Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-06-01
From the Washinyton Ssutinel. Nav %

TIE WAY "AMERICANS' WOULD RULE
AMERICA"-SCPpEESSIO OF FREEDOM
OF ECH-CHARACTERISTIC KNOW
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. MR.WlSE WASTREAT
ED IN WASHINGTON CITY.
Ii is with the deepest modification md regret TINT
We havn Ia record most dsgrace.ul aud out ageou-
assault upon the freedom OF speech. which was made
nn Saturday night Inst, i'll this riythc metropolis of
the republic, which bears the revered name Of Wash
ngton for which the Know No,hings profess to enter
tam profound respect and venrrntl"n In fact, they,
III their insane progrra., seek 10 Interpret anew the
Constitution Of The United States, ANA override all law
human and divine, and trnnplr OH those who will not
join ilrr uuhuly crusade against civil and religious
liberty.
The returns of the Virginia elections, received on
Saturday nu0n having rendered certain the election
Of Ir. Wise, IA Governor, by decided, unmistakn-
lilo aorty, his friends Of Washington resolved on
compimrnting him with s"rcnade. employing the
Mar nn band Tor that purpose and selecting Browns
hotel as tue place of performance.
At nine o'clock on the night OF that day. thousands
OF persons assembled before the hotel, including foes
well friends oihc victorious gubernatoral
ddate. The band performed several airs, when Mr..
Wise made his appearance on the balcony. lie was
received with the warncs demonstrations of mp
plaIlsc but the know NothIngs, who were there in
strong force, at the outset showed temper snar 10
that wlicE they exhibited ut CarIsis Saloon, when
they broke up the meeting held by gentlemen who
were guilty 0f tie CRIME Uf differing from them IN
opinion Alas for the lunucy produced by the
Northern islns.
Mr.. Wise proceeded to ndtr.a his f-llow-citizens
nf Washington, in earliest hu; respectful language,
when he WA ruGely assiiled by the Know NOthng-,
who gruancd and huzzahed, and applied offensive
cplthcs I" tho distinguished SLAYER Of "Sam,' who,
like thief, was prowlug but recently about Virginia
Ia steal the ncHrs oi n majority of the people, IL
hope TO produce such result as 10 give b'Ournoy,
Bealr, Patton, and all the pobad candidates, Ill m-
posing ovation TO operate, relatively, on all the other
StRtcI, and form tho turning point for q successful
Presidential contest,
Mr.. Wiss said a. to Sam, "hs has bOasted H. he
was the Iuyisible-the invincble but hnys met this
black knight, with hia visor down. have met him.
md his shield and lance now broken" Con-
Thinning his speech, he was interrupted, rudey, by the
Know NOtlings ut every sentence. 81 knew, hr
continued, 'that Sam might live in the land OF the
secret ballot. but he could not stand the rocs Ut
the people, BY the misses, by the stump, and p"pn-
lar assemb lagos by the open air and free discusso
and by the living, open voice OF the people, Sal IA
at last met and the conqurror il the OLD DoNISioN"
We aye particular Ill giving the Language of mr.
Wise, O. above, to show that he said nothing which
wus personally olonsivr aud which certainly d"i not
justify the dlsgraceu Interruptions ~ which he was
subjected.
lie nude hnppy retor,, however, when he said,
in au rOncal manner, at the moment OF the greatest
disturbnnce-"Tha is the liberty Of Americans ruling
Americans. for which they so loudly clamor. Iii1
ear u the people be allowed tn listen TO the
language OF liberty. Not only the Sans hurrah-
ink for the obstruction of religious liberty, but they
would ,ralnple on the freedom Of the pen aud the
freedom Of speech. tell you, you have found your
master, in purified majority which consists Of the
conscientious, conservative, and stake eholdlng men
Of both parties. thank You TO thu Know -Sothings,
speaking Ironically for your "Ee't, orderly conduct
and bshartor. You have to night demonstrated that
you norhy TO be the masters OF great country
Ike this!"
Finding it impossible to proceed owing to tho dis
graceful Interruptions, he declined to continue his re-
marks, though mportuncd by his many friends to 90
so, and concluded by saying in substance, vi thank
you my friends, for the compliment You attempted TO
pay me- bur were not permitted to perform, owing To
the tyrant and dictator aud the darkantern ohgar'
chy which seeks to opprrss. ] leave it to the con-
srrvatiye Wings and indomitnble Democrats to ray
whether this disgrace shall abide on the metropolis "t
tho nation and on the country
Mr.. Wise Withdrew from the balcony, and many
persons rushed up stairs to pay their respects 70 hn
The Know Nuthings were IN ectases, h"rinS nc
complished their base purposes, and Tor an hour or
more kept up disturbance i'll the street i'll ;hat Vci-
nifty.
the intolerance and fannticism nculcated by their
secret rites lead tyranny, and in proof OF this we
have but to point nt the proceedings Of Saturday
night to which We lave but hastily and briefly al
ludrd.
"Amrricans shall rule America" God save the
Do fr,,n fhe M, Of suCh modern Nauddls