The true Democrat., 1855-04-24
The Know Nothing Stampede in

We stated a few days ago. says the Washing ton Union, that eighty members of a know nothing lodge at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, had withdrawn from the order in disgust, and had announced their determination to support the entire democratic State ticket at the election in May next, and that seventy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 same lodge would also withdraw at the next meeting Qast Monday evening.) Vhis re -actiOnary movement is observable in all parts of Virginia. In late number of the Abing- don Democrat we find the following card. It relates simply the truthful experience of every deceived and misguided democrat who has join ed the secret order of know nothings:
 To tue PubHc:-For the information of the public, and the duty I owe to myself and the democratic party, have taken this medium to make known my position in regard to the new frangled concern called know nothings.
 From statements made to me by member of the order, joined. l afterwards requested my name to be withdrawn. Whether it was grant. ed or not, 1 have no inform ation, and care very little. have no affinity with such proceedings, and therefore am glad to get out any way feeling confident that to be denounced by such all 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 a contract by one party releases the other, 1 shall not be very particular in regard to the so-calIed secrets:
 ! 1 will state how l became connected with the order: Some time in July or August last, five or six pclsons were conversing on various sub- lects, when one of the party referred to the sub. ject of know nottingham. Ispoke of the order as the old John Adams alien and -sedition-law party revived, and to prove my position I drew from my pocket copy of Ned BuntIine's Own "a newspaper acknowledged to be the expo nent of the principles of the know nothings- and read the articles of faith for the editication of those present. One of the crowd--a know nothing as the sequel will prove, although he denied being mem ber--contendcd that what had read was not the creed of the order and made the following statement: The know nothings do rot advocate doctrines laid down in that paper, neither do they wish to destroy the old parties, but simply to instil into the minds of the youth of our land the importance of preserving American doctrines pure and un- contaminated from foreign influence Iimme- diately remarked that if this were there object 1 should not condemn them
 About week afterwards joined the order was disappointed, and ascertained that the re- presentation of its American and national prin- clples was deception. My original views were confirmed; it was the old J ohn Adams federal party re-established, and bound together by aw full oaths. l was mortifed-disgusted. h. stead of finding whigs and democrats mingled together, when 1 looked around the room, out of crowd of sixty-fve or seventy persons not one democrat did recognize; but on the con- trary, the entire party was composed of the hottest, bitterest and most violent old "blue- light whigs ever knew" 1 could see chuckle on their countenance at the fellow they had caught" Another point will mention The Grand Mogul, 1 Isuppose-for never learned the title of that august personage-made speech afterwards which tended still more to confirm my original impressions of the secret organiza- tiOn.
 1 was satisfied, and never went more I had been regularly taken in abominably cheated- and so expressed myself that night to mem- Der and requested him to withdraw my name, which he promised to do.
 l have got through with my statement- There are some gentlemen connected with the know nothing order whom I esteem as friends. Some have threatened to prescribe me. am not alarmed. If it is attempted to impose upon me, l know what to do. shall speak when ever think proper, and say what 1 please, re- gardless of the know nothngs, or any body else.
 VIM. R. JOHNSON
 Abandon, March p, 1855