Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-04-26
The Know-Nahing Stampede in
Virginia.

Tue washington CHohJ tude ei6hty
members Of a know-nothing lodge at
Harper's Ferry, Va, had withdrawn
from the order in -dignst, and had
announced their determination to
support the entire democratic State
ticket at the election in May next and
that seventy-five more members Of
the came lodge would also withdraw
at the next meeting, (last Monday
evening) This reactionary move
ment is observable in all parts Of
Virginia In late number Of the
Abingdon Democrat wesfiDd the fol-
lowing card. 1t relates simply the
truthful experience Of every deceived
and misguided democrat who has
Joined the secret order..aof know
notbings: ta55e# s.r
To THE PUBLIc.-For the informa-
ton of the public, and the duty !
owe TO myself and the democratic
party, | have taken this medium to
make known my position in regard
! to the new tangled concern called
know-nothings. @
/ From statements made to me by
member Of the order, ] joined. j
afterwards requested my name to be
withdrawn. Whether it was grant
! ed or not, ] have no information. and
Ecare very little. ! have no affinity
with such proceedings, and therefore
am glad TO get out any way-feel-
! ing confident that to be denounced
by such an organization is infinitely
preferable to being connected with it.
They have expelled me-so the
know-nothings say. Isuppose they
have; but, as the violation Of con-
tract by one party releases the 9TH
er, ! shall not be very particular in
regard to the so-cailed secrets.
f | will state how | became con-
nected with the order. Some time
in July or August last, FIVE or six
persons were conyersing on various
subjects, when one of the. party re-
feFred to the subject of know-uoth-
ingism. ] spoke of the order as the
!, old John Adams decentralization
law party revived, and TO prove my
position ] drew from my pocket q
copy of Ned Buntline's Qwn-a
newspaper acknowledged to be the
exponen. Of the principles of the
-nothings-and read the arti-
cles of faith for the cdification Of
those present. One of the crowd-a
know nothing as the sequelwill prove,
although he denied being member
contended that what / had read
was not the creed of the order, and
made the following statement: The
know-nothiDgs do not advocate doc
trines laid down in that paper; nei-
Their do they wish to destroy the cd
parties, for there az many Of one
party in the orders as Of the other
1t is not their object to destroy the
old parties, but simply to instil into
the minds of tbe youths of our land
the importance Of preserving Ameri.
can doctrines pure and uncontamina-
ted from foreign influence. ] imme-
liately remarked that if this was
their object i should not condemn
them.
About week afterwards / joined
the order. was disappointed, and
ascertained that the representation
Of its American and national princi.
pies was a deception. My original
views we're confirmed; it was the old
John Adams federal party re-estab-
lished, and bound together by awful
oaths--I was mortified = disguised.
Instead Of finding wings and demo
Gratis mingled together.whe ! looked
around the room, out Of crowd Of
sixty-live or seventy persons, not one
democrat did ] recognize; but on
the contrary, the entire party was
composed Of the hottest, bitterest.
and mos: violent old "blue-light''
wings l ever knew. could see a
cbuckle on their countenances, at
lI"the fellow they had caught An
other point i will mention. The
grand Mogul, ! suppose-for | never
learned the title Of that august per-
lsonsge--made speech afterwards,
which tended still more 10 confirm
my original impressions Of the secret
organization. '- - - g. -
was satisfied, and never went
any more. ] had been regularly ta-
ken in--abomiuably cheated - and
co nxnroccod tnycalf that niuht 70 :,