The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-01
Tbs Doits of TIE Ysaplt.
PRO AND CON.
WooDsTocK, VT, FEB.

WooDsTocx, VT, Feb. Is, 1885.
Perceiving that you are willing to publish
matter about the Know Nothings, for and
against them, 1 send you few scattered
thoughts which can do no hurt, and may be
of good service. j presume some others, like
myself, are exercised, in some degree, with
hopes, and doubts, and fears. Their influence
at the ballotbox will be felt as good or bad,
at the next Presidential election Hence it is
very desirable that they should contemplate
thoroughly whatever tends to create and direct
that influence.
When they first appeared on the political
srena, they were numerous, and their ap-
pearance so sudden, it is not supposable that
the great mass united upon any well-digested
principle Of political action, but rather, upon
some plausible pretext, they followed the lead
of influential men, in whom they were accus
toned to place much confidence. There then
was pretext very plausible indeed. The two
great political parties, striving for the ascend
ency, to secure the spoils of victory, and the
success of either terminating in favor of the
Slave Power, rejection of both of these
parties, and the forming party of a better
aim and tendency, must have carried charm
10 the real patriot. They might hastily join
and act with the rev party, under confident
belief that it could not make things worse than
they we're, and might make them better. If it
were certain that the first gathering into a
great party arose from this view of things, or
chiefly from this view, there would be no
very great ground to fear but that they would
soon harmonic upon some tenable ground,
safe for the United States. But, as it Is, cur
rent events indicate danger with regard to their
future course. There are two or three, or
more, public papers printed and circulated,
each of which Processes to be the organ of tho
Know Nothing party, and we do not discover
any dsownership of these organs; and they
are evidently under the control and dictation
of shareholders. Now, it would be very strange
that they should desert and reject the Wing
and Democratic parties, on account of their
Pro-Slavery tendencies, for the sake Of forming
a new party, all to support Slavery. This is
not it. They are not 30 inconsistent no.
Their leaders have led them along out of the
sphere they meant to occupy. They meant to
be Americans, and they were led to forget that
in waging with foreigners, and not keeping
up their warfare against Slavery, that great
enemy of our liberties. they were letting Free
dom die without defence, crushed by the re-
lentiess power Of Slavery. They profess, in
these Pro-Slavery organs, to ignore Slavery
that 10, they wish TO turn it loose and let it run
without restraint; not seeming 10 realize that,
if suffered thus TO run, it will run, sweeping
away the last vestige of our Freedom-enough
of which yet remains to remind US of the vast
expense Of blood and treasure to obtain it.
/ would gladly continue in the full belief,
long entertained, that the mass of the people,
the mass of every party, are honest. Design
ing men may lead them astray for time, but
their integrity viii draw upon their maynard
tendencies and draw their attention to import
ant facts and convince them what is right and
engage them in it. 1 indulge a strong hope
that the members of the Know Nothing party
are not 80 firmly riveted to any error, but that
thew may vet be reasoned with TO advantage
Possibly they may yet zee that they have great
" magni6ed the objects of their warfare.
Probably Mr.. Chandlefs speech has shown the
Roman Catholics to be much smaller, as po-
litical enemy, than they have viewed them to
be. Were l to reason with them with regard
TO tresting foreigners enemies of our politi-
cal rights, ] would not object to requiring
longer residence before they can become natu-
rallied; nor would L object to the utmost
caution possible, to avoid the election or ap-
pointment to office of mon not born in our
country. / well remember the great mistake,
as always viewed it, in our Continental Con-
ersss, in appointing General Gates, not Ameri-
cau born, TO the Office of major general, to the
NEGLECT Of our American brigadier generals
also remember its resulting in the danger of
its breaking up our army. The jumping our
brigadier generais "ae oAa 0iouSn' pu' 'he
doing it with q foreigner sealed the impru-
dence. would say to the members Of the
Know Nothing party, that any measure that
would deny, or in a high degree discourage,
the emigration of foreigners, is more delicate
subject. Our Revolution, and tho motives
urged to encourage it, and public sentiment OF
our great men, made public on every proper
occasion, and that which gave fervor to the
ebullitions of the orator and the poet, all com
bined to cause our country, in its new state o.
constitutional freedom, to be considered tbs
asyium of the oppressed of all nations, and
The home of the brave. This has operated al
an invitation to individuals to emigrate hither
and the rule of our conduct to foreign nations
20 expressed by our venerable Thomas Jeder
son. has been friendship with all, and sntan
eliuq alliances with none. Now, would ask
Z e best can 1t be best, to so change 0u'