Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-05-22
THE KNOW-NOTHING PLATFORM.


lkuow-nothingl party in Tennessee is published IN |
the know-nothng papers. We are not told when,
or by whom, TIE platform was adopted. II Is
enough for know-nothngs to know that IL Is inc
platform
A great change has occurred in "Americanism
since the days of the Declaration OF independence
and the adoption of the Federal Oonsutuuon--
When our fathers were about to estaohsh lree
Anoer;csn Government and to found distinctive
arar;can institutions, the delegates to the conven-
ton at Philadelphia were elected by public meetings
in the Colonies; no one of the delegates denied
his identity. They deliberated long, for the issue
was momentous. The question was. whether the
thirteen feeble colonies with less than three mil
lions of population, and many of that population
opposed to independence, should declare themselves
free, and engage in contest for freedom with the
most colossal power on the globe. They were des-
titute of everything but bold hearts. The very act
on which they were celebrating was treason,
which would subject them to the halter If proved
unsuccessful. Yet when they had agreed upon
their platform, they signed their names to IT, One,
q Catholic-CHARLEs CARRoLL-put the place of
his residence opposite to his name, so that, when
the hunt for the TRAITORS" should commence there
would be no difficulty in finding him. They were
not content to have the document signed by the
President and Secretary. But each man walked
up to the Secretarys table and put his name to the
declaration which pledged his life, his fortune, and
his sacred honor to maintain AMERICAN MpEpEND-
ExoE. And thea, we are told, as soon as the doc
ument was signed the secretary walked out on the
steps of Independence Hall and read it, names and
all, to the assembled people. And the old bell of
the Hall rang its most cheerful notes the Declar.
alton and its Immortal Authors were thus publicly
proclaimed to the people. As that platform of
principles" circulated through the country, those
who read il saw who adopted it. Their nanss
were there. JOHN ADAMS, Thomas JEFFERSON
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, and their ilustrious compeers
were not the sort of men, when questioned about
their act to answer that they "kneaO nothing" about
it'll Probably neither of them ever had dark Ian
tern in his hand in his life Certain it is that the
Declaration with the sort of people who fought the
battles of the revolution, would have had no effect
fit had been issued as an anonymous production,
for whom no man was responsible.
Such was AMERIcANIsM when our Institutions
were baptised in the blood of its founders
What contrast there is between this spirit and
the kTo,U-notttngisna which now aspires to the
name of Americanismi The know nothing papers
here print what they call the platform of the
Amercan.party of Tennessee" There 10 no name
attached to it. 1t is "the nameless bantling of
naneless sire" 1t is said that convention of
know-nothings was held at Odd Fellows Hall, in
this city, early in this month, which nominated
candidate for Governor, and adopted this ''plat-
FORM" Its members came here professedly on 9TH
er business There some three thousand Cath
olics in Tennessee, men, women, and Children
There are less than six thousand persons-men
women, and chidren-of foreign birth in the State,
out of population Of more than million. If the
seven hundred thousand white Protestants of the
State think their liberties in danger from the sir
thousand foreigners-haf Protestant and half Cath
olic-who have lived among us in peace and har-
mouy, we put it to every American-to every Ten
pessean-if the danger is so imminent as to Justify
the seducing men into dark alleys at night and
swearing them to deny their identity and to vote
against Catholics and Foreigners? Is it so immi-
nent and is the peril great from these three thou
sand Protestant and three thousand Catholic for
eigners that State Convention to resist them
must be held in secret, with closed doors; its men,
bers coming up here to Nashville ostensibly on
other business, and obliged to swear, when ques-
toned, that they knoW nothing Of any such meet
ing; skulking round corners to get to Odd Fellows
Hall without being Observed making a nomina-
ton TO- Governor and adopting a platform, and
then publishing that nomination and platform with
out informing the public who it is that thus fix
their principles and announce their candidates
Why, it looks ike paltry little conspiracy of men
who are ashamed of their conduct. Swearing in
at midnight seven hundred thousand Prot
estant Tennesseans to wage an unrelenting war
on three thousand Protestant and three thousand
Catholic foregnborn citizens, who, in peaceful and
honest industry, under our constitution and laws,
engaged in labors for the support of their fam
lies, without complaint from their natve-born
neighbors, with daily and hourly thanks to Al
mighty God for having provided them in this free
country asylum from the expressions Of their
own and doing their full share as has been proved.
when war comes, to defend with their lives their
adopted land! Why, how monstrous is all this to
any candid man who will calmly sit down and sur
vey the feldl To dignity this crusade as an Amer
lean movement is base SANDER upon American
isrn and it ought to blister the tongue of any man
to utter the libel
- The platform Of the American Party of Ten
nessee," as published in the organs, is simply an
unmitigated fraud. We ourselves endorse, with
one exception, every principle in it. With one ex-
cepton as far it goes it is the creed Of the DEM
ocrstc party the Union, and always has BEEN
Striking out the resolution that no man should, in
any case, be elected any Office unless born on our
soil, and the can't about an American party, the
democratic party has always contended for every
thing else in this platform. The fraud is in two
things: in attempting to found party apparently
based on certain acknowledged principles which
nobody denies, while the secret purpose of the par
ty is in direct conflict with the published platform;
and in disappearing those who oppose the Sc
cret action ofthe party by procaiming the issue to
be upon principles which are not disputed. Were
peat that the preamble and ten of the twelve res
olutions, as we undeutand them, are now. and al
ways have been, democratic principles. But thew
are not the real principles of the kuow-nothiuos =
The man who has taken the know-notbinp ostb
must disregard that oath to support tn. PLATFORM of