Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1855-04-05
sTIf the Know Nothings succeed ,hi

Tlf the hnow Nothlngs succeed This
Spring, what arc the people Of the State
to gain by their triumph, and VINO Is TO be
benefited by such 4 vic,ory2 What are
the principles Of these men, so iar as they
havs been pleased 10 reveal them, They
profess to be opposed TO foreigners to this
cxicGi,-,hey do not wish them to have a
vote or av ice in the choice of The rulers Of
the political affairs Of the country. Would
they interfere. with the Catholics in their
rcligionl II 90, after the lapse OF two hun
.lred years, they are attempting to establish
doctrine which ID directly opposed to that
which was advanced aud advocated by
John Clarke, Roger Williams, and the 9th
or early settlers Of Rhode lsland, who sought
an asylum here where religious toleration
was free, and where every man could and
should have the right 10 worship God ac-
cording to the dictates ofhis own conscience.
This was u,e OF the fundamental principles
in The organic settlement Of the State and
il has been the peculiar boast OF all Rhode
Island historians since that time that the
same free aud conservative principles have
ever been adhered to and maintained here
Do these Know Noihings think that j, las
been reserved TO them to be wiser than all
the good and great men who have gone
before There is no State in the Union
where the government is more strongly
founded upon the true American principle
than our own. Our Constitution docs not
allow foreigner to vote, even after he has
complied with all that the laws of the Uni
ted States require Of him, unless he owns
real estate. We require him so fair to
identify himself with the nation as to own
portion of cur sill. Is not this strong
Americansm What more is wanted D
Therefore, are these Know Nothings strict.
ly honest are they actuated solely by
principle, and desire to protect American
institutions from foreign aggression? We
think not, because, as we have already
shown, Rhode Island, under its Constitu-
ton, is in no danger Of foreign rule. The
plain truth Of ths matter is simply this -
The organization was started in some por-
tions Of the State by The Maine Law men,
with the hope Of carrying out their peculiar
notions in regard to moral reform; in 9th
or parts it was started by those who are cp-
ps d to The Maine Law, with the hope Of
defeating the Law and its friends; men
who have been disappointed in not obtain
ing Offices from their party have joined
with the hope and expectation that their
services would he appreciated, and that
they would be appropriately rewarded
DIany others have Joined who arc fond of
novelty, and with them the secrecy of this
now party is it's most attractive feature
Somc Of its most prominent members in this
city have not voted Tor years past,-and yet
they are suddenly alarmed, as they would
have us believe, at the danger which our
political affairs are in, on account Of foreign
ers. Such a pretence is too absurd to re-
quirc a refutation. AS we have before said,
the object of this new secret society is en-
tircly Of selfish nature.
IL it is founded entirely upon principle,
and its members are actua,ed by honest and
disintercsted motives only, why is ii a Sc
crct society? There are no moro danger.
Gus organizations than those of secret po-
litcal character; experience has taught this
in the history of the old world; and expe.
rence will soon teach us that Washington
uttered words of sterling wisdom when he
sad BEWARE OF SECRET SOCIE-
TIES"