Eastern times., 1855-03-15

Know-Nothing Victory.

men james B. Beadle. Hetherly Randall,
and Abiel Avery.i in place Of James Carney. Jr..
Levi Whitney. and Davis Blanchard, I'd, re-
moved.
Usually our spring elections are without un-
common interest, and so it would it have been
at this time, but for the fact of attesting as it
did. the triumph of religious intolerance and
prescription.
This. indeed, might be called the reign of
lignorance-a union of "purtan with blackleg"
of Christ with Beial but choose to ex-
press my disapprobaton in milder terms.
On the morning of the 5th, Main street was
h6nored, or rather, perhaps, I ought to say,
disgraced. by the American flag, the prophetic
emblem of the know nothing victory. The
stars and stripes might well have blushed and
hung their heads in shame, while secret mid
night conspiracy was tearing out the vitals of
their glory to represent. Considerable excite
ment prevailed, and as "know nothing" ball
was to be celebratedin the evening, in honor
of their anticipated victory, the members of
the twig became intensely patriotic. making
every effort to mature the political schemes they
had concocted in secret.
The love of country, and supreme devotion
to American principles, had thoroughly i'm
pregnated the know nothing camp, and these
vcritablc sprouts of Buntline, after having been
well marshalled by an old FEDERAL leader,
were prepared to achieve even greater feats
than those performed by the army of FalsiaG.
To show that the duty of administering the af-
fairs Of the town was committed to their hands
for safe keeping, they relieved Richmond vii
lage of the duty of taking care of the business
Of the town, and resorted to system of more
equal distribution of the honors and emolu-
ments of Office; locating the chairman of the
board of sclectmen five miles from the village.
We say not word as to the competency of
these gentlemen (the board of selectmen) to
transact the business of the town; yet, though
they declare that they know nothing. we are
inclined to be charitable even to their faults,
and give in our deliberate opinion that they do
kno,c something.
/ The result of the election had raised the pop
ular feeling to the pitch of enthusiasm, and it
spread from the High Priest after the order of
Ned Buntline, to the modest and unoffending
deacon, who was ready to convert the occa-
sion into one of those cases of necessity, in
which it was proper TO transgress the rigid
rules Of decorum he had lain down, and whose
conscience quietly slept, especially when the
fiddle and the harp alternated cotillons and
pennyroyal hymns. The boys had caught the
spell from their "know nothing fathers, and
paraded in the streets, decorated with cedar
twis,-marched round the liberty pole, on
which was hoisted the American flag. and with
patriotism less removed, perhaps, from sus-
pcion, than that which animated those of
larger growth. Bui under intense excitement,
it is not expected that men will conduct them
selves in accordance with the set rules Of de-
corum, and perhaps the liberal spirit of the
times pardons, or but moderately chastises,
those native Americans, who, after the bali,
in order to give expression to the holy impuls-
es Of know nothingsm, broke the lantern hang
ing at the door of Southard's hall, then
smashed in the windows of house near the
Richmond House, occupied by an Irish fani-
~, and then proceeded to the shanty of wild
ow o. Neal, and threw hand sled through one
of the windows, which fell upon the bed and a
sleeping infant but narrowly escaped being hit
Now the existence and the purpose of GER
tain secret, oath bound, political society among
us. aiming to divest foreigners of the rights
and privileges of American citizenship. to re-
strict the elective franchise to those rative
born. and to subject religious sect to certain
political disabilities are no longer matters Of
question, but matters of fact and of his
tory, and confirmed by every days experience
and observation. The leaders of that party,
though their claims to common honesty, and a
respect for the truth, may require stronger
evidence to support it, than can be found in
their wuKDs. have yet sense enough know
that their ultimate success in more extensive
schemes of political ambition, depends upon
serving all the intermediate steps, that lie be-
tween them and the object of .heir ambition.
The sacrifice of principle becomes a matter of
policy. and the prostitution of religion to the
schemes of personal aggrandizement is endorsed
by examples from the pulpit, and may boast
the advantage of host of honorable prece-
dents.
These pure patriots, (know nothings) behold
with anxious solicitude the precarious exis-
tence of the Protestant church, and undertak-
ing her cause, display a magnanimity and a
virtue. whose sudden blaze astonishes the be-
holder, and makes him demand with inquisi-
tive curiosity by what mysterious process the
transformation was effected. We sec a leader
of the church, an instructor in religion, whose
zeal for christianity, though it may not be be-
yond suspicion, yet it has the advantage of
many acts of christian benevolence too appar-
ent to the world to be deceived sA, we see
this friend of Zion, this hater of mammon, this
despiser of gold, this man who in retirement
possesses the spirit of devotion, and in public
becomes an example of frankness and of hu-
mility. suddenly developing an extraordinary
genius, capable of giving direction both 20 the
church and state; and of harmonzing the con-
ficting elements of religion and politics. 1t is
fact not to be disguised though it is to be la
mented. that many Protestant ministers have
volunteered to enter the of political strife,