The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-10-05
LETTER FROM ROBERT w. JOHNSON.

dered il impossible that could attend consistently with
other imperative engagements,
The hatering illusions made to my humble
in the of the State give rise in my heart TO
the grateful feeling, and lead 10 assure you that
regard the public approval the only lasting and esma
BILE reward u life which all men have tested il pro-
10 be far from satisfactory, if not unhappy
The American or know-nothng party TO which you all
ude has sprung into existence and attained importance in
this since last elections The exertons of its
paisans have been unparalleled in that period and
knowledge the obligation you expect al my hands as
public man. and having had superior opportunities
for information and through which TO arrive at
sound Judgment upon its objects and its worth declare
the position occupy and some al least OF the reasons
which govern
The efforts now MAKING by this party the in
sdious and sacrlegous awaited Of without scrupe
aud the rapid advances made by IT, long and stud
ousy concealed, mperatiyely require that those who con-
denim and oppose should rally together and declare
themselves in the public and unequivocal manner II
is party insdious in its movements, more selfish in
It's objects sacregous in its obligations and dangerous in
its tendency public peace private and social relations
free government and TO the continued mainenance and
preservation Of the constitutional rights Of the South than
had believed it possible for the genius OF man TO invent
and reduce 10 practice.
The know-nohing party whether North or South is the
old whg party enveopsd in other forms and hrouded in
secrecy There but three great parties in the coun
try to wit the Democratic The whig, and the reeso
parties The democratic party still exists, and the wing
party IS VIGOROUSLY ertinct.
What have become OF our fellowcitzens Of the wing
party2 They have not joined the democratic party if
they had the elections the North which have
suited in the defeat of the Kansas Nebraska democrats and
in giving the eesoiler the control of the House Of
widely different result. They have not joined the demo-
the South if they had there would have been no
in the elections in Virginia North Carolina,
Tennessee Kentucky, Alabama, and Texas.
In all those States the democratic party with the excep
ton OF few disappointed ambitious enbitiered rene
gade9,l being composed OF the same wei-known public
men, and Of the same voters has presented her regularly
nominated ticket for candidates for office On the other
hand neither OF those States there wing ticket
presented proposed. The know-nohipgs and the
democratic party in all recent elections have been the TWO
great rival parties in the South The know-nothing party
has led by the old whg leaders, and supported by
the old rank and file OF the wing party, with rare
ceptions This will not be denied 10y any honest honora-
BILE intelligent man. Some there may be who are ignorant
these facts but there who aspire TO the position
and distinction of leading that party, or any other party,
who do not know them.
The democratic party has not changed its principles.
The know-nohing party is composed OF wings, and
erned by the old leaders, and have never heard
that they individually collectively have abandoned
their wing principles but only that they have added 10
their creed few additional and yet more odous tenes
warning upon the rights of conscience prescribing the nat
uraized citizen exciting religious persecution ana ming
ling in strife and bitterness religion and poiltics
In view of these facts conclude that those who
have abandoned the democratic party have abandoned
Also its principles (or they constitute at best but pt
u squad in the nothing party and cannot hope to
rule the wings and that they have either been deceived
and misled do by plausible representations or That
they have sold out their principles with tu knowledge OF
hopes plausible promises Of promotion to public honors
past political discomfort and embittered dsappoinmens
personal to themselves.
: OF the class who have been deceived when they shall
have plainly the tendency and direction of this new
party, we may confidently expect ubhoraem, and we
daily it eyenped in the published lists declaring
their reputation OF the know-noing party But OF the
Weiniorned, weread political renegade no one expects
the democratic party ana as The act OF apan-
donsnen denotes The politically dishonest man, Of unscrn
pGluus ambition reyeugeul feelings, overriding his prin-
IL, and
SUCH sGce could regard 1t as sincere ana trust
worthy None could anticipate aught from it but dis
cord disorgaaizaton intrigue and party disaster The
loss Of III such will be matter Of little regret if not actual
cause for rejoicing, with every sound and rational man.
In language Of the Hon. A. .. Greenwood, our able
and faithful representative from the first district:
alt cannot be denied that the order composed Of
who always been hostile to the democratic party in
fact it is the old whg party with come honorable excep-
ti0ns) banded tngesr nnder name aided by lew
deuded democrats and those who have been disappointed
Office seekers and ready to join any organization that
cess in eecng President in 1856 and thoae oce-oyng
gentry should again be disappointed in their aspirations they
ready to join any other new party that may spring up
with the smallest nope OF The country in no dan
ger from such political adventufers.'
II is The attempt of this party to deude the south
people into the belief that they the ae southern
purity aud that such, they NATIONAL and that they
have strength the North 10 aid them IN sustaining the
constitutional rights OF Tie South, that the democratic
party North is thoroughly abooHtzea This repre-
sentaton bold reckless, and shameless alschood and
those who originate be such, and those who
repeat are in the shameless category,
ignorant of the everyday facts of political history
10 be deserving of no The weinIomcd politician
who will assert it inspires with pity and disgust.
Senator Benjamin. OF Louisiana, honorable man. but
an infoleran ug and bitter foe of democracy declares
il his address that be repudates the know-nong
party, and says
In the debate which in the Senate Of the United
States on the Nebraska bill the Notifying conviction
forced my mind that the wing nettondt party
The great party which had been my pride TO belong
which, under lead Clay and Webster had long stru2
ged with varying fortunes lQr power Of conducting pub
lie affairs principles which honestly believe to be best
calculated promote the welfare of the people, had perish
ed with its chietans found not northern wing
tainted by the communicating influence OF freesoism Not
whg raised bis his vote either
house Of those institutions Of the South which
expressly recognised by the constitutions and the
ton which formally and soemnly guaranteed To
oreathers when they consented to merge, for all national
purposes the independent sovereignty The southern states
into cnederaed Union Agan and again did northern
wings floor Of the Senate declare that they aured
all further union with southern wings national principles
and repeatedly heard the declaration made that the defeat
the wig party he attributed to the dead weight
which it carried the North by the recognition in the
tiona platform OF the constitutional rights OF the South
Who viii deny the truth Of the words of this wing
ator eyewitness Of the facts he speaks of The wing
years. The democratic party is the only constitutional
party found the North Their acts prove il. The
knownothng party OF The North is thelod ghg party.
They have destroyed mary OF the constitutional democrats,
and the kuownothngs they have elected at abolition
ISIS the past OF their lives individually will prove it
aud ifw viii wait patiently til pext session Of Congress
will daily developed and proven by their speeches
and their votes, Al the time will SEQ the few
northern demucrnte vet left standing firmly up and bat
Ting for that constitution which is the only charter OF a
southerners rights left TO rely upon Senator Bena-
min again says;