Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-05-22
THE VIRGINIA ELECTION-THE
FOURTH THURSDAY.

HG AuoINlA ELECTION-THE
FOURTH THURSDAY.
The Virginia election will take place on the
oath instant, only two days from this time. Ii is
the event of the times and merits more than
passing notice.
1t is subject Of congratulation to the people
Of the Old Dominion, that this election should be
The subject OF so earnest and so pervading an in
terest The eyes of all sections are fixed upon it
II is agreed that the pestlence of Know nothing
ism will, for season at least, be the prevailing
evil of the times, should the voters Of Virginia
permit II TO obtain ascendancy in that venerable
Commonwealth. 1t is admitted that Know-not
ngsm will be heard of "no more, forever. y
should it be rebuked and defeated in Virginia, as
we earnestly hope it will be-
Why should the vote Of Virginia be deemed of
SO much Importance Why should her decision
Tx the fate this political pestilence 1t because
Virginia, though hated by some, and ridculed by
Others has been the truest of all the States to the
principles of the founders and the fathers of the
Republic. She has been firm, infexible, and
undertaking in her devotion to Democratic prin-
cples
As the fate of know-nothngism, in the South at
least, depends upon the action of Virginia, it is
meet that the voters Of that ancient Common
wealth shosld understand it. In order to help
them TO right conclusions, we will avail ourselves
OF the occasion to group together, in as few words
as we can, the facts, circumstances, and develop
ments which have attended its rise and progress.
The old Wing party, after trying an nfntude
OF experiments, and assuming as many shapes as
Proteus, became conscious of its inability to sus-
tain itself 1t had within its organiza ton all the
odious elements of ancient Federalism; it had.
moreover, people of different views and variant
opinions. Ii had leaders between whom ex-
sted the most intense rivalries and the most
rancorous antagonisms. 1t was sort of onaniun
gatherum. The only two ligaments that kept if
together were the love of spoils, and hatred of
the Democratic party. Even these, potent as
they We're, tailed to prolong its existence. 1t
died an ignoble death But death could not sub
due its rancor, or destroy its love of plumber
From the sepulchre in which it was "uuietly
inurned, has sprung up monster, more de-
formed and hideous-a vile fungus, whose speedy
growth promises to be equalled only by its
speedier extinction. Know nothingism is but the
disturbed ghost of Federal whiggery. 1t is now
stalking through the land in darkness and in
mystery.
Whiggery persisted because its nationality was
destroyed. The Wings of the South saw plainly,
what SO frequently had been impressed on them,
that Northern whggery was but another name
for Northern Abolitionism They quit the organ
ization, and it fell-thus fulfilling the death-bed
prediction of the illustrious Webster. After its
heart ceased to throb, and its pulses to beat, the
Wings of the South-or rather those who had
been Wings, began to cast about them, and to
inquire where they should go' They hated the
Democracy. This hatred was tradition, and
an inheritance. They were unwilling to join
the Democratic party without compact and
and bargain ; without the triumphant accom-
paniments Of drums beating and flags flying
The Democracy would submit to no such degra-
dation. They had the field, and they meant to
hold it. They were conquerors, and determined
10 claim the fruits of victory. Yet they were not
only willing, but anxious to receive all indvdu-
ais who would join them as such but bargains
with organizations they would not make
Just at this time there sprung up party in
New York-in the very cutters of New York.
Ii called itself the Know-nothing party. Il
was SO small and so despicable, that il was
only mentioned in derision. Suddenly it began
10 grow. Ii carried village, city, county, and
even State elections. Originating in the North,
il extended South, and ambitiously threatens to
sweep the Old Dominion.
IL was Yankee contrivance-a Wing, Yankee
contrivance-an .4boHion, Uhig, Yankee contri-
vance, TO cheat the Southern people, when the
old ricketty Federal Wing party gave up the
ghost. The Northern Wings would have hung
on to the Wing party forever, if the Southern
Wings had not retired from it. When they did
so, II became necessary to form another party
Yankee ingenuity invented the needed party Just
as il invents wooden nutmegs, woolly horses, or
mermalds. This invention was christened the
Know nothing party. Remembering that South
ern Wings had broken off from Northern whirs,
because the latter had shown the cloven foot of
Abolition, the authors Of this new party deter
mined TO delude them into the belief that their
new party had no connection with Abolitionism
But an this, their members would not suffer them
70 90 farther, even, than ignoring the slavery
question. They would have no pledges against
slavery; but they would have none for il. Now,
as they were already known TO be anti-slavery,
evidence was requisite TO show that they had
changed. This evidence was not given. Under
the Ignoring process, they expected to rally all the
Wings Of the South They have been eminently
successful. While many 1--WE are glad to be able
to say-'nany) Of the better sort Of Wings have
seen through the trick and the fraud, vet the
bulk and body Of the Southern Wings have been
cajoled, deceived, and bamboozlcd. That there
are many honest Wings in the Order, we do not
doubt. But they arc prejudiced Wings
Having thus, as briefly as possible sketched
the circumstances attending the rise Of Know
nothingism, we will, in as few words as possible.
attempt to sketch its progress and to present its
aims and objects.
II arose in Ron-slarehoiding State II arose in
one of the most demoralized Of all the non-slaye-
holding States. II is of Northern Wing origin. It's
reputed father is Ned Buntline, vulgar ruffian
and an aboltionist
Its chief victories have been achieved in Mas
unrtrrp NJ III - -