The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-02-15

THE BEAUTIES OF KNOW NorHINoIsM

We call the special attention Of readers the speech
OF Mr. Ltsoha the speaker Of the New York house Of
representatives, upon the subject Of know-nothingism
Mr. Litteohn THE speaker had supposed that when he
last addressed the house il would be the he would
say this question. But since then nothing but
charges upon charges had been made against his character
He was OF change He would in what
he dad say endeayor every man in the proper
spirit The gentleman from New York (Mr. Petty had
said he Mr.. bad come down the floor speak Mr..
said ii when be took the chair speaker Of this house his
constituency to be deprived Of his voice forever begone
the honors Of the chair With regard 10 his feeling that
the needed assistance Mr. l. said it not VIM H.
Seward he loved, but his principles lie dsclamsd that
be asked single vote TO place him in the chair Of the
house No one had scrap Of paper from him containing
any pledge Thus he denied that he had deceived any
Whenever spoken 10 the subject he had always replied
that he intended TO leave the matter to the wings Of the
house lie never belonged TO knownothing lodge In his
county, and never made any promise 10 against VIM
H. Seward He had been inside OF know-nothng
lodge lie had not wanted TO be returned TO the house but
his party friends Insisted upon his receiving the nomna
ton, aud be took H.
AS to the temperance nomination, though he received
such nomination. IL without his influence or advice
AS TO his eonnexon with the know-nothings he would
tell all he knew of it. Last March, while member Of this
house OF his friends asked him to attend lecture
He went with them 10 ROOM where he was assured BY
the officers OF that society that be was 20 do nothing that
contrary TO anything against which his conscience
would revolt lie asked to make promise. He did
make the promise and If his treason
make the most OF it. II he had perQrad himself make the
most of that He now declared himself opposed to the
principles Of this association. As 10 his pledge to vote
against VIM H. Seward rooted might he his tongue TO his
mouth If he ever made such pledge He would give as
briefly he could complete exposition Of know-noth
ings but he would say, from the moment be left that
in hi. city g this he never entered IL again II was
enough for him say that he in that what would
prevent honest from ever entering again As to
whom he there their would never be dyulged
by him. lie admitted that the foreign vote had undue
influence in our election And he saw this in the last
presidential election.
Had Mr. Seward the influence over foreigners ascribed
him. do you suppose that Mr. Scott would have been de-
ieaed II was this feeling against the influence of for
egn voters which led him to go to the meeting he had
alluded to- This organization, in its original idea
simple-to meet the banding OF men side TO meet
the banding OF men on the other But political nom-
nation was 10 Be made And thus far it right But
what was it now Was il an institution to which
honorable mana freeman, Christian--coud belong Z
He thought 1t was not He believed here belonging
to II were honest but that they deceived By political
ricksters In July last grand lodge organized call
ed grand council Go TO New York and you find the
grand PRESIDENT. W. Barker-1ecapyng power in the
State equal TO monarch and this grand president alone
appoints deputy in each county and what sort OF
man viii this deputy bel Why second self And what
does this deputy do? Heis armed with the power to
ate as any lodges in the towns of the State as he pease
He selects nine the nucleus these lodges to estab
lsh them this second self Of W. Barker selects these
nine men, and these nine select three delegates the
grand council to make nominations and oaths 10 bind
body and soul of the innocent members Of the order
These ohcers are thus the creatures OF one manJames
w. barker--in Sew York
Dd ever man conceive any thing humble in republic
can governmentf These delegates remain such
three years Two hundred lodges send thus 600 men
this council all Of whom the OF Barker The
duty of these menths grand councilis make oaths
to bind men who invited to hear lectures and to make
no nominations. Original now-nothngism was TO use
influence against foreign intuence This as whig, he
Mr. l., soald with Mr.. L. had read here proceedings
OF the grand council the purport of which that
delegate be received who did sustain their State
ticket, and members not voting for Uan were expelled
Mr. y commented on these proceedings pointing out their
tyranny lie inquired If in Europe there any power
despotc Had anything in this broad land been
heard of equal to this Was called upon and
required to say under OATH whether he did that which the
constitution says he may do whether he voted against
a certain man And what the crime of voting for
Governor Clark And yet this society called american
expelled men for voting for Governor Clark. Was such
society worthy Of the name Of American And he would
predict that in twenty-four months will be found
who will acknowledge his connexion with such political
engine Who are the men this executive committee2
He would not say it of ALL but some of them of
broken reputation whose the criminal cal
endar of New York--men corrupt
There another power centred with these nine men,
which that any five OF these councils may reject
or black-ball any applicant Was this democratc2 But
why was this2 Why, James ". Barker might lose the
power and control he had. This scheme perfect and
could be altered in three years There was no power
TO alter it. Ii has been said the councils may instruct
these three delegates to the designs of j. W
Barker But this Is not true The bylaws gave the right
of appeal to Barker from the councils TO the grand
council These schemes are peTfect-thay not known
to the Masses not been him. but he had learned
them since his arrival in Albany Mr. H. had read reso
lutions directing eissaries 10 be sent Albany to defeat
the reelection OF VIM H. Seward also other proceed
ngs exhibiting the powers of the order These proceed
ings read from newspaper. The first resolution
said Mr. L., required the collection of thousand
here to instruct members here how vote on the
rial question Had the people sent idiots here to represent
them R
The next was directing measures to be taken in
regard to offending councils And what the of
fence 2 They bad dared TO act independently. The
grand council had made nominations and because come
the nomnationsnpt knowing, perhaps, they had been
madethey TO be expelled. IL this grand council
could do this much what there they might not do
He remembered the inquison--the acts Of the lesus-
but their powers would be nought compared with this
organization Who knows but the thumb-screw--the tor
lures of the nquisitonmght yet be ordained by this
New York councl3 But American power and American
freemen will never he believed submit to the establish
men of this organization Mr. L. had read proceedings Of
council in Brooklyn which took place last November
denouncing the action of the grand council He only had
this show that that had already commenced which
would be carried out throughout the States He meant
that this political engine would be hurled from power in
this State There already exists another organization
which carries out that principle.
He found published in the Times resolutions to all
which he could assent lie formed resolution denoun-
cling slavery moral and political evil and all the others
he could Those who experienced the Amer
lean feeling could Join this organization And he based
his prediction on this movement In which who felt
the yoke Of the other organization would turn this for
relief and power overthrow the others Therefore could
oath which in violation OF mans conscience be
binding2 The sin in Intentionally taking such an
OATH and he considered it which he ought now TO be
forgiven. IL was sin against his country, 1t was like
oath commita murder. Ii q murder of the man
rights II breaks wicked OATH would the Creator
-. IA H.