Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-03-06
KSQW.NOTiiINGlSM AND JACOblNlSN.-.A
HISTORICAL PARALLEL.

KSQW.NOriiINGlSM AID JaCOb!NlSh-A
HISTORICAL PARALLEL.
rha-c IL a chapter in the history Of modern times
IN which the nature aud tendency Of ~know-No;hing-
ism NAV L.. read and understood by him who does
20, already iorcsce the dreadful consnnina'i"h 10
which, i, VIII conduct the cnu..try. This instructive
lesson must De sought, nos in the annals oil America
Sor. f,r.una,ev, Know. Soth!ngism is without f prece-
a.,f; in M. country. nor will ii be found in the histo-
~ nj s,, onoch Of public virtue or national prosper
ity in sny other state. 1t is a morbid eXcrescence
which denotes some disease in The body-politic' and
some corruption oil the social SYSTEM, and which III
wolves national disgrace and disaster. Hence, II we
want the original OF Know othingisn, and would read
its ch.vac;t. aud career by the prophetic light oil his
tory, W. mcst d!rect our researches to some country
and GONE epoch III which national deprnrity and ma
tioua, crane are chas.ised by signal national suffering
aud mu.t trace its destructive operation III the over
throw Of all the safeguards of public virtue and IN
the riot5u- excess Of the mos, corrupt and violent
passions uI human nature. This Suggestion Is cii"'g!.
70 ,ura every mind 20 the &" Reign oi Terror, IN tnr
French Revolution; and The student will not be Glow
&c discovering tho analogy between Know othingism
and Jacobinis;n. the soa.ce and instrument OF all the
atrocities which make the record Of this period 'he
tlac,sost and b,oodiesr page in human history.
The J.coBiS CLrB was instituted q, an early stage
az the French Revolution, and iss o~-tensihie, perhaps
It's real purpose a.. that time, vas % give impulse ana
organic alton 10 the popular insurfeoti"n ag"Ip-t lou
Gal lespo,is.n. But il soon Tell under the Control oi
the worst men i'll the nation-ot men IN whose chhr-
scte! and conduct the utmost depravlty OF human
nature was .ilus;rated-and WAS perverted from Ms
o-ipinu, end into an instrument Of the h!aodiest Grim"
AMI III. most execrahie tyranny. Its meetings
were held a., tight the room was ieehly l'' an"
frequently Wa iIs composUr5 disturbed oY Tue
bats that fitted aion: the vast and gloomy
wants az tic convent in which, il hid itself
vhe, ia travail with its p~rodigious offspring OF
crime, "S.yc- gasa man OF honor, seldom Il man 81
virtue. writes the historian, "adm;ttcd lnfo MS -
ciety; il had 4 secret horror t"s every Que VINO was
not attached 10 its ~fortilca by Tho henIsh bond OF com
m;,tsd wiakedness. 4 robber, I'll assassin was as
certain Of admission. as the victim OF their violence
WAS of rejection" Here in this den OF darkness'was
rehea-sed The bloody drama Of instruction. Here
was prepared the programme Oh prescription anu
nassacre. The leaders 81 tho club were Dah'on'
Murs, and Robespierre-Uames OF Immortal isMauIS'
A.. first the Jacobins were feeble, but by HE en-
c,ency OF tbsir organization and the plausible novelty
Of their professions, they spread their clubs oil over
France. and achieved absolute Rscondnncy IN Inc
nation. Defamation against The pretensions OF the
church. and ultimately against christianity itse!!' woS
the engine Of their power. And they were trne 10
,h;s .,edpe. for the c%onsummatea oct Of thoir reign was
The formal .s,blonenent Of Religion, aud the imp!ous
.sora,;oi Of Reason, as the Divinity OF human nature.
Tbey bsgsu with an assault on the Catholic establish
800 II, .l,,. las, IA thu vorlt ot ipEagration Hnen
.bere was no religion in the state to rebniie then
crime, against Heaven. They began with the iaies'
professions Of philanthropy and OF virtuous regard
for liberty: and they waied through tlooa 70 " les
no,is,n. the mere recollection o, which all make men
shudder 10 tho last syllable Of recorded tIme'-No' re-
c!,al Of the atrocities Of JacobinisIn Is necessary
while the nsae OF Robespierrr, i,s great champion
and representative e, !s i familiar among men.
JacoLiu:sm was an EXCLUSIVE Political AS'oci-
ALTON: sni l.. eliminating principles were religious d.
pot-y aud political Intolerance. The supreme power
of the societv resided in the central club at fari-' ana
its mandates wereexecuted lay tie agency OF "fhI!eteH
associat,an= throughout, the country. liH""sh THIS
instrumen.aiity local elections were determined, ana
The political 2owGr ii the state was concentrated IL
The hapGs OF din oligarcIy. Jacobinlsln naurpcd ao-
soip.c sovereignty over III" nation and the govern
men., and the des:iEi.s Of France were directed nj lis
will Even while the machinery oi en- independent
government was in existence. Jac"binism engrossad
o.! the energies, and welded tho p"iiiIca! power oil Tue
state. The Legislative Assembly and The National
Convention wcrS successfully lie slaves, and were
employed only to give validity and effect I" Its de
crees. The policy OF government, and all its mea-
eurea, were determined in the Jacobin Club. From
;ts decisions there was 90 dissent. Aud, inasmnch as
lhe Clut w..sc controlled ty tho most vioient. the most
desperate and the most criminal men, France was III
eject raled 10y tie triumvirate o; Danton, Msrat and
Robts,iafra. TIE Reign Of Terror was not over
Thrown, aud the nation did no. recover its security,
until IIc unheari. "t atrocities Of Jacobinism goaded
he people 10 re9ol; nrainst it, Crne! and execrable ty-
nanny.
Know.H;olaia,jsm is It srs.si p~oI0icai association
lie animated by r~cIieioaa bic";ry aud political int"le-
rance asy;-es to grasp al,ae power Of the State and
20 .uhiugate Tho government; has arranged a confed-
e.se- nj .fhliq;ed soeietics, which are dependant IN
1he central couucil, and which are employed to exc
cute is Nil. 10 control public sentiment, and 10 CON
centrste tho ane,eics of the nation III the hands "t nm
olisarchy aud, unless ii he arrested before 1t reaches
the cb;ec, OF its lGwless ambition, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
like IL great prototype. will overthrow the govern
rcent srI ~snhject the people 10 the bloody deSp"t'''il
OF IL conspiracy Of desperate and Srimlnai men.
History lie philosophy teaching by example. says
syreai writer and we shonld herd It's impressive les.
eon.
PROGRESS OF LIBERALISM IN ENGLAND.
The following article IN tho London Times IL one
OF the mos. remarkable Developments Of the day
The "Thurderrr" has taken the ho!tc,t ground
AGAINST the Aristvcracy, their exclusive rule, then in
competencv, their seihshn"se, their want OF tho true
n,,;ona, spirit. A wonderful revolution Of public
continent. hss been produced by popular meetings
held 10 demand q reorganization OF the Army on a
POPULAR plan, and to agi,a;e the denoerst.Ilng OF the
British Government. 4, will be 10 vain FOR british
Official. 10 arrest he movement ioG the condemn
Ton O. the Government management OF the Eastern
Wsr-end since the Times, under the pressure ot
public sentiment, hns taken So bold 4 stand most I'M
pcrtsnt Development. may mark tho course Of