The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-12-16
From the Louisiana Courier
KNOW soTHIsGIsM IN THE SOUTH.


The South is beginning to experience the baneful
effects of know-no,hingism The seed which this dan
gerous party had cast into soil has taken with
ghtfu rapdty and is producing fruits the bitterness
which is being senshly felt among all the truly national
Of the Union 1t has brought into agitation with
newed fury the vexed sectional issues and succeeded
in carrying to power large number Of its proseytes
pledged keep alive those questions keep them prom
ineny before the people, and to all their efforts
promote their ultimate triumph Never was abolitionism
more rampant than at the present meneyer did the fell
spirit of aboionsn ns its poison with more certainty
and effect.
Contrast the present condition Of the country with what
1t two years ago. end how changed is the At
that period halls of legislation in the keeping
the sturdy democracy aud national wings of the country
The enemies of the South and the Of negrophl-
snthough in helpless minority, UNDECIDED, condemned
attempted TO revive the dangerous agitation Of the slavery
ISSUE but oiled in their schemes thanks to the I'M
Inehng devotion Of northern and southern patriots
bill the object of which to repeal pseudo-compro-
mise which, when required always discarded by
heNorh and whehnfrngcd upon the constitutional rights
ofthe South passed The principles that
essentially the those cnuncaed and advocated by
the fathers and founders of the republic, vz that Con-
gres had right to determine whether slavery should
exist not in national territories but that the question
should be left open for decision according the wishes
ard interests of the people residing therein. These were
duced by Richardson in the House and Douglas in the
Senate After warm and protracted debate the measur,
carried approved by the Executive and received the
sanction of all the unionovng Of the country. 1t
thought by them that the vexed question Of slavery
decided had esn principles which injured the
erests Of neither section Of the land and which left
entirely the arbitrament of the people would have
received its final quietus.
But such not the The North, or rather that
portion of under which blue laws aboonsm and the
spirit OF faction flourish in unchecked growth conceived
the design OF carrying ont its projects under guise
novel and attractive easily to deude the unwary and
the ignorant The which they adopted know
nothingsm BY arrayng the religious preudices OF the
descendants of tho Purans against denomination which
was represented silently working the downfall of the re
public by nsdiously nsting into the minds the labor
ing classes feelings ofenvy and jealousy against those
chancs OF foreign birth whose avocations frequently
brought them in contact and perhaps in competition, with
them and by skfuy using the lever of ansavery uron
the ucrum of sectional haeds and pessons the leaders
OF the movement saw hundreds and thousands oil
young enthusiasts gray headed aboonists, disappointed
demagogues and ambitious wrcpullers hoekng their
standards and arrayng themselves into body invnc
blity of which said to be unquesonable. What was
the result? 1t can be clearly in the Congress now in
session. Every northern who stood upon
the Nebraska PLATFORM had patriotism 10 vote ac-
eodng TO the dictates of conscience and equity I'M
uetShuy rampant aboGonist elected in
his stead II was immaterial 10 what political creed he
might have been attached whether that of democracy Of
whggcry know-nothingsm needed victims and ruthless
ly glued its vengeance This the first stab inflicted
upon the vtas of the South by that heterogeneous con-
gomcraon of sms, nscalled the "American party1--o
STAB from which she has entirely recovered and repe
iion OF which il will require the undivided exertons
the democracy 10 avert
lhe dl1culties which are occurring in Kansas the
of Inv nd l.
Territory has been plunged nay, the civil war which
threatens to break out at every moment are undoubedy
the work Of knownohingsm. 1t is matter Of fact which
events in the North have fully coroborated that the prn
epa aim and purpose of the new-hnged party was to &C.
cure majority OF members in Congress opposed 10 sla-
yery for the purpose Of defeating any attempt to intro
duce Kansas into the Union slave State Ii is also
matter OF public notorety that for months back secret
political and military society has been formed in that Ter
rtoy for carrying freeso into operation the
cnet OF The order being styled athe General and his sub
ordnates Differed according their respective stations
Ihis IS The second evil which has entaed
upon the Southhe creation Of political organi-
aons heretofore unknown in our counrys history and
Incompatible with our institutions and the spirit of liber-
y II is matter OF satisfaction to all good democrats
throughout the land to know that while others have been