Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-05-25
DEMORALIZING EFFECTS CT KNOWING
THINGlSM

If any thing could astonish US in this age of Know"
Nothing trickery and deception, we might well 'ee'
surprised ut the lavish compliments poured "u! %!
Southern know-Nothing presses upon Gov. "aru"''
the abolition Know Nothing Governor OF MasSa'"u
setts who received the nomination through the as'"
cy of the infamous Hiss of "Mrs. Patterson N'''o
ry. 1t ia clearly demonstrated that Gardner III n''
official capacity aided in the removal OF the Vrluo"s
aud upright Iorinc from Profsssorship IN harvard
nyers;ty, ON account of his stern administrator o
the law for the rendition of fugitive
cause on the eve of the Virginia eecuoh' anu 10
make political capital here, he refused 10 sign 'no 'e
cisla,ive order for the removal OF Judge Lorln from
the Office Of Judge of Probate in Suffolk county, nc "
extolled By Southern presses as marvellous proper
mani Again thin the las, few dnyr,we have received
inflammation that for tho same sinister motive Gardner
bos vetoed the Qualification Bill which passed a
Know. Nothing Legislature, and which they have
again passed over the head Of his veo For this act,
the Southern Know-Nothing presses sing p@ans in
his praise, and the Richmond Wing and Petersburg
Iptelicenccr cry out "lIonor to Governor Gardner"
Indeed, the Know-Sothing Union Republican at
Staunton, before hearing of this last veto. put forth
the boast that Gardner "has always been IL Jealous
compromise man"
To show the utter Sroundlessness Of these compli-
ments TO one of the bterest enemies Of the South,
and the consequent danger of an alliance with such
men, We shall briefly reproduce some of the recent
untecedeuts OF this san,e unworthy Governor, whose
election is justly regarded as having given greatin-
peus to the Known No,hing abolition fnpaticiSm in
New England.
In a letter dated Boston, October I'D, 1851, and
addressed to "I{up. Charles Allsn," Gerdper spoke
thus euiphntically
"lt is not true that n,s, kass been in f"ror
of the fugitive-slavc bill. l ncrer voted fur man
who favored it, knowing such to bc his views. nnd
must very much change before ! ever do. 1 hcrrr
jy 'eord, act, rote, jdcored II. ptsSdgr ana am
advocate ofns essential 'nodRc0''on, or ~ .i''
thereof ITS rScoSDITIoNAL KEPEAL. keturnipE
from CaDada last June, read in the cara that thet
was petition for its repeal at the Exchange Ne"f
room, and OIL my arrival, before even going to my
place of business, FASTENED to the Exchange anu
signed the petition
Mr.. Gardner goes on minutey to defend himself
from the charge Of "beng a Nebraska man. and
states how, a, meeting Of the Wing committees, he
made speech and offered reso-to!; t2 tao eIect
shat tie Whig orgnn' .d;'o" ssosd eG'i co"pcHf'"
Of tAs opponents oi the Nebraska aH, ~hom d'stiEc-
ton Of party TO nominate fusion candidates for State
officers as ,.ox dons IN OHIO, I'ernout, and otke'
States"
Such, in October 1854. tssys the Boston Postl
"was the political status Of tho man Ienow held up
fore tho people as IN inbodirert Of l.nuw-S0tNng
nationality. Sucn vere ihe Iecaru;soRs which II
WINS absolutsly necessary to make in order TO take
the abolition vote Nobody denies that they accom-
ulished their purpose. The aboloniss voted with Il
l.l 1,,.p tha 1St
thoroughly abolition legislature ever convened Il"
this Commonwealth.
"From the candidate We pass to the c'fccr- rom
tho man to the EoYerEet. his Inaugural address was
80 completely Abolition as o Teae psans in sNo 'roo
soil canp. He agsln and sgau denounced the repeal
of the Missouri Compromises and ho declared that by
every sacrod and holy duty tho country should man
fully demand tie restoration of The broken co'rcrt
lie ;cG thu lssi4t.re tiat the or repeated cry al
disunGn herald. TO real Danger to their cara" and
he submitted "whethcr additional Legislation is re-
oure 10 secure the ha6eas corpns and the trial by
jury.
"In our comments o., toe governor message-on
the day aftor was deliyered-we remarked that IN
this suggestion as to haJeas corpus and the jury trial
the free. .soilers in the legislature and CIT N'l
SEQ recommendation 10 take action against tho ~
pityc. slsye lsw-such action as will array MaSra-
chusstts against the general government Such
purpose cannot be too strongly deprecatsI' fet tre
most complete, reasonable aatrsseoasy absurd and
shameful measure eyer passed by State legislature
testify to the truth of our prediction"
And yet such ia the man whom soHthern Know
Nothines ato to "hopor"-a man, whose abolition
message suggested and carried though an net null
;fy,sr the rights Of southern shareholders; and who
in his lsuded veto of said act for The purpose Of d"
ming the South, says he ''ssss -.sct o. 1924 - a
(the nulliiostion act!-yERY AAsf OF iEs a'@''''"'
hare ay i.1:rsy se2ropa!" being doubtless. aware at
the same time, that his Know-Nothing abolition allies
OF the Legislature were prepared to make the plii
lur as they did by an overwhelming majority
We learn from friend in Bostcn; taaat ,ls sesui'
of the Virginia eeo,aT e4cits. ihe deepest interest
in ;nat quarter amongst the nbolitlonists who COM
nose the body and soul OF the Know-Sothng move
ment aud control its organization, and who ouid
rejoice in the defeat of Henry A. WISE IS this
time them for Eirna api % ialter In their duty, and
% play uto the hands Of Massachusetts abotioniSts
The Eouor and the very safety OF the institutions o.
! the Old Commonwealth are involved ir sais contest
| and we have not the shadow Of doubt, that the
paop!a .GiiyFgna viii to-day rise in the majesty a
their srongth, and crush aPartY whose Haraosas anu
practices arc demorRl1ing and ll OF danger to oul
institutions, Lot tue Democracy Of Richmond dc
their whole duty in the present crisis, They vii
have the aid OF many honest men, formerly opposed
to them in politics. but who now, enlisted in the aio
rious cause Of civil and relgic.s berty will strike
powere, 1es il postratinr ;leworst party that eve
dsrkened tue annals Of the country.
Since writing the above, gentleman has ha3dSi
us the following extract Of priyleo .eIter FROM
friend in MassaohpGet.a Wao 10 q Whig and Native
Vircinisn and who draws a hpeiy picture Of Massn-
sbuse,ts Know-Nohnss and Of Gorcrnor Gard~cri
Mt present a great pet with Southern KnowNothiugs
How is it possible for decent Virgnians to continue
in alliance with such miserable creatgrca,
This State OF MsRaegiG.o.iS has originated nothing
Of late t. interest JoY Her know-Sothing govern.
u,cu has Leen oil tho winter, ongageG III the most
.rtrayagant ubsurdities oouceivable and have wound
up at last after visng all the brothes i'll Boston and
DsgLboriny towns, in tho capacity of committees OF
the General Court drinking liquors ut the expense OF
tfs Stnte: enacting most foolish laws su0h az must
roa; dead letters OH the statute book Gy arraylng
their nuny little State against tue government and
authority Of the United States liut all the foles ot the
Ma,,nchucet, Legislature dwindle into the me-est in
aipnfcunce when compared with tho greater one hch
the Wing Of Virginia are about TO commit, unaer
the name of Know Nothings. How can it he Possi-
bic that the Richmond Wing eau 50 deceive itself as
to believe that the kncwSothing party of the North
have any feeling in common with Southern men; OF
sSmpstny with Southern institutions! If the Wing
inaSnes tina: the oaths Of the "ordsr can make ma.
tionul men of sectional abolitonists its editor ought
70 be sent TO Sunday School: testify I" That winch
knew, when say that theIs is not Il Know othiiiS
Ia Mas.aeh%,eis who is not violently opposedt to the