Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-06-22
The Know NOthinps.

The old fable has had another illustration.
The mysterious noises, the wind gusts and
earth-tremblings which have kept the peo-
pie aghast in expectation of birth suitable
10 such awful throes, have ceased. The Ia
Dor Of the mountain is over, and the mouse
has come forth The great Know NOTHING
Council-alias "the Grand Council of the
United States of North America whose
jurisdiction and power extends to all the
States, Districts and Territories Of the
United States of North America has begun
and ended its first and last session. The
doors Of the secret conclave are now thrown
open, and plain folks, who think it safer to
walk by the help of their own eyes, than to
be led blind-fold by others, can compare its
pretonsions with its works-can see what
were the real AIMS Of its chief managers, and
can form their own opinions Of its acts.
We have never doubted that some men Of
good purposes (strange US it seems) attached
themselves to the Know-Nothing organiza-
tion In the hope that in some underlined way
great benefits would result from it. Chill
drcn-like, they were captivated with the
mystery which covered it. The vague pro-
LESSONS of intense patriotism. Of an over
powering American feeling which were loud
ly talked Of, were very taking with them.
They knew themselves to be patriots hearty
lovers Of their country, and what glorious
thing it would be, thought they to be asso-
ciated with a multitude bound to each other
hu al, ,Io,.
foreign influences, against jesuitcal schemes,
against corruptions Of every kind Besides,
the organization had shown itself wonderful
ly powerful in some places. Why could
1t not then sweep every thing through
out the Union, and thus bring in
sort OF political millennium without any
delay There were some things about it
which did not look quite right, to be sure
This gathering under concealment produced
sort OF creepy feel on their skins which was
very unpleasant, and when they came to
the oaths Of secrecy and pledges ofobedicnce,
TO subterranean nominations and cabalIstic
signs, they could not but feel that it all
looked good deal more like .csuitism under
smooth name, than like love Of honest
free and manly political dealing, such as
American freemen rejoice in us their privi-
lcge and duty.
If the action OF the - National Council"
has not rubbed the scales off the eyes of all
such, it is because the leprosy has destroyed
their eyesight. No honest lover of the
rights of man, Of those everlasting princi-
pies of freedom which our fathers shed their
blood to establish, of the rights Of the free
states so foully trampled under foot in the
passage of the Kansas Nebraska act, can
consistently keep up his conncxion with that
organization a moment longer, Ii he was
led to believe that it would work for freedom
when he joined it, he can believe it no more
lie nolO knows it to be the most ihorough-
gong pro-sIdrery organization rh,ch the
'onntry has ercr seen. Every Vermont Know
Nothing must leave it or sink with it.
As for those who joined it for no other but
'cifSh ends,-to secure Office, because they
believed there would strong Know Nothing
vote in the state, and they might as well have
it as any one else, we have no advice to waste
on them. Discipline, not counsel, is what
they need,