Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-03-23

upon ana purifying the old parties. 1t ls n
political party in itself, bound together by
secret oaths, controlled by one man, or by
the Grand Council, putting forward its nom
inees in secret, taking from the members the
right both of selection and Of conscience,
prescribing good and true aud native born
Americans, threatening with public scorn
and injury in his private business the man
who obeys his own judgment in opposition
to the requirements Of the council, and throw
ing its whole influence and power, now when
the question Of slavery extension is the great
one before the country, against the return to
our National Legislature Of the ackn5w-
lodged champion Of Freedom and the North.
Its whole structure is anti-dcmocratic,
jcsuitical and proscriptive and in practice it
must inevitably prove corrupt.
Now we are far from saying or believing
that such is Know-Nothingism everywhere.
We believe there drc important differences
between the KnowNothings Of New York
and those Of New England. The Know
Nothings Of Vermont are, we are sure, un-
willing that the order should be used TO
smother the aroused anti-shvcry sentiment
of the North They oppose tho extension Of
slavery, not less than the extension of foreign
influence and political Roman Catholicism in
our midst. They rejoice, we believe, in tho
election of Mr.. Seward Especially would
| they, if we know them, resist such an en-
curry into and control over the roics Of indi-
yidual members, as is exercised by the Coun-
ellis Of New York. But what the order is in
/ New York it may III time become in Yer
mont, if it retains in its constitution the OBJ
jcctionablo features Of the order as at present
constituted. The tendency of secret oath
bound political societies is to become pro-
scriptiye and corrupt. The risk of being
caught in place where they must yield the
right Of private Judgment, and obey without
question the edicts Of secret council of
scheming politicians, is too great for honest
and judicious men to take. They cannot Join,
OF long remain connected with such society,
and without the support OF honest men, the
order cannot be IL permancncy in Vermont.
We desire to be understood in this matter.
We are not blind to the danger connected
with this enormous influx of foreigners. We
would prevent the foreign population, both
for its own sake and for our own, from be-
coming an element of disturbance and dis.
cord in our midst. We would by no means
allow men born and bred under tho arbitrary
governments Of Europe and ignorant of the
spirit and working of our institutions. t,
bn m bn ~, Of : l.,
land which offers to them protection and d
home, and in which their children will hay,
the same rights which are enjoyed by the de-
scendants of the men of &c. We would
remedy the outrageous abuses ofvu. ..-s.,~,
lization laws we would extend the time re
quisite for naturalization we would put {
stopas far as possible to interference in OF
influence over our political affairs, by Roman
Catholic Priests, or any religious teachers, Il
such we would forbid the formation Of mill
tary companies exclusively of foreigners, an,
discourage everything which tends to increas
the clannish tendencies oft the foreign clemcn
f and prevent it's assimilation with the natiy
) blood and bone and We would have on
country represented abroad, not by Soule
and Belmonts, but by intelligent and homes
men of American birth. To attain these end
in proper manner, and at suitable time
; we would uso ali right means Secret Socic
ties we do not consider right means. TIL
: movement Of which we have been writing
: can, in our opinion, result in no good nnles
ats secret features arc dropped. On these point
! we shall have more to say in future