Washington sentinel., 1855-03-18
Washiagt0n Sentinel.
THE VIRGINIA KNOW-NOTHING
NOMINEES.

We take it tnat there is no "hoax" In the
report that these are the nominees OF the Know
nothing Convention in Winchester For Gov
ernor Thomas S. Flournoy, Of Halifax county;
for Lieutenant Governor, j. Nj. ii. Beale, OF
Mason county; for Attorney General, ohm NJ
Patton, of Richmond city.
Mr.. FIournoy is respectable mediocrity, o
good personal character, and moderate abl
ties, with some distinctions as county court
lawyer, but of no special repute IN the State
In consequence of some dispute among the
Democracy of his district, he once contriyed
to secure return to Congress by very small
majority. He was in Congress but single
session, and his term was altogether undistin-
gushed by the display of any talent Tor pubhc
business. He made two attempts to get back
into CONGRESS. but was beaten by the Hon. T.
H. Everett, the second time by very decisive
majority. 1t is said his political career has
been consistent; he is now as staunch and vim
dictiye whig as ever did homage to Henry
CLAW. The Democracy will not fail to observe
that the offices of power and patronage is pro-
posed to be conferred on a man thus thorough
ly imbued with all the passions, prejudices, and
PRINCIPLES of the old Federal Whig party.
The candidate for Lieutenant Governor did
profess to be O Democrat, but short time
since he began to manifest sour and malig,
nant disposition, in consequence OF the rejec
ton of his application for an office at the hands
Of the present Administration. This bid for
an executive appointment, was the last SHIFT Of
desperate ambition, for Mr. Beale had al
ready lost all hold on the confidence OF the
Democracy Of his district. The know-nothing
Convention could not possibly have selected
Western man for whom the Democracy Of the
West have less regard. 1t will be found that
20 NJ Pao1a w;n not copn nom
safe the feelings of Western men, for the con.
sistent and incorporate hostility Of Western
interests, which Messrs. Flournoy and Patton
exhibited in their opposition to the liberal re-
forms of the present Constitution. We speak
not of the Basis question, but of those other
concessions to the popular demand, as the cleo
ton of the judiciary, the extension OF the night
Of suffrage, &C., which the West SO ardently de-
sired and Messrs. Flournoy and Patton so OBJ
stinately and violently resisted. Mr.. Patton,
we are told, makes it boast that he has never
read the present Constitution, such is his con.
tempt of its popular character, and his regret
for the obsolete abuses of the old regime. The
West will not accept these distasteful candi-
dates because of their association with Mr..
Beale, himself broken down politician in his
own locality. Nor will the nomination OF
Messrs. Flournoy and Patten be more agree
able to the people Of Eastern Virginia, Of whom
a large majority approved the liberal reforms
of the present Constitution.
Mr.. Beale, too, was for several years an OBJ
scure member of Congress, but he distinguished
himself at last by his disgusting homage to
Kossuth, and by his clamorous sympathy with
the Red-repubhcans Of Europe. Now he is a
Know-nothing, and against all foreign inhu.
encel
Some persons express surprise that Mr.. Pat.
ton should accept a nomination from the Know
nothings and consent to play second fiddle to
an inveterate Wing, in opposition to the party
to which he processes TO belong. These gen
tlemen must know very little of the political
career Of Mr. Patton, else they would not be
astonisbed by any change of his party relations
which promises TO inure to his personal advan-
tage The Know-nothing press talk of the in.
consistencies of Mr. Wise; but the public course
of Mr.. Wise is to the political record of John
NJ. Patton, as a straight line is TO the track OF
a serpent. "How are you today, Mr.. Patton
is the form Of expression in which Mr. Clay is
said TO have sarcastically reproached the Know
nothing candidate for Attorney General with
his sudden shiftings. His infrmity of nature
in this respect is proverba We do not know
that we have yet unraveled the tangled web OF
his political career, but We understand he
first Democrat, then Conservative, then
Whig, then Democrat, and is now Know
nothing Charming consistency And, mark
his changes Of position have not been coinci
dent with great crises in our public affairs, but
rather with the predominant popular impulse
OF the moment Ii we are not misinformed,
Mr.. Patton has accepted appointments Of every
party; he certainly holds on to place with q
sort Of nortnldia tenacity Of grasp. is it won
derful then, that he is now a candidate for Of:
Il -. II L.
the nomination as he would accept a retainer
in his profession; and he will advocate Know.
nothingism as he would defend any other grea,
public criminal--for a liberal reward. II is
true Mr.. Patton made a speech at Odd Eel
lows Hall, in this city, during the Presidential
canvass Of lS4s, IN ,ctich he denounced Me Ma
tire American Increment uith a sererity Of inrec.
tire 10 phich there is no parallel "a Phiiippic III.
erature The people Of Richmond will remember
his touching appeal in behalf Of our immigrant
population, and his glowing description Of the
industrious German, from his vineclad hills,
the Italian from amid the mouldering ruins Of
classic glory, the vivacious Frenchman, the i'm.
pulsive and generous son OF Erin, &c, &c, all
coming hiiher to contribute 10 the gran
deur Of the rising empire of the New World.
But Mr. Patton is a ready and ingenious law
yer, and is equally at home on both sides Of
any case. No man will now depict the deg.
radiation Of our adopted felow-citizens, or de-
plore the evils Of" excessive immigration" with
greater power. He is unquestionably an able
and adroit advocate and will do much 10 make
the worse appear the better reason. But never
yet was his eloquence enlisted in defense OF so
black criminal as Know-nothingism. Even
his great ability will stagger under this burden.
lie cannot win a verdict in the case of the
People rs. the Great Conspiracy"
This ticket viii repel such wings as are wings
on principle and for the sake Of principle A
mere confederacy for the conquest Of the spoils,
without any platform Of principles or any com.
mon purpose beyond the enjoyment of place
and power, may prosper in States where the
public sentiment has been corrupted by the
antislayery fanaticism, but never in the South,
and least Of all in Virginia, can such sordid
alliance usurp supremacy over the people. A
ticket with Whig head and Democratic tail.
formed on the model of those fabulous mon.
sters Of antiquity who we're half human and