The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-04-26
From the Louisville Journal.l
Nov. 90, 1854.

Probably the American party mas been as
saulted more fercely and perseveringy on
the ground of it's being a secret organization
than on any other ground whatever. 1t is
no peculiar business of ours to vindicate that
party. and we certainly shall not attempt to
vindicate it except for the simple sake Of
truth and Justice. We do not rank ourselves
among its thorough partizans. Perhaps 1t
might now, without injury to itself, dispense
with it's rule Of secrecy. though we see no
necessity for this, and we are perfectly will
ing that it should Judge and act for itself in
this matter as in all others. In the first
place, its principles are as well and "a uni
versaly understood as they could be If all Of
| its members throughout the country were to
proclaim them from the housetops, and in
the second place, all political parties are and
always have been secret in their proceedings
so far as necessary to the accomplishment Of
their purposes.
This assertion in relation to the old poiti.
cal parties is not made at random. Very
soon after the close of President Washing.
toms administration, the old Federal party
to promote its own strength, established
wha: was called the Washington Society,"
This was a secret society; secret in its plans
and proceedings. Its branches or ramifica-
tons pervaded the whole Union. The Demo.
Gratis of that day, instead of waging war
against this powerful society on the ground
| of it's secrecy, made all haste to follow its
1 example. They established the Tammany
Society, which like the Washington Society
was secret. and which like the Washington
Society, pervaded with its branches the en-.
tire nation. These two secret political So
cieties, regulating the action Of the two great
! r. ~ al In, fall
tivity up TO about the time Of the Monroe
"era of good feelina;" and even 10 this day
There is relic of the Tammany Society in
New York, still existing under the old name
Though somewhat changed in character
These "reminiscences prove at least that the
secrecy of the Know Nothing or American
party is not by any means, as the anti Amer-
cons represent it, bold innovation upon
the past practice of parties. We all know,
that even since the dissolution of the WASH
Iington and Tammany Societies, it has been
the uniform custom of both the Wing and
Democratic parties to hold their caucuses
and councils and arrange their plans Of ac-
ton in secret, and that although those who
have participated in such councils may not
have taken oaths Of secrecy. no one could
reveal the secrets without exposing himself
/, to scorn and denunciation as a base traitor,
and that this is the condition Of things in the
Democratic party at the present time and is
likely to be so as long as the party itself
shall endure.
The fact is, the Democracy have uuderts-
ken to make themselves in respect to some
points the especial champions of the princi-
pie of secrecy in political matters. They
have, in some cities and in some States, pro-
fessed to be the especial authors and advc.
Gates of the system of voting by secret LalIot
The oldest of the Democratic organs in this
city was an advocate OF the secret ballot 10
the election Of municipal officers. and the
Democrats in most Of the States have sue
cessfully insisted on esta bshing or retaining
: the secret ballot in ell their general cleo.
ltions. They contend that it is necessary to
voters Independence that his vote should
be secret unless he chooses to make il
public-that he ought to have the privilege
of acting with party without being known
Ito act with il. The secret ballot we all
know is a institution in nearly all the States
J Of the Uuion, and the whole reason which
the Democracy, It's professed champions,
assign for it is that it empowers men to vote
for what candidates they please or go with
what party they please without having their
vote or action or association known to the
public. The convention which formed the
new constitution Of Kentucky would have
established the secret ballot in this State
but for the earnest suggestion of a Wing
delegate that the uiud roce vote would be
necessary to keep down the strength of the
Abotionists and Emancipatonsts at the
polls. And we ask how far the secret prin-
. cple of Know Nothingism goes beyond the
principle of the secret ballot. The Know
Nothings. il is said, provide that men may
; be of their party without being known to be
of it, and the secret ballot provides the same
thing. The Providence Journal says with
= truth, that if the principles Of the Know No.
: things are in some respects an exaggeration
of those of the Wings, the secrecy of their
proceedings is only a natural exaggeration
e and no great exaggeration either. of the
8 blind ballot, and is to be defended by the
same arguments, nor can anything be said in
\ favor of the blind ballot, which is at the end
3 of the proceeding, that will not apply to the
secret organization, which is at the beginning.
{ No doubt the Democracy of Louisville are
, now pretty well convinced. that If they had
0 not gone for the establishment of the secret
b, ballot in our city, the Know Nothings would
. not have shown themselves so very formida-
Bile as they did on Saturday week.
Unquestionably it was absolutely necessa.
ry for the American party. in its incipiency,
TO act as secret organization. Otherwise
: it would have been crushed at once by the
: old and well disciplined organization. We
. have never heard of more than one Hercules,
, who in the cradle, could contend successful.
: ly against a mighty foe.
II the Know Nothing party. at the start.
had come out openly before the eyes of the