Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-13
AMERICAN ORGAN.
Know-Nothing MovementsS- Re- Election
of Seward.

OF seward.
We publish elsewhere the constitution of the
"New York State Council being that branch Of
the Know-Nothings which was organized in Octo-
Der last at Utica, and which Is understood to be
favorable to the Hon. W. III. Seward, In Opposition
to the Barker section of the order, which opposes
Seward and all anti-slavery agitators. There is
little IN the document that calls for particular no
uce. Like the legitimate order, the g Now York
State Council" opposes the preferment to Office OF
foreigners or Roman Catholics requires all its
members to be natvc-born citizens and adopts
the usual precautions for ensuring the secrecy OF
its proceedings and the involabilty of its debates
The whole mechanism of the organization is calcu-
lated to insure unity Of action, and concentration
OF purpose: and bears close resemblance to that
OF all the other secret societies which have existed
in modern times.
Though this branch of the order has been dis
ayowed at headquarters, it has nevertheless sue
ceeded in establishing some fifty odd lodges through
out the State and exercised some little influence Mt
the last election. Its object is of course to decoy
Know Nothings from their party by presenting them
with platform analogous to their own, and there
BY tricking them into voting for the Seward candi-
dates. How far it will succeed viii be seen before
long.
AT present the great point is the recollection Of
Seward as United States Senator. The real Know
Nothings are not to meet at Albany till the lst Of
February; but we learn from circular which has
been sent us addressed in disguised hand, that
the false order-the " New York State Council
meet to-day at Schenectady, near Albany to take
counsel of matters concerning their interest Tho
meeting Is called Z" the first annual session !" but
1t needs but little penetration to discover that it
meets at that time simply because Mr.. Stewards
reelection is on the tapis at present. Whatever
pressure can be exerted by the false Know-No!h
ngs VIII now be brought to bear on the Legisla-
ture IN favor of his reelection; and those who
know the skill with which the honorable Senator is
wont to compass his designs, win readily believe
that the chances of his cajoling at least few of
the KNOWN Nothings in the Assembly very great.
In this conjuncurc the friends of the Know Moth
ing order will he apt to inquire where are the Off
GERS OF the Barker section whose business IL is to
watch over the party interests, and to counteract
the wiles Of the sham Know Nothings? The an
swer is, that they meet on the first of February,
by which time, in all probability, the question OF
the senatorship win be decided The delay has
not been for want Of warning
Over and over again, they have been reminded
that much OF their own power and prestige depend
ed on the deieat Of Mr. Seward that if he was re-
elected a severe blow would be given to the order
its moral character injured and the wavering re-
PEELED from its ranks; whereas If he was defeated
the defeat would be universally ascribed to the
agency Of the Know-Nothings, and would do more
" Ns.fphoh 'hcH slHpHc tHdI any triumph tney
have hitherto gained. Nor were they ignorant of
the fact that there was false order, organized at
Utica, in October which would bestir itself active
ly to insure Stewards reelection by every possible
meaus and that victory gained by this spurious
association could not but tend to weaken the gen.
uine one. Yet, notwithstanding all these consid-
eratons, so little vigilance has been displayed that
IL is highly probable the question will be decided
before the Know-Nothings have brought their forces
TO bear.
Our accounts from Albany point to Mr. Stewards
reelection as thing not only probable, but almost
certain. Yet, to defeat him, it would only be re-
qured that twenty-five out Of the forty-fye Know
Nothing Wings should be true to their order, the
crhers could be spared II seems that so actively
have the false delegates bestirred themselves, so
supine have been the agents Of the true ORDER
that even these twenty yfve cannot be counted upon
and the objects of the order are to be defeated If
So the event will do for Know Nothings to moral
ize upon.-N. Y. Herald