anticipations are full
filed, and reflections are suggested of press
ing interest to the whole people.
The organization, nationally, is destroyed.
The abolition section, headed by its superior
votary in Massachusetts, Senator Wilson
withdrew, vowing vengeance against their
opponents. The majority remained in con,
vention, and although many healthy and ma
tional views were promulgated by the ma
jority on the subject Of slavery in the states
and teGritories-expressive of opinion with
regard to the powers Of Congress to inter
fere with the institution. Yet, astounding
as it may appear in this enlightened age, re-
fused to strike out the anti-Catholic test and
now stand confessed before the country re-
igious proscriptionists Their knelli is sound
ed-in title which they will be no more
forever. ......--c
The appeal" Of the minority partakes
Of abolitionism, and more Of native Ameri-
canism than anything else, and it is perfect
ly clear that this secession Of SO large a ma
jority of northern members, breaks up the
party in the only section where it had yet
triumphed. Know nothingism had carried
no state in the south-had established no
claim to represent or speak for the south
In Virginia, the only state south Of Mason
and Dixon's line where the battle had been
fought, It fell before the democracy. In all
the balance Of the southern states where
elections are pending, the democratic party
have been rallying for its overthrow. The
secession Of the north, therefore, from the
convention, was the secession of the major
section Of the party-in fact Of the party
itself. What then has become Of the great
national know nothing party, which promis
ed such glorious things for the peace and
perpetuity Of the Union ? That party which
asserted in its platform that the American
party had arisen upon the ruins Of the whie
and democratic parties 1t has attempted
to reconcile the north and south, and it hal
broken down, while yet the hopes Of it
friends beat high, and thousand considera
tons Of ambition, power and spoils, urged
the necessity Of union; broken down upor
an issue which its very organization declared
as secondary to its own, and sought to stiRe
If any party outside the national democ
racy, could have effected a national organi
zation, it would seem to have been favorabl,
to the know nothings. Its advent was at {
time and under circumstances favorable t.
such a result, and it assumed, voluntarily
the duty Of EinterPOsiHgg for the purpose o
giving peace to the country, and perpetuity
to the Union.p 1t made devotion to tn,
union the paramount prerequisite to admis
sion to the National Council, and extortet
from all its members-free soilers and seces
sionists-an explicit and binding third de
gree" oath, to " uphold, maintain and de
fend the union Of the states
Yet, in spite of oil these advantages, anG
responsibilities, and oaths, we see before us
to that party, the mortifying, humiliatine
conclusion. The National knOtO nothing par
ty is dead--dead to all hopes of nationa
success-dead to the triumphs of its vita
prineiples-dead to reconciliation between
the north and the south" dead withou
mourners, and lies unburied without offence.
1t will be observed that it was the north
rW section, in this instance, that seeded anC
repudiated the platform Of the majority, ant
hence that section stands convicted of usinI
the cloak Of know nothingism but to concea
another and new phase of abOlitiOnisDl--co