Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-10-04
ll)eekln Gree Dress.
BURLINGTON, FRIDAY, OCT. 5, 1855.
Political Doublc-Dcaling.

Political Misunderstanding.
The line Of action which we condemned
two weeks ago in our article on Chittcndcn
County election, has its parallels elsewhere
and on larger fields of action. In other places
too. Know Nothings, or Americans, or what
ever else they are called, join Conventions
called on basis Of principle clearly and
publicly defined, to nominate public officers,
and then get up in their councils other move
mcnts to defeat such nominees on the ticket
as arc not Of their own order, and to elect in
their stead other persons who are
In Massachusetts, it is not denied that
very large portion, probably majority, who
composed the Republican Convention for nom
mating State officers, were members of X, n.
Councils. The Convention after open discus
sion, decided by II majority Of notes.-the ac-
curacy and fairness of the voting being I'M
questioned by any onc-that Mr.. Rockwell
who was not X. y was their nominee for
governor and not Mr.. Gardner who is one
No one denies that Mr.. Rockwell stands
firmly and squarcly ON the platform OF prin-
ciple which the Convention was called to up
hold. Yet the effort is already in progress
by Massachusett, Il. Ms to defeat Mr..
Rockwell and elect Know Nothing.
In Ohio too, though the Americans are
ready enough to vote Tor such members of the
Rsppbllican Ticket as are of their order, some
Chase for Governor, and to elect Mr. Trim
bic, a X. N, in place Of him.
From such actions. we cannot but infer
that to use the secrecy Of the councils for
uniting their strength before hand to act
in the conventions Of other and open organi-
cations where they can, and thus to secure
the nomination of their own members as far
as possblc-and again. where they have
failed of success in that, to concoct anew in
conclavc the means for defeating regular
nominees who are not Know Nothings and
cecting others who are SO, if not the aro,rcd
principle of the order, is evidently its essen
iia1, secret one. 10 carry that out the whole
array of secret councils, of oaths of initiation,
and all the nummcry of symbols and rituals
which their rabbis talk about, are meant to
be subsorvient. OF course in country like
ours some doctrine must be held forth to
pujHc rioc. In the South it is the extreme
pro-s1ar0y doctrinc-in the New England
States it is decided aaii-SlGrcry doctrine.
In New York it is pure doueh face doctrine.
As for the other matters which both North
and South are luggcd into conncxion with
the main doctrine being chiefly Of the spread
eagle sort, mixed with few truisms about
which there is no more need Of a political or
ganization. secret or open, than there is to
secure the right Of walking along the high
way, they have been used as mere gull-traps,
set to allure the inexperienced and unthnk-
ing INTO a position where the oWgations of
the order could drive them to help out the
purposes Of others.
We make no personal illusions. So far as our
own State and county are concerned, the
Know-Nothing organization may be consi-
dercd as ended. The men Of good intentions,
who found themselves entangled in an al
lance which forced them on-all the more
easily because it was done under the cloak of
secrecy-to do what their own reflections
have since made them condemn and what
they would not think of doing in the day
light have left and are leaving it. Others,
whose principles are Of more free and easy
sort, who have yielded to the temptation
which the ability to use n concealed power
always offers, and have used the order to
carry out selfish and unworthy schemes, may
try to keep the Z" council" fires alive for
while, but will be likely to weary Of the ttdi
Gus task, before another season
As IN the State SO in the Country No
secret political organization can endure 'onc
in this country. Such belong not to our
country and our people will not tolerate
them.
As for the one who's di.j,intoI mcmIcr,
lie scattered over the hand, We take il there
will be little more said oft in the free states
after the fall elections are well through
with, and the quicker all honest mon WHO
still remain IN formal connection with It,
break of its yoke and openly cast off ali ul-
lcgiance to it. the sooner they will feel easy
IN their own minds, and able to look their
nelghbors fairly in the face in the discussion
Of political questions, as they could in former
days