Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-04-14
THE COMPOSITION OF THE VIRGINIA
KNOW-NOTHING PARTY.

The composition of the Nnow-nothing party
in Virginia is the subject of much dispute
The members of the Order claim that it is made
up of both Wings and Democrats. They deny
that it is Wing Order, and are never so happy
as when told that it has strong infusion of
Democrats. They are proud of their Demo
cratic members. They point to them as their
jewels. They boast Of them. They give them
Office, or rather make them their pet nominees.
Their estimates of the number of Democrats in
their Order vary greatly. One viii tell you
that they are at least half while another will
boldly assert that they are more than half
Another less boastful will rate them at ten
thousand.
Now we have no faith, not particle, in any
Of these estimates. We believe that there are
Democrats in the Order. We know that there
are. But we believe that they are few and
far between. We believe furthermore that the
Wings with whom they have cast in their for
tunes, are obliged to pet, promise, and pamper
them, in order to keep them from boiling.
Most of them have joined the Order either
from spite, for some real or imaginary wrong,
or slight sustained at the hands of the Demo-
cratic party, or because they want office. Those
who want Office, either for themselves or friends,
must have office. They will not be put off,
Their demands and exactions are promptly
met. Out Of the four State offices to be filed
at the approaching Virginia elections, three
have been assigned to Democratic know-noth.
I ings-that is, if they can be elected The OBJ
ject of the Wing Know-nothings in making
this unequal distribution Of the spoils is three
fold. First, to produce the impression that the
Order is as much Democratic as Wing. Sc
condly, to retain in the Order Democrats who
have joined; and thirdly, to entice other Demo
Gratis into it.
One thing is strikingly manifest in the tao
tics of the party. In places where Wings out
number Democrats, most Of the offices are
given to the former and vice versa Yet
enough are given to Democrats, in all places,
to secure their adhesion. To instance: the
State of Virginia being q Democratic State,
three out of the four nominations for State of.
| 6cers were conferred either on Democratic
Know-nothings or on Democratic sympathisers
with the Know-noihings. In the charter cleo
tons lately held in Richmond, that being
largely Wing, most of the offices were given to
the Wings.
This Order goes for victory everywhere, and
forms such alliances and coalitions as will
best secure success. 1t is wise in its day and
generation, and adapts itself with plant con-
vience to the peculiar views of every commu-
nifty. In Massachusetts and Ohio, it connects
itself with abolitionism. In fanatical commu.
nities it seeks the aid of religion. Wherever
isms abound, it weds itself to them, however
absurd or repugnant they may be. In temper
ance communities, ii combines with the adyo-
Gates of Maine laws. 1t has the stomach of an
ostrich, and can feed and fatten on any food
1t can affiliate with any party or faction that
will surrender the leadership to it. There are
| but two classes Of men between whom and that
order repugnance and repulsion exist. They
are the old line Constitutional Wings and the
Democracy. Men Of this stamp and character
abhor their embraces
Happily for us, in Virginia there is no Abo-
ltion party with which the Order can ally it.
self, nor, until recently, has any Of the foul
brood Of isms dared to lift itself in that old
Commonwealth. Yet it would appear from
| the following extract from the Richmond En-
quirer, Of the 18th instant, that there is some
sort Of league attempted between Know-noth.
ingism and Temperance in that State:
"A WOLF Is SHEEP's CLorurxc.-The
same mail brings us letters from Memphis.
Tenn, and from Selma, Alabama, touching the
mission of p. S. White, the notorious tempe.
renee lecturer. In one Of his recent addresses
| to the people Of Memphis, be gave it distinctly
to be understood that his mission, in his pres
ent ministrations, was not confined to its osten-
sible object, but, coupled with the great end of
promoting temperance, was secret purpose
and, by remote illusions to the evils Of foreign
immigration and Catholicism, left it to be in
ferred that he was an emissary Of Know-noth-
ingism. He said he had recently been in Vir-
GINA, and would soon return here to spend the
hext two months in canvassing the State
In Selma, as we learn, Mr.. White stated that
NC ndu pteh III every counAJ III virginia. mat
Mr. Wise would be beaten thirty thousand votes,
and further that the Know-nothngs would
carry the elections in every State in the Union.
These remarks naturally led to the suspicion
that his mission through Virginia was not
alone to promote the cause of temperance but
also to aid in accomplishing the success of the
Know. nothing ticket in our State.
The information thus received from two dis
tant points, leaves no doubt Of the fact that
emissaries of the Secret Order, under various
DISCUSSES, have been engaged in the sieathy
work Of attempting to seduce the people Of
Virginia from their allegiance to the haowed
principles Of Jefierson's statute Of religious
freedom, to the foul embraces Of secret party
Of intolerance and persecution. We feel iusti.
fed in warning the freemen Of Virginia against
the insidous appeals of emissaries whose real
object is to infuse the poison Of Know.nothing.
is u into the community. They would sap the
public morals by their Jesuitical preaching of
intolerance-and would practically nullify the
wise and generous principles Of religious free
dom and civil equality, contained in the Bill of
Rights, Constitution, and Thomas Jeferson's
statute Of religious freedom. They would 90
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