The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1855-06-15
a KNOW NoTHIMG pnRTRAIT.

HNUW NUI HING EChIRA1I,
Draarn By Col. .N'CIure, Editor offAe CHM
bersbarg Repository aad Wdie, and oae Of
Cor. POLLOrK1S prominent Office foi-
ders
1.-THE American party would regain the pow
or it has lost--yea, If even its existence is 10
witness national organization and a national
victory, il can no longer delay the thorough mod
fication of It's ani-repuhllcan system Of disci-
pIine. II standard must b. fling to the breeze
in open day with its principles inscribed there
on, or It-Hlust fall speedy victim to the very
causes which have given il lis hot-beG growth
It's tra-judicial oaths, requiring a blind adhe-
sion to The edicts of the party without regard 10
the claims Of men or measures, is feature of
political discipline that mast soon die ont in
country proverbial for It's political and personal
freedom, as is ours. In Virginia il only served
to make toe discontinue more poignant aud
oeerwh lining. Thousands Of men, hound By
all the solprnnitY of an extraordinary oath.
tremblpd and falterpd as thev were called upon
10 give their rtra toce suffrages in accordance
witt their obligations. The oath was to have
spcured certain success, but the result demon
Strates that it is stripped Of all lis moral power
when lis is prostituted 10 unworthy purposes
Thus thousands of high-ninIpd, independent
Wing VOTERS were driven over 10 WISE by the
iDtolerant movements oFthe American party,
and other thousands who were 10 fill np the
gacant places had not the nerve 10 face the
light 70 day in the exercise Of their guaranteed
rights.
Thus was Wise elected-ihus was American
ism defeated, not only in the State at large by
more than usual Democratic majority, hut not a
single Congressman has been saved from the
wreck. We submit in all candnr whether
these results do not demand the serious reHec-
ton Of The American party. II is the warning
voice that presents the alternative to tbr order,
to choose bfwpen the immediate adoption of
asrstasn Of government suited To the Svn,pathirS
OF the Amrrlcsa people, embracing the largest
measure Of personal freedom. or accept an IN
glorious overthrow. We know that hundreds
Of cid party hacks. all manner OF political trick
s'erS, al stvEes Of new iledged leaders, whose
fattrrng seIi-inportance is threatened. will al
once denounce any Efforts 10 poPularize the
American rarty. They have everything 10
gain and nothing TO lose, and their only hope Of
success is hv those regulations which ignore
merit. and bind the suhotdlnattS to a iect sHh-
mission Such will tel how fortunate was the
defect in Virgina-bow imneasnrably the
party is to be benefited thereby. and how diSas-
trous would have been the election of the
American ticket st this particular crisis, though
their hearty hHzzaS over the proscrip,ive defeat
of the Democracy have scarcely died away
They are Americans only because old parties
had better men for official station, and because
they have high hopes Of success now if Know
Nolhingism can only be made to preserve It's
present inviting avenues for potltcal chIcanery.
They carr not how soon they drive it TO destr0c-
tion IL they can only reach power, and hence it
is witll them question Of life or death 10 resist
the notifications which alone can save the
American PARTY from annhilation.
The National Connect Of the know-NothmgS
assembled at Phiadrlp phia Yesterday, and next
to the disracting question Of Slavery, that Of an
open organization will b. the leading measure
for lis consideration. What it will do We have
no mans Of knowing but if wisdom prevails,
from this time forth srcrrt councils. oafhs, de-
gcreS, and all similar tom-ionlrrIrs will be
among the things that were. Remember Viz
ginia