The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1855-12-14
ROASTING THE KNOW XoTnIsCs.

ROASTING THE KNOW N0THlNGS.
The Democratic people--the independent
farmers OF Granville aud adjeuing counties
had grand mass meeting and barbaeue at Hen
derson, North Carolina, last week, which con-
tinued through couple of days. Hon. Viii
don n Edwards presided, and made an address
Hon. A. w. Venabe, Mr.. Jenkins, DR.. Pri-
chard and others, also made speeches. Gov.
Bragg was present to meet bis old friends OF his
native place. Letters read from Gov.
Wise, OF Virginia, Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia,
sc. The speeches were excellent, and alto
gether it was an efectual demonstration against
Nothingism. We have room only to
copy the remarks of Hon. John Kerr, Of Cas-
well, late member OF Congress, as we find them
in the Raleigh Register. They are worthy
the attention of Massachusetts, Wings. He spoke
for more than an hour on the subjects OF Know
Nothingism, slavery, the Nebraska bill, and
kindred topics.
:'He said he found himself in what might be
considered strange company but be asked and
looked for his old Wing friends, and found
many of them in dark corner, concealed from
the light Of dav. He asked them what they
were doiug--the answer was Il don't 6Ror. -
w here had they been ?-sI don't knoW.' What
had become of Wing principles Al don't
kao,c He said that as Whig he had met
the Democracy in open day, had contended
with them openly before the people, and there
were no oathS, concealmentS, no mysterious
grips on either side. Both parties had laborPd
for the good ofthe country, and the means they
employed We're honest, above-board, and known
and read Of all men. The man who held that
virtue was confined to any particular party or
sect, was a bgot and fool. He had found
true men in both parties, and honesty and right
intent in the masses of the people generally !:
and he deeply regretted that SO many OF his old
friends had gone aStray into the dark labyrnthS
Of Know-KothingiSm. For himself, be was
still a Whig on the old issues: but those issues
had either been settled, or had been abandoned
by his former associates, and new ones had been
presented. As against the peStlent iSrns of the
Know Nohinos, and on the great questions cf
slavery, the constitution and the Union, he was
with the Democratic party: be was with that
party because he was for his country and for
the perpetuation of the Union according to the
constitution: and that party, in his humble
Judgment, was the only one which could admin
lister the government on national principles,
and give reasonable assurance that our institu-
tions would be preserved. He spoke from per-
sonal observation and experience while in Con-
gress He had seen, with regret, the great body
of the Wings of the free States maintaining
grounds Of hostility to the south and he had
al hal clai sJ 70
where, as due TO common Justice even that the
Democrats of the same region, as party, and
as represented in Congress, were disposed, and
had shown readiness by their vote, to respect
the constitutional rights of the south. and TO aid
in securing those rights TO our people as involv
ed in the slavery question He spoke in terms
of high commendation Of such Democrats as
Douglas, Cass and Toucey, and OF such Wings
as Choate, Everett and Farley. He did not
pause to ask, in contest like this, what the
true men were called-he looked to acts, not
names-to deeds, not professions, and shaped
his course accordingly. The Know Nothings
could offer no reasonable assurance that the
Union would be safe in their hands. They
were not natlOnai-they were sectional on the
great question which 50 vitaIlv concerns US all,
and were, therefore, powerless for good, in this
respect, in the very beginning OF their move
ments. In addition to this, they were Intoller-
ant and proscriptve, and as such should and
must BE- overthrown before the progress Of en-
iightpned public opinion. He spoke at some
length, in commanding eioquence, in support Of
the principles of religious liberty, and in oppo-
Sition TO the narrow and exclusive policy Of
the Know Nothings in relation to foreign emf
grafton.