The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-09
TIE aNOW NOTHING NATIONAL COUNCIL.

) The Catholic Question The slavery Ques-
sion-What Ii to be Zone etc.
PHILADELPHIA, June s, 1856.
The Knsw Nothing Council and tine outsiders, well
hose belonging to the organization those unconnec
ed WITH but ready to joc II the moment they any
thng to be gained thereby all in confusion and dis
osder Many Of these latter old broken down politi
cians ofthe two old parties who puzzled by this
movement and cannot divest themselves Of thsir old par
tty traditions Others again men, who
sood for most purposes, but who wholly ignorant OF
the practical working Of political organizations on great
scale, and who bewildered by machinery to which
II they strangers One thing clear already There
are leading spirits master minds In the
q vsntisn at Philadelphia There is individual there
who Is gifted with the Commanding power ovsrwhem-
ing intellect which John G. Calhoun Andrew jackson,
Daniel Webster and Henry Clay have each evnced in
their several spheres in former times The Southern
Of the Grand Council with individual sxcsp.
tons srsgeneray intelligent in matters Of poli
cal business than the Northerne This arises frsm the
peculiar social condition Of Northern and Southern
In the North, Of late years. politics have become dsrspu
table, Nan Of talent have avoided the political and
q taken refuge esewherein trade the professions,
literature. For time past but the unprin
cpled and who have proved their inability to earn
living otherwise have become politicians in the North,
sought political notorey. Hence obvious decline
in the character Of the class in section of the coun
try Men In the South receive better education and
one more suited to enable them to engage in political
hfs They study the science of politics with care,
and bencs become far superior to the Northerners in
pra astical knowledge legislators executive mon.
These distinguishing traits of character are quite as dis
cernibe among the Know Nctniugs Of Philadelphia as
, they have been Of late among the old parties.
But great difficulties surround the Council, and
only to increase they probed and discussed On
the general question of the naturalization laws there s
not much diversity Of opinion 1t generally conceded
X by all parties that they should either be gradually
changed gradually abolished altogether But between
those who advocate either extreme 1t may yet prove
| difficult to frame a compromise.
The same difficulty presents itself the religious
question It has been settled in preliminary way By
the exclusion of the Roman Catholic members from
Louisiana. Yet there is strong feeling here in favor
of religious liberation per and for conning the hos
tty of the Order to political Catholicity that kind
of interfering with the political condition Of the various
classes of society of which the con uct Of Archbishop
Hughes and the Protestant clergy Of New England has
occasionally furnished examples.
But the great difficulty for the Council is the slavery
question There seems to be but one possible mode Of
solving this diculty and that il to allow slavery, like
religion to be open question to all parties in all
tions; to form great national Know Nothing party
the basis Of opposition the ndiscreet and corrupt
policy of the present administration, and to allow each
I
reference to slavery just entsrtans its private
views religion Even this view, it must be admitted
would snly be temporary; the question must be met ul
tmatey in Congress, and understand ng had the
terms which States to be admitted whether
free or save whether according to the constitution and
the practice Of former Congresses not Several
bers OF the convention, and others With whom have
conversed consider this the only way preserving in IT.
integrity national organization. They say, let the
ha nv II Con-
future session. cannot agree on . practical compro
mise, let 1t dissolve, and adjourn lot the question be
referred to the people, and convention called to revise
the constitution and provide ons II the old one
win not answer the purpose. II is very true that the
present esnsttution framed by wise and practical
men, ct the close Of the Revolutionary war, whom
every faculty Of theirs In full plsy, and their
wits reused to the utmost degree. But at the
time, the country then contained but three millions
of people Their interests of far less magnitude
and Less exciting than ours We now count TWEEN
tyfve millions Of people and thirty.ons States Hence
our circumstances are very different from what they
at the time the present constitution adopted
Unless the slavery question is disposed Of in
practical friendly way by revision of the constitutional
and adapted to the growth and increase of the country
angry feelings to arss alienation will take place
between the North and the South, and tho ultimate
suit viii be insurrection and civil Hence the pro-
posal we have heard ii the difficulty cannot be settled
In any other way, to call convention of the States
and form constitution. the representatives, Of
the various States cannot agree upon compromse that
viii suit the present time and give promise Of durs
bty then the North and the South had far better
parate amicably and organize separate republics with
separate governments.
One thing is certan-the adoption of this line Of poll
cy would compel real patriots and business to
feet ON the approaching crisis. The ephemsral
politicians who have used this slavery question for their
private corrupt purposes would bs foored and thrown
overheard.
absurd to expect that the free States be
proavery the slave States anti slavery 5ucha thing
Is utterly impossible that Catholic win undertake
defence Of Protestantsm Presbyterian OF Epscopa
cy. The two old parties long acted the principle Of
dIagoonpg the North aud the South into apparent
uniformity Of sentiment on the subject and the conse
qusnos has been that they now both diaerganzed
and ruined.
II any such plan this could be adopted, the party
might be completely organized, and with pro slavery
principles the South and anti slavery principles in tbs
North might 20 into the next State and Presidential
eecons-aving to the meeting Of Congress or to the
national convention 10 be called for the purpose to set
lie the question Of slavery forever will make further
inquiries on these interesting and important points and
ideas and viii give you the result Of my researches
Among other curious phenomens attending the mset-
ing Of the pending convention the great number Of per-
belonging to tho old political parties who have
crowded with various views and designs Is perhaps
the most noteworthy. Several Of the leading Seward
from your State, and several politicians from New
England who asted with them, are very busy, OF
course with the object Of breaking up the convention
There il here member from Western State, whose
name do not now remember, who passes for Know
Nohng and high in the third degree and yet Is kno
Seward man. and reports the proceedings daily for
the NeD Fork Tribune. Many Of the members both from
the North aad the South talk with considerable inds
cretion.
Kenneth Raynor, Of North Carolina, SPEAKS in very
hostile Of the policy Of the NEW YoRK HERALD.
He considers II enemy OF ours, from the freedom and
the sarcas with which II has occasionally diacuaasd