True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-02-01
From the Harrisburg Telegraph.
Know Nothingism and Slavery.

~ OAAOA 10 ANoNA
exceedingly ridiculous by its efforts to iden-
tify Know Nothingism with the pro-slave-
ry movement. As VIC observed on for
mer occasion, this is trick on the part
of the Union "a rampant pro-slavery, anti
Know Nothing organ) to create schisn,
between the friends of Freedom in the
North, and pave the way for a triumph of
the Slave Power But the game, however
adroitly played, won't win, We are coolly
told that Know Nothingism is a pro-slave-
ry movement, (if so, why does the Union
oppose it?) and has already completely
swallowed up Free Soilism p This will
be news to the friends of Freedom in the
North What are the facts in the case
In all the States where Know Nothingism
most largely predominates, the triumph Of
the anti-slavery sentiment has been the
most thorough and complete. Here in the
old Keystone, where the strength of the
new party organization is incalculable, the
originators and advocates of the Nebraska
swindle, and apologists and supporters Of
the "peculiar institution" were most en-
phatically rebuked and condemned.
JAMES Pollock, the eloquent campior
of Freeeom, whose position on the Slavery
question met the cordial appreciation of the
Free Sellers and was publicly endorsed by
them, received the unanimous support o.
the Know Nothings, and was elected by
over forty thousand majority! At the
same election, nearly a unanimous anti
slavery delegation to Congress was elected
and in districts where Know Nothingism
was most largely in the ascendant, the ma
iorities for the anti-slavery candidates were
the most overwhelming. Of one hundred
members of the House of Representative
of our own State Legislature, more thar
two-thirds are said to be Know Nothings
and strongly anti-slavery in sentiment !
And yet, in the face of all these facts, tn
Union asserts that Know Nothingism is
.,s'pro-slavery movement" designed to 'swal
low up Free Soilism." As in Pennsylva
mia, so in the other Free States wher
Know Nothism was an important elemen
in the elections, the anti-slavery sentimen
swept everything before it, rebuking dough
faceism as it had never been rebuked be
fore!
If additional evidence were wanting t
establish the position that Know Nothing
ism is not "pro-slavery movement" a
charged by the Union, we have it in tn
fiery editorials of the Southern newspapers
and the denunciatory harangues of South
ern Congressman and politicians, like Keit
of South Carolina, and Wise, of Virgini'
The highly concentrated "chivalry
mean the 'fre-eaters regard Know Notl
ingism as an institution essentially Nortl
ern in all its features, and hostile to tn
"peculiar institutions" of the South. 7
show how the Know Nothing movement
regarded at the South, we subioin an e,
tract frem the fiery speech of Mr.. Keitt, {
South Carolina, recently delivered in Coz
gress. We commend it to the attention
those of our Free Soil friends who ma
, have been misled and deceived by the a
, tempts of such papers as the Democrat
Union and New York Tribune, to identi
Know Nothingism with the pro-slavel
movement. Hear the champion of SLAYER
"Will the South then 90 into this ne
! organization, because it is pauperism, e
listed against wealth and charters, and ii
establishment of system of social SLAYER
, Will she ointo it because of its AbolitiC
1 tendencies? Do they not exist? H
not the National Whig party disunited b
cause of the Abolition tendencies of
! Northern wing? Will this wing have le
=, Abolition feeling under a new organic
j ton? Will those Northern Democrats W
II abandoned their party because they sa
= it was allied with slavery, be more moo
Il rate Abolitionists in the new party?
not such materials make up the Northe
y Know Nothing party? Is not its objt
+ power and place? Will it not, then, sci
i upon all the elements of strength viii
Il can carry it into power? and are not t
u elements floating about at the North, a
eager for coalition, the Abolition and Fl
E, Soil element? They have been stro
'r enough to shatter an old and powerful
v ganization, and will they lose their vii
Oh and purpose in new one? What, +
have been the practical results Of this n
party? In Massachusetts, alone, it
D. been victorious through its oaon strsng'
m and what see we there? Is not the A
ID lition and Free Soil flag the only one
to ing? How stand its members elect?
q read an extract from the correspondent
- the National Era Gan Abolition paper)