The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-06-17
THE FUTURE.-1HE RESULTS OF THE KNOW
NOTHING CONVENTION.

NUIulN0 CUNNENIlON-
II Tie democratic party North and South shall take The
corec view OF the results which have been developed at
tho two conventions at Philadelphia and Cleveland whose
proceedings have attracted much attention during the
last few days and win prove to such counsels
correct view OF results shall suggest the future
n Of promise false step, however, this crisis may
be fatal only the hopes Of democracy but to the
federal Union whose preservation depends upon demo-
cratic sueeess We make these emphatic remarks at the
threshold of this article because have fears that the
parent dissolution Of the know nothing organization may
produce Impressions democratic minds, and
because we are anxious to secure for the suggestions and
reflections about to make careful investigation
Ii viii hardly be considered vain in to add that
the late proceedings at Philadelphia have fully de-
monstrated the correctness of our positions to
the real character and objects Of know-nothingism
From its fret appearance have warred upon the
hding-place Of abolitionismthe Ingenious contr
vance Of deep-schemng anti-slavery politicians abol
tionize both Of the old parties and nsnuae their in
the organization We treated the warfare made by them
foreigners and Catholics mere preext and blind to
divert attention from the grand purpose and seduce and
enap into the tolls Of aboltonism all who either
tanned prejudices against foreigners and Catholics or
them easy prey for the mysterious order The dsclo
of the last few days have proved that had
css penetrated the mysteries of the organization and
Justify claiming degree Of confidence in the
suggestions which shall make as to the real deductions
10 be drawn from these disclosures.
The first remark which suggests itself is that the oppo-
sition to know-nothingism manifested by w H. Seward
and his chief organ the New York Tribune shown
a,a II
the South where the champions OF the order have
stany met the charge of the antislavery completely of
northern knownothingism by dwelling upon the fact that
the great leader of political aboltionism and his principal
organ arrayed against the organization This
part assigned Sewardism for purpose IT has been
played out and the denouemm shows that other part
the deep-laid plot OF ahotonism has been more inge
nously successfully executed Whilst Sew
ardsm has been available the South in deluding and
entrapping southern into the ORDER it has been the
real presiding genius the North which has magnetzcd
the wires and worked the machinery Of the organs
cation
There are few facts now clearly established which
place these deductions beyond successful controversy In
the rst place the delegates to the Philadelphia convention
from the free States have proclaimed by the very fact of
their SECESSION well by their address the people Of
the great element of knownothingisu whilst opposition
to foreigners and Catholics is feature subordinate
The only distinct and specific which they
lay down fundamental in their creed the uncond-
ional restoration the Missouri Compromise or the re-
lection of Kansas admission the Union In re-
gard to foreigners the only definite suggestions made in
their address are that ministers foreign countries
should be citizens native BIRTH and that more stringent
,sfn
convic,s, whilst it is scarcely perceptibe that Roman
Catholics object Of either or opposition,
Let be remembered that the opposition Of Sew
ardsm to know-nothingsm has been directed ex-
cusiyely its indiscrimnac prescription Of foreign
and its intolerance Of Roman Catholics but that
has persisten,y and ardenty maintained the precise
ground the institutions of The South now admitted
70 be the very soul of knownothngsm 1t clear there
fore that the fundamental article in the know-nohng
creed there has been all the time as there is now cor
dial agreement Of sentiment between Sewarsm and know
nothngism their disagreement has heretofore been on
matters Of subordinate Importance and on these know
nothngism virtually yields and comes out of the
Philadelphia convention nothing nor less than Sew
ardism The development Of the real character Of know
nothngism explains fully the fact which we have 90
often dwet that every victory has produced
no other than abolition fruits 1t explains too the in
luence which returned Seward himself to the Senate by
Legislature overwhelmingly know-nothng its compost
ton Can any one now doubt although Seward was
nominally and ostensibly opposed to the know-no,h
iugs in New York, that in fact and in truth he was
the master spirit in devsng and concentrating their
plans? lie remained outside Of the organization and as
sumed an attitude Of appercn, antagonsm with the view
of nsurng the result which took place He has played his
part towards the South to enable know thngism upon
his supposed hostility and his known ahoiiionsm to DIFF
fuse itself there to absorb whggey distract democracy
and create division in the southern States that would
prove servceabe in the mpishmcnt his Interior an
savery designs. That he hoped abotonixe the
South we do not intimate; but when know-nothingism
rose up as If by magc from the of the earth there
eompacess and unanimy Of southern sentiment in
regard to antsavcy argessons which had never existed
before and which would be nsuperabc barrier 10 the
further progress Of aboonsm Ii essential TO the suc-
of his schemes that the South should be divided and
knownothngism the apple of discord thrown in by
Seward diversion and ultimate division The
scheme proved successful With few exceptions southern
wings seized and swallowed the bait with avidy willis,
many democrats scduced and enrappsd into the order
The South divided and that the great object Of
the orignators Of the scheme was raised by
know-nothngsm, and the South ceased to exhibit that
solid, unbroken phalanx which had been the terror Of