The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-12-13
Henry A. Wise on Know-N OF lngism.

From very powerful letter written by Gov
Wise of Virginia, 10 a meeting of Nationa
Democrats in New York, we lake the follow
ing eloquent extracts. Gov Wise is frt
American, and The manner in which he d
reefs his blows against bastard Americans, il
quite refreshing. Hear him
As to the secret "Americans''-the know
nolhings--day has broke upon them. And
it is amusing to see Sans bats and owls o
midnight, fitting ard Tapping, blind, about
lin The sunlight. They are seeking sorrily tc
skuk from light and sight-@-here some flap
back to poor, deserted whiggery, and there
some escape to the Republican" fusion. The
day has dissolved the charm. The true bird
of America, Jove's own eagle, is on wing
that never tires, in the lambent light of the
mid. d.heavens. Uncle Sam has reused him
self and shaken off the slumber and stupor of
the night dreams, and is at his active work in
broad day.
The devil baiied the hooks of some pfeach-
ers with the politics of the Pope's big toe,
and the books of some politicians with the
unco-.ieh of knavish priescrafi,
and set them bobbing together for the souls
OF dupes, for the corruption Of the church,
and for the destruction of the Stale. No heat
but one could have ever welded such a fu-
sion. In the shades they were taught their
parts by the gloom-light of the dark lantern
But
aThe sun is in the heavens, and life on earth!'
Day has caught them in their incantations,
and light Is d;spelling their mysteries. The
next Won will see of Sam, he will be IN his
knees praying agairs: slavery and John Bar
leyoorn. He has dropped Pope Plus Nonus,
and has just discovered, attcr all ne mas saio
about his holiness, supremacy, iaa' every
naturaIlzed Catholic takes an oath expressly
TO renounce all allegiance 10 any and every
prince, power, potenate, king, sovereign, or
State, and particularly to the prince, power,
poteniate, king, sovereign, or State, of which
he was before a subject And he begins to
admit that an extra-iudicial oath may bind
know.nolhing 10 passive obedience and
nom resistance 10 an unseen, intangible, irre-
sponsible, secret oligarchy, perchance, we
may rely on the judicial oaths OF naturalized
citizens TO renounce allegiance TO all supre-
macy whatever, except the sovereignty ofthe
United States Of North America.
give you the righ, hand of fellowship in
opposition 10 the sumptuary laws which have
of late years disgraced the codes of some Of
our States. Why some legislatures seem 10
have los: the horn-books of persona! liberty
They are for free soil and free negroes, but
war upon the liberties of free white men!-
They seem TO have never known that there
were such things, first invented in North
America, as bills OF rights defining those
which are inallenable and fixing the limits
of legislation! Where was the principle Of
liquor laws 10 stop? Nowhere short OF inva-
ding every inalienable right of individual
man. II municipal law cam OF touch vested
rights, much less can it invade the natural
rights of the individual person. In such
dominion as that of England they may hard
ly dare TO confne the rights OF the person 10
stair, to light, 10 flowing water" al this day;
but here there was never a moment since CO.
lonia times when the rights of persons were
not infinitely extended beyond those out Of
the reach of Legislation. oh but they say
that such laws are sanitary, not sumptuary.
And who made them Hospitale-s of .Hygeia,
health nurses for the people Health is about
as private possession, about as "intus ct in
cute" personal as any man can be endowed
with. Who created government TO turn
quack and prescribe physic? "Physic to the
dogs" There are other things which de-
siroy health besides alcohol Eating as well
as drinking, glultonY as well as drunkenness,
hurts health. Will any one say that Legislation
may take charge of my table, and my diet
aid appetite, and say wha, | shall eat? If
they may prohibit man from buying and
selling whiskey, may they not prohibit his
planting and sowing on his own fee-simple
soil, of his buying and selling the corn and
rye from which the whiskey is distilled p
Again French corsets have hurt more the
health of whole generations, have crippled
for their own lives and for their posterity,
too, more women and children than ever
John Ba.leycorn slew of men! Shall Hiss
committee be allowed by law to inspect Ma
DANES and Misses chambers, and see wheh-
CT whalebone an6 hard cord encompass la
dies waists 10 tight? The idea would be ri.
diculous If it was not so insuffsrabe tyran.
nous. You cannot legislate man 10 morality;
you must educate them 10 liberty and virtue.
Manners and morals must begin at the moth
er's knee must be trained in the schools ];
and home and domestic teaching must give
to the country pupils fit for the schools, and
the schools must give to the country people
who will require no such despotic laws They
don't suit people fl TO be free; they corrupt
and demoralize people already fiji TO be
slaves. The last source would appeal TO,
for temperance in ealing and drinking, is
legislature federal OF State. o! ye Meiropo-
hlsn high hvers what tales Champagne and
andor, doek and aan ass hacks. and terra