The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-06-30

holier sentiment-THE COMMON Coon OF
OUR COMMON COUNTRY.
What Will the Know NOthings
Do!
In the fusion and confusion created by
the movements of Csr political opponents,
it is almost impossible to predict with GER
tainty, the position they will occupy at the
18th of July Convention. Still, their past
maneuvering, may furnish some light upon
the subject. With them, desire for spoils
is the controlling passion. The only ques-
ton then will be as to the line ofpolicy best
calculated to secure victory. To recon-
Gle each and every faction and secure their
united strength, they have laid down and en-
dorsed at least four different and contra
dictory platforms. They intend to stand
upon not one. but all of these.
During the winter, each Know Nothing
Editor bult p'a:form.for himself to stand
upon in public, such as he thought best ad-
apted to his own peculiar locality. On
the Reserve, they were generally Anti
Slavery; in the southern part of the State,
they IGNORED the subject. The Convention
of Kuow Nothings at Cleveland Ito which
all the county orders are subordinate) at
length laid down a platform. 1t advocat-
ed the disfranchizement OF foreigners, and
the restoration of the Missouri Compromise.
Next came the National K. N. Convention
at Philadelphia, 1t also favors the disfran-
chisement of foreigners, but declares that
Congress has no right to legislate upon Staue-
ry. Finally came the, Know Something
Convention. This declared in favor of
protestant foreigners but advocates the
prescription of Catholics tohether nGtsveor for
eign born.
Now, no two Of these platforms agree.
Upon which, then, will our opponents stand!
We repeat, they will stand upon all; that
is, each locality will adopt that platforH
which suits it best, and which will give them
the most votes. For instance, an Anti
Slavery, Anti Catholic, Maine Law plat
form will be popular in some parts
of the Reserve, and hence will be adopted
here; but it would not do in Cincinnati.
There different platform will be required
and different, will be apopted Hence
the reason for having four platforms.
1t is claimed that the Know Nothings
of the north, are anti slavery and that they
will unite with the free soilers. This is false.
They may pretend to do it, out harmonious
union of sentiment is impossible. They
may have been Anti-Slavey once, but they
are not so now. They dare not be. They
have taken extra-iudiciaa and wicked oaths
every one of them. These oaths bind them
by fearful penalties to abide the dictatior
: of their order. They dare not disobey.-
They are slaves; how then shall they talk
about freedom. The National Council, in
=. which they were represented by delegates o
oftheir own choosing. has resolved tina
Congress shall not touch slavery and the
slave states may come into the Union.-
J There may be few Northern Know Moth
ings who dislike this; they may bolt as di'
some of the delegates of the Convention
But that does not release them. Thost
oaths are in their way. Three black ant
damning oath which rob them of their man
hood--oaths taken at midnight, by the ligh
of a dark lantern, hang like mill-stonei
: about them, and they are terrified into sub
mission. They will not denounce the or
der altogether; this would defeat their plan
for the presidency.
But what will the July Convention do
There must at least be a seeming agree
ment between the different factions. The
must appear to stand upon common plat
. form. Will that platform be in favor of re
storing the Missouri Compromise! Wepre
sume SO. Will the know Nothings sup
: port it, quite probable. Will they retail
: their connection with the National council
n Yes. But how? They will denounce slave
e ry in public, while in secret they swea
t fealty to the slave power; they will profes
friendship for the foreigner in day time
d but at night, will plot his destruction.