Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-02-27
TIE kNOW.NoTHINGs,

Feb q. 1861 Chancellor of the University.
TIE KNoW-NoTHINGs,
The Western Democratic Revie,c for October last
contained an article reviewing "the Know nothings
ofyaTious ages and concluding with an expose ofthe
know-nothing oatha aud ceremonies Of the present
day. We have reser7ed the article for publication
now. when the canvass in this State is about to
open, and commences it to-day 1t Will occupy
most of the space in our daily paper for week;
and will appear in a connected form in our weekly
edition. We have no doubt that many persons
have Joined this organization from motives of curl
osity The expose with which this article concludes
viii save the curious any further trouble for all the
forms, passwords, signs, and oaths are given IN
full We hardly need suggest that the document
will be highly useful one during the canvass
The geuuiness of the exposition is certain
From the Wssaera Democratic Rtsiesc.
THE KNOW NOTHINGS OF VARIOUS AGES.
So prone are we TO be led into srror, by giving
more attention to names than To principles, we are
continually the dupes G; falsehood old as The wUrd,
and Of men
-"Whose ancient and ignoble blood
Has crept through scoundrels ever since the flood
We're it possible for U.s. following the advice of the
UNDERSTANDING, 20 examine more rigidy the value
Of words we should have much less difficulty in
accounting for many phenomena, SOCIAL and poiti-
cal which rank as the most remarkable OF our age
and country. 1t was the remark of the wisest OF
men that "Ihere is nothing new under the sum-
and the truthiuness of this axiom seems destined 10
be entirely vindicated even by the imperfect lamp
which llumes the path Of the historian Of ages
As we travel back, step by step, from century TO
century through the records of all the nations of
the world we fad sciences which we believed 10
have been the proddc; Of modern times, hourshed
in perfect vigor long before the living languages Of
Europe had been constituted of the classic mate
rails Of the decline Of tie learning o! Italy and
Athens IDEAS which we fondly persuaded our
selves owed their paternity TO our fruitful brains,
we find upon exhuming the ancient records, were
thrown upon the world by men who sleep IN the
grave Of three thousand years. Instead OF that
originality which, in our arrogance and pride, we
have claimed Tor the genius Of the country IN which
we live, we find in Infinite number OF cases, on
ly an ability TO copy the thoughts aud opinions Of
those that have gone before US. We should vlo-
late truth by claiming that Sheridan aud Pitt, and
Webster and Clay were much the superlOrs OF De-
lnosthenes, Cicero and Pericles That they were
their equals we do not deny that in some partiCu
lars they surpassed them, are ready TO admit
but that they exerted much more u-fuence over
the masses, or possessed decidedly more ability 10
do not by any means believe. That Newton and
Ia Place made vast additions to mathematical
science is known 10 all but would it not be idle to
contend that Euclid did not understand the grand
est principles of geometry? Was not Aristotle a
greater, and Socrates better man than Paley !?
Did MAJ oleou fight better than C:esari And was
Murat any more courageous than Alexander The
truth is, generally, while we imagine are iu-
venting, couceivIng, and improving we are in un-
counted instances, simply modifying or adopting
notions opinions ideas and habits OF thought which
date back beyond tie building Of the temple of Sol
omon.
We have been insensibly led into this train Of
thought by pondeIng upon the origin, the progress
and the probable destiny OF that infatuated oTgan-
zaiop, which under the garb of secrecy and false
hood is aiming to break down the Constitution Of
the country and check the onward march Of demo-
cratic liberty; we mean the society known as the
KNOW NoTHINGs. Like "a thief in the night" this
social monster burst from its dens Of intsmy upon
the intelligence Of the nation, and displaying for a
moment its uurivsled ability to debanch the pub
lie virtue and subyeTt the fair fabric Of order and
Justice sunk back into the foul caverns whose filthy
atmosphere formed Of the united breath OF scoun-
drels on earth and devils In he'll, possesses maR-
cal power 70 stiie the very sh sdow of justice, and
desecrate the very image OF truth We are not
amazed that the public mind is sgitated-that pa
uiots are alsrmed-jhat general impression seems
a
political gulf whose raging fires no power but that
of the Almighty can quench. We 90 live in peril
Gus times, we have Cause to fear and trembe when
such abOmlnatiDn as that Of which we sneak
leprous with the impurities Of six thousand yesrs,
and stained with the incestuous commerce of sllthe
phases Of criminallty-cap sustain for single sea-
son the scrutiny Of al ightened world.
But we have fallen into egregious error IN
supposng that Known othingism is the birth of
modern times. 1t is as old as the world and has
many times disgrsced the politics of the MODEST
empires that have ever existed. It's paternal an.
cestor the devil, its mother original sin, it was
nouTished UY such characters Nero, Cahgus,
and Judas and is to-day headed by man who
was taken down from gaiows on which he de-
served TO bang, and permitted to insure by life
OF aggravated crnlinaltY and inamy, that dis
graceful and wIetched end which Is now his des-
tiny.
secret political societies have been the bane of
the world. Wherever they have been organized
under the sun, they have encouraged mischief,
boodshej, and murder. Weknow OF no instance,
aud challenge the production OF in the records
OF ancient or modern times, in which anything
out evil has resulted from their operations. Could
the million Of political victims that sleep in the
honored grave Cf the martyr, stand before US, and
repeat the story OF their wrongs, we should be
amazed ct the Insgnamity which tolerates an Or
ganlzRuOn 80 Infamous III its character as that OF
lLe hLoW NOthlnss OF Inc nineteenth century
We are glad 1t as tolerated, and we hope the day
may never come when there shall be disposition
10 disturb, except by the arguments of reason and
common sense, any such society. From Know
Nothingism, We expect no liberation its LEADING
advocates are the most overbearipg iutolerant
devils the world has ever known.
The Christian Fathers acclaimed eloquently and
vehementy against the secret political societies Of
antiquity. Among the most abominsble was that
in which were celebrated the Elensinian mysteries
This horrd engine of despots and kings was the
parent of myrisds OF secret estsblshments-ve
similar in their origin-which at various periods
disgrsced Rome Britain, Greece, and various parts
Of Asia The Eleusinian ceremonies were origins.
ted not as has been charged, by psganpriests (who
however, performed them,) but by politicians like
Ned BuntGne, of our own day, and for the pur.
nose of keeping the people in darkness and them.
selves il Office As this is probably the first Know