Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-11-14
Gbe Stan0ar0.
n,LE1Gu. WEDNESDAY. Now, IL. 1855.
WHAT IS KNOW NoTHINGIsM ?

WHAT is KNOW NOTHINGISM
This is one of the "vexed questions" of the day
Far wear past Know Nothings have been assert
:.r rs they were sworn to do, that there was nc
.ncb thing as Know Nothing party; that il
r,s bccn pretty clearly demonstrated that there is
:, fact no such party, these same individuals turn
obout and say there is such a party. When the
n.rtv existed they said it did not exist; and now
I it has ceased to exist they say it is in existence
Rut what is Know Nothingism ? 1t is chame-
lam taking the hues of whatever it rests upon. In
massachusetts, and other Northern States it is abol-
tonism and Hiss nunneryism; in Louisiana it is
catholicism; in Kentucky it is incendiarism; in
North Carolina and Virginia it is open, and every
bcre else it is secret Opposition to foreigners and
catholics was it's original foundation; but one plank
hos becn taken out here, another there, and in be-
coming all things to everybody, it has become moth
ing to nobody.
Every member sworn not to reveal the fact
that such an organization existed and it
oo,sed to exist they swore the contrary. Where it
, desirable to court the Catholic vote, they repu-
dated the Catholic plank of the platform and where
WAS desirable to obtain the foreign vote they
undated the foreign plank. In the free States it
f,.,d with abolitionism and every other ism that
roud bring it votes; and in the slave States it be-
came the champion of slavery to such extent that
# was in favor of ignoring that subject, and then
Intentionally pretermtcd" and expression of opin-
ion on the powers of Congress over the regulation
If the institution of slavery.
Mr. Rayncr canvasscd a portion of the State last
SUMMER and the burden of his speeches against
foreigners and Catholics; now the Register says:
"Ihc American tx. n. party does not wish-it has
never expressed the dcsirc-to render foreigners in
GAMBLE of holding ottcc-to make foreign birth
d;<ouaIifcation" (See Register of Oct 81, 1859
Then why did Mr.. Rayner portray the dangers of the
influence of foreigners? Why did the editor of the
Register to vote for any foreigner for
Office? Lie has taken an oath not to do thing,
and yet says is part of the creed of his party
not to do that thing! But hear the Register again
in its own italics when speaking of protestant for
egners Itsays: "They melt into the american
2opalati0n in heart and soul" Then why the great
outcry which has been made against foreigners?-
Why the indiscrminatc denunciation of that class
Of our population? "There is no conceivable diff
ference between and the bulk of foreignborn pro-
testant citizens" says the Register. Then why has
the Register and other renegade Wing papers and
orators been trying to make such difference?-
Having spent their thundcrs on foreigners they turn
round and say, q" there is conceivable difference
between US and thcm!' That is coolness even to
freezing; and brazen enough to give new impulse
to the copper speculations.
Know Nothingsm started out with a sworn
ganizaton against all foreigners, and against all
Catholics whether foreign native; and it has
dwindled down merely to opposition to those who
allegiance to some foreign power paramount to
that they owe to our own government Was there
ever any citizen of the United States who would en-
trust Office to man who preferred the interest of
some other government to his own? Know Moth
ngism, then, is reduced to nothing. 1t has no OBJ
lection to foreign protestants-it has none to Catho-
lies unless they paramount allegiance to the
Pope Every naturalized citizen in the United States
has renounced his allegiance to the Pope and to
every other potcntate but the Register speaks of
the mental reservations" of Catholics. Who has
made the editor of that paper a god to search the
hearts and minds of men who take solemn oath
upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God? Who
has constituted him a judge? When he took the
extraudicial oath never to vote for any but native
born citizen for office did he have mental reser-
vaon to the effect that he would vote for foreigner
Catholic provided he did not owe allegiance to
the Pope or other potentate?
Really, Know Nothingism reminds US of the boy
that declared ne saw five hundred squirrels up one
tree; but kept falling to lower numbers until at last
he grounded himself upon the assertion that he saw
a bush shake. Know Nothings declared foreigners
aid Catholics were dangerous to liberties, and
raised tremendous storm against the whole of them;
but now they only object to those who owe allegi-
ance to foreign power paramount to that they owe
to the government of the United States. The five
hundred squirrels have been reduced to the mere
shaking of bush