The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-09-26
COMMUNICATIONS.
For he Ledger.
Views Of Hon. John McQueen on Know
Nothingism.
BENNETrsvILLE. Sent al 1s5s


BENNErTsvILLE, Sept, Sd 1865.
My DEAR SIR.--I received your favour
recently, asking nv views Of the party in
the United States, known as the Know
Nothing Party, anI would have replied
earlier, that all who felt an interest in
knowing my opinion Of them, might have
it for what it is worth, but other things
engaged my attention, unavoidablv, until
the present moment.
In the remarks | shall make upon the
organization, shall mainly corfine my
slf to those who originated and compose it,
at the North and, their motives, and do
not mean to include all those at the South
who have unfortunately, been beguled
into its meshes, because have reason to
believe thare are some good men who in
the mass of professions, made BY the
party, found some things in which they
sympaihised, and suffered themselves 10
be led off, without waiting to reflect upon
the whole, or knowing how far they would
be fettered down by horrible and revolving
oaihs, which not only deprive them Of
their liberty of conscience, but prevent
them from warning their friends.
have never known q time when |
would not sooner nave seen an orgauiza.
ton of any sort, to SOW discord among,
and divide the peole Of the south, than
the present. have from a very early
period of my life, looked to the North
with mos. serious apprehensions for the
rights and happiness Of The people Of the
Southern States, and ever since the propo.
sition of the Wimot prosso, and the
strength, at the time, manifested in its
favour, | have believed that fanatics m
was so deeply rivited in the minds of the
Northern people, that before long, it would
rls up in its arrogance, and, if submitted
to, accomplish its full purpose, abolition;
against us, when the Wilmot provso
was proposed there was not a Northern
wh'g who was not its supporter or advocate
SO completely had they affiliated with and
became abolitionists themselves, that in
every state where they had the ascenden
cy, they sent men Of no other prin ,ipes
to Congress, while they secured, likewise,
all the local and state offices at home
The Democratic party North, battled in
some states against them for season, but
many OF them, finding that, in one state
after another, material object of their
patriotism, the spoils, was constantly be-
ing lost to them, they too, commenced
bargaining, and securing the offices, both
state and federal, whilst the South was 70
he left, to save herself as she could, with
Justice, right, and the constitution in he,
favour, but a majority of those who
profess to be her allies, gone over to the
enemy, and even contending that the pro.
so was constitutional. At that time there
was no national Native American party
even amongst the Wbigs, nor could thew
have been induced, TO oppose the emegra
TO" Of Foreigners or 10 prevent them from,
>"lIng, indeed they encouraged their emf
grafton by every means in their power
t e.r slips brought them across the allan.
l.; their money aided in their rapid eme.
gr"t'"" to the Territories of the United
s;"'eS, where they swelled the population
with unexampIed rapidity; they were es.
pecialIy embraced by the Wings, because
it was believed and as a general thing il
was true that they came to the country
with prejudice against slavery, and could
more easily be brought up, to the aboli.
ton Of slavery, and hostility to the South,
and they were dragged to the pools, Ro.
man Catholic, Mahommedan, Mormon OF
lnhdel, upon six months residence until
the North obtained majority of anti.
slave States, and consequent representa-
ton, in bo:h braeches Of Congress, in all
time to come. Had there been an honest ef
fort during that time to chan ge their time o.
probation and right to vote, or rather, tc
prevent them from voting in six months
in any State or Territory, should have
sympathized with the movers of it and
aided in any constitutional way I could
to accomplish that object, and doubt no,
many in the South would have done SC
likewise, but it has been left to the North
to invite, embrace, cherish and use them
IN every way possible, to advance theil
own interests, and now, when they have
accomplished all they desired by them
to devise ways and means TO brand them
as distinct and degraded people, to
alleviate their affections from the govern.
ment under which they havecbosen to live
to ostracise anil outlaw them, both socially
and politically, and deny them even the
privilege. Of worshiping their God accor
ding to their conscience.
But to return to the political condition