Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-05-07
The Know.Nothins Democratic.


firmly and immovahly by their principles and
their ticket, They despse the terrors of martial
law, and receive with the contempt and indIfie-
renee which spring from conscious ,ec,.tulc mud
patriotism, the outrageous s.taperation showered
upon them daily by the organs of the Richmond
Regency. We have no fears that they will bo
either bullicd or coaxe6 into an abandonment "f
the American cause But the Democratic
Know. Nothings have an immense stake in the
pending contest, and they must excuse us for FIRE
ouen,y reminding them Of il. In our jndgn, nj,
they will but half discharge their duty to them
selves and to their prinef les, If they content
themselves with passive policy and silent vote,
at the present crisis. Every man of them should
take up his cross, and become an expounder and
teacher Of the true faith TO his ncighbors. The
election is not so near at hanG but that their ex
ertions may accomplish important and decisive
results in the interval. Wing Know Nothings
can do but little as propngendsts. Their advan-
oes every where met with the stcreotyped
slang of the Wise party, that the Kaow Nothing
movement is Wing trick, and TINT Know Moth
ings wolves in Sleeps clothing.
SO Industrious have been the followers of the
Re gency in circulating these Misrepresentation
and artfuy have they appealed to tho party
p reiudices of the Democracy, that thousands of
Virginia Democrats who warmly approve the
doctrines of the American party, nevertheless,
shrink from associating themselves with it, from
the IDLE apprehension of being entrapped in some
terrible Wing plot Now il is the peculiar pro-
win co of the Democratic Know Nolhings 10 ap-
proach all such persons and dsabuse their minds
4.
fa sty of the charge that the American move
ment is Wing trick, and they can rciutc it to
the satisfaction of any intelligent and unprcju-
diced Democrat. They can dsprove the thou.
+ aud other calumnies with which the country il
rife to the prejudice of tho American organizn
ton and by which public sentiment is abused and
mi slead respecting its true character and objects
No party was ever more grossly mlsrcpresented
and slandcred than the Know Nothings and from
no quarter would the exposure OF these calum
MES come with so much propriety and effect,
from the Democratic members of the Order.
Ii onest and unprejudiced Democrats would lis
en- with attention and respect TO their old polit
cal associates, and give the claims of the new
party 10 their support fair and candid cxuminn
ton. This is all the Know Nothngs ask and
All tutN Httu' ~ suCttss' W q hllptal,
then, to the Democratic members of the Order to
be stir themselves, and spare efforts to advance
the cause. for the next three weeks. They are the
missionaries who can do most towards the acc ,a..
plshment of the great work which hes before us
OF the important consequences involved ian tne
approaching election, TO the Democratic section
of the American party we have here, fore had
&C session to speak, but cannot forbcar revert
ing to the subject. We repeat that to them the
present struggles one of life death of victory
or humiliation. In daring to dispute the DEGREES
of the Richmond ohgarchy, and in setting their
faces against the Renegade nominations at Saun
ton, they have committed the unpardona' lt sin
If they fail in their present efforts To throw off the
intolerable yoke of party tyranny, they may read
heir OVID Fate IN the history of all unsuccessful re
voluuons Their chains will be drawn closer than
ever. and brand will be set upon their foreheads
"VG rictiS," will be the doom pronounced upon
them by their conquero.s at Richmond, and cyacn-
ted by the legemen of the Regency throug lout
the commonwealth. They will find themselves the
victims of a prescription more vindictiye more
ruthless and more unsparng than ever vet
practsed upon any party in this state. To sat
isfy themselves this paint, the democratic
Know Nothings have only to read the editorial
iuoubrations of the Wise newspapers, or listen TO
the harangues of the Wise orators. They may
all perceive in the treatment which Messrs
Lyon Claiborne and other prominent Know
Nothings are now experiencing at the hands of
the democratic leaders, rehearsal of what
awaits themselves, should they over dare as
pire to any public trust however humble,
in this commonwealth. We submit, then, TO the
American Democrats that they will prove re.
creant to the first principle of nature-thc
principle of self Defence of self preservation, if
they fail to fight the coming battle with all the
energy Of their souls They struggling not
only for emancipation from present bondage, but
for the future enjoyment of their principles and
privileges. as freemen. If they are beaten now,
they will be trampled in the dust without mercy,
by the arrogant and insolent oligarchy which has
SO long ruled this State with a rod of iron, and
which, like its favorite, the Pope of Rome, AFRO
gates to itself the attribute of nfaibility and
assumes absolute sway over the judgment of its
followers. If the American Democrats would
not be remanded TO the dungeon Of which these
keepers hold the key. let them do their duty
bravely and zealousiy in the coming election
The issues of the contest are in their hands.
They oYerwhelm their enemies and tyaducers
with defeat, confusion and dsmay; they can
break forever the power of the Richmond Jun
to- they consign Henry A Wise and his
renegade associates TO the shades of obscurity
and inaugurate an era of better men and purer