Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1855-07-26
KNOW NOTHING TREASON.

able character of the celebrated Hartford CON
vention of'I8l4. But The same treason IS al
work now 10 sap the foundations OF our Tree
and liberal institutions, and, we have not a
doubt, that when, in after years, the history oil
Know-N othingism is written by some impair
tial pen, and when the facts co nected with
it are made public, it will be found 10 have
been fomented and encouraged by foreign in
~nuence, as that other treason was. The aims
of both were alike reasonable, though each
professed The warmest patriotism. The pro-
iectors Of the Hartford Convention, with all
their prominent adherents, have long since be-
come the objects Of public scoIn, GIom which
they never can escape and The same fate
awaits their initators Of the present day, which
will assuredly be visited upon them in due
time by the American people. Speaking on
this subject, The Philadelphia Pennsyf1aniGn
very Justly remarks:
"The superlotive Americans which the
Know Nothings have assumed loses much OF
lis originality in their HANDS, when we look
INTO the proceedings Of the Hartford Conven-
ton. 1t will be found 10 he o clap trap, VIII oh
that party wore out forty years ago, and cast
aside as useless. 1t is upon the minutes of
the Hartford Convention, utder The da;e OF
December Goth, 1914, ihuS-"That the ca
pacity of naturaliZed citizens 10 hold Offices of
trust, honor, Or profit, ought 10 be restrained,
and that il is expedient 10 propose an amend
ment to the Constitution OF the U. S., in rela-
lion TO Ina, subject" That was one Of the
lodges of the Convention, 10 cover thtiI own
secret treason with sham patriotism. But it
no more served their purpose than the hyPo-
critical assumption of exclusive AmericaniSm,
by The Know othingS Of the pretent day, can
serve 10 conceal the hideous %criminalily Of
that organization. While naluralized citizens
were fighting the battles of their adopted
country, nutive traitors were giving aid and
comfort to the eremy. Many Of the active
Know othings cannot be expected 10 be in
formed upon this subject, for their parents
had not yet emigrated 10 America, when these
things occurred. We trnst, b refore, that a
little enlightment will not be altogether lost
upon them. The following extract from the
Olive Brunch, published almost contempoTa-
neously with The event referred 10, will pre-.
sent in admirable contrast, the difference be-
tween q profession of superIalive and exclu
s.ye Americanism, and The practises of those
who prc!eSSed 1t.
"Let uscontelnplate, for moment, the
spectacle there exhibited to the view Of the
world. | will not 60 over the disasters of the
war, nor describe the difficulties in which the
government was involved. II will be recol-
lecled that lis credit was nearly gone, Wash
ington had fallen, the whole coast was block
AIDED, and an immense force collected IN the
West Indies, was about 10 make q descent,
which it was supposed we had no means OF re-
sisting. In this awful state OF our public af-
fairs, when the government seemed to be al
most ~tottering on its base, when Great Britain
relieved from almost all her other enemies,
had proclaimed her purpose Of reducing us to
unconditional submission. we beheld the peace
party in New England pursuing a course cal
culated 10 do more injury to their country,
and 10 render England more effective service
than all her armIes.e Those who could not
.fnd il in their hearts 10 rejoice at our victor
les, sang TIE Dcum' at the Kings Chapel in
Boston at the restoration of Tho Bonrbons.-
Those who would not consent to illuminate
their houses for the capture OF the GuerrieTe
could give visible tokens OF their Joy at the ia !
OF Detroit. The deacon fires Of their bills
were lighted up, not for the encouragement OF
tier friends, but as signals TO the enemy l.; and
in the gloomy hours of midnight, the very
lights burned blue. Such were the dark and
pOrtentous signs Of the times which ushered
IN HE renowned Hartford Convention. That
Convention met, and from their proceedings, 1t
appears that their CHEF object was to keep
back tile men and money of New ngland
from he service Of the Union, and to efftct rad
ical changes in the goveInmer t-changes that
can never he effected without a dissolution OF
the Union"
Such was the patriotism OF those who wrapt
themselves up IN an exclusive AmerlcanlSm
forty years ago, and resolved that the capacity
Of nj turaIized citizens to hold Offices Of trust,
honor, OF profit, ought To be restrained They
were the Know Nothings Of the days of the
Hartford Convention, and their mantle of prin-
ciples has fallen upon the Know.Nothings OF
Today. Ii makes a good fit let them wear ii
while they live, and be buried in it after
waIds. Q
.