Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-04-04
yhirrery In DISGUISE.

Ia the face OF the most conclusive evidence 10
the contrary, the Anti American press continues
to assert that the American or Know Nothing
party is the old Wing party in disguise. This
is nothing but miserable trick To induce, if pos
sible, those independent, honest Democrats who
have shaken off the shackles Of party and joined
in the patriotic movement Of the Americans, to
withdraw from the organization and lie them
selves again to the coat tails OF the politicians
at the same time that they are thus enGeavoring
to win back those voters who endorse the princi-
Piles of the Know Nothngs, and disapprove OF
he vile abuse heaped upun that party, by repre-
sentng the moYemea, as a JHhig iriek. they are
equally strenuous in their efforts to gain Wing
votes, by declaring that the Wing party has no
candidates in the field. and that therefore Wings
may consistently vote for Wise. The papers are
full of the most fulspme fatery, and earnest APP
peals are constantly made to honest Wings,
(when was il discovered that Wing may ne
honest y not TO counienance by their votes the
abominable thing. They are endeavoring 10 ride
both sides of the sapng, their sole object to get
as many votes as they can. If it is Wing
movement. with what propriely do they urge
Wings MOTTO sustain it? Ii it is not Wing
movement what code of ethics justiiies them in
representing it as such, for the purpose Of deceiv-
ing honest Democrats? Either horn of the di-
lemma convicis them Of an attempt to deceive.
But let US examine, aud see if the Know Moth
ing party is the Wing party in disguise. What
are the facts? According to the statement of
those who ought to knew and do know, very
large proportion Of the American party in this
State are Democrats. That this is the case in
other States is evident from the fact that the
Democratic party has been routed in all the late
elections. which could not have been effected
without unparalleled desertlon from their ranks.
II the Know Nothing party is justly chargeable
with Abolitonsm, large numbers Of the boasted
National Democracy of the North are implicated
in the crime, for their success in the elections
can only be accounted for on the hypothesis that
large numbers of Democrats belong to the organ
ization. The mass of the party there, is made
up of Democrats and Wings. How was the par
ty represented in The Winchester Convention 3
Upon undoubied authority, it is stated, by AZ
Democrats and So Wings. OF the candidates
nominated by that Convention, two have been
Democrats and one Wing, and the District
Convention which assembled at the same time
nominated a Democrat for the Board of Public
Works. Verify these facts bespeak an overshad-
owing Wing influenced lflhere are any Wings
who will not vote the American ticket, we ven
ture to say it will be because they regard 1t, to
use the language OF Democrat to US few days
ago, as ''a Democratic trick to catch chuckle-
headed Wings" We much mistake the callbre
of those Democrats who have united with the A.
mercan party, if they can be induced to turf
back, by such appeals TO their old party predilec
TORS and prejudices. Those men are made o
sterner stuff; they have acted from principle ato
high sense of duty TO their country. They
have taken the step deliberately, honestly, indie
! pendently, and will not be either coaxed or dry
/ en- from the way in which they have chosen to go