Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-05-18
m1Ip TIoW NOTHING RITUAL

ton of the friends of personal, political and feNsi
Gus freedom.
THE KNOW-NOTuING RITUAL
The True Whiq is apparently surprised that we
5onot nnbsh the reputed third degree of the know
potb;nes We reply, that, in regard to the first
two degrees. which we have already published, we
lno,o the document to be authentic while we have
no evidence of the genuneness of the reputed third
degree. 1t may be, like the reputed platform of
know-pothing lodge in New York, got up for effect
But supposing it genuine, it is simply hanabug-
1t binds its members 10 support the Union. Now
the sbotonis assert that they the best friends
the Union has They take when elected to Con-
gress or to the State Legislatures stronger oath
to support tie Union than this reputed know-noth-
ing oath Would the True Wig ask US to rejoice
at the election of GIDDINGs and THEODORE Parker
to Congress because, on taking their seats, they
would take oath to support the Constitution
Such course would be no more foolish than that
the Wing asks US to pursue in this case.
We take it that northern abolitionist would
have no objection to the reputed third degree 1t
swears hin to sustain the Union. Well: He can
then say to his Southern brethren, ave of the
north have the majority, and have determined to
exclude slavery from the territories and to repeal
the fugitive slave law We have the majority, and
you have takenan oath, 'n all things, political and
social, 10 submit to the majority" Suppose the
Southern know-nothngs were to answer, ave
will not submit to ths-we will dissolve the Union
frstl" Then the Northern know-nothngs will an
swer: "You will be douby perjured if you do for
you have sworn both to submit to the majority, and
to reserve the Unionr'
and so we take it that the idea that an oath ad-
ministered both northern abolitionsts and south
ern slave holders,-not that the question of slavery
shall not be discussed; not that there shall be 20
interference with southern rights, but-that the
Union shall not be dissolved in any cvent-we say
that the idea that such an oath is security to the
south, is the bsldest humbug of the day. Taken
in connexion with the present conduct of the north
ern know-nothngs, an OATH in any event, to main
tain the Union, amounts to the swearing of south
ern know-nothings to permit the repeal of the iu-
gitive slave law and the exclusion of Kansas from
the Union as a slave State. We very positively
assure the True Wig that when it invites US to re-
joice at such prospect we decline the entertain
ment
We are arranging, and will print in few days,
the evidence on which we pronounce the know
nothing organization in the north in spite of the
third degree" an abolition organization.
~ We print the letter from Smith county to-
day because the permission to do SO is contained in
it. We receive great many such letters. We
not acquainted with the writer IN this case but
he certainly talks good sense id plain way. We
know that Mr.. LAMBERsoN is not alone in his
views. We shall gain, il this election three wings
for every democrat we lose. And when the sober
second thought of the people is brought to bear
upon the monstrous social deformity of know
nothingism, it will be the brightest glory of the
democratic party that it resisted, it will be the
eternal disgrace of the whig party that yielded 10,
the outrageous folly and fraud.
ALABAMA-We cut the following paragraphs
from the Dallas Herald:
Never since the settlement of this country, has
there been so dry season as the present. There
has been but one rain since the first week in Janu-
ry, and 10 many places none at ALL In addition to
this, the spring has been unusually backward and
the growth OF everything retarded by the succession
of Northers, with which we have been visited But
now that warm weather has set in, vegetation Of
all kinds is putting forth rapidly and notwthstand-
we learn, are growing, though not rapidly. From
gentleman who has recently travelled through the
counties below this, we learn that below Ellis the
prospect for crops is gloomy indeed In those coun-
ties they have had no rains, and have planted their
corn two or three times in vain, the ground being
SO dry that 1t will not cone up. He SAYS they have
now abandoned all further efforts until it rains If
they are favored with rain soon they can vet plant
their corn and make good crops.
The wheat crop is injured by the frosts in plaees
IN this county TO greater extent than we supposed
Some fields are heading out close to the ground;
the consequence is that the heads small aud tr-
fling. There will however be an average Weld on
this side of the river
Our neighbors in some of the Eastern counties
said to be in wofu plight for the "staf of life"
On the road from Shreveport to this place. we are
told, there Is almost at al to be had for any
price. large surplus was made in this county,
but 1t Is now gone to supply the wants of our fam
ishing neighbors
LoUIsANA.-We learn from the Alexandria Re-
publican Of the 9th inst, that the drought in that
section of the country is not only seriously affect
ing commerce. trade and the planting interests bIt
is operating severely on animal nature. 10 St Lam
dry, and adjoining parishes, the great vachere por-
tlon OF the State, the cattle suffering terribly
for water; springs, water holes and even rvulets
that have never been known to fail before in fur
nishing an abundant supply of water have some
very uealiy duu SOIue altogether, gone dry. 10
Plaquemine Brule, to get al water the cattle have
to 90 some distance through quagmire, and few
that succeed in reaching the water ever get back
We understand that the loss of cattle in one place
can be told only by hundreds. The planters in the
vicinity have been compelled to take their hands
from the fields and set them to guard those Doggy
holes to keep the cattle away from them.
CANpIDATE FOR THE LEGIRLArURE-No having
space for detailed report OF the proceedings we
will simply announce TO our readers, that demo-
cratic meeting was held in this place or last Satur-
day, IN which nearly every portion of the county
was represented. A motion made and secon-
ded that Benjamin johnson be nominated as
candidate to represent Bedford and Rutherford in
the Lower branch of our next Legislature, which
houon was unanimously carried. Mr.. johnson,
Eelng nolihed OF his nomination, appeared before
the convention, and after stating that he vonl6
have been grauhed had the convention selected
some one o. more ability, acknowledged the sense
he telt OF the confidence reposed in him nv bis
in fam