Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-06-12
TTEsDAY MoRNING, JUNE H., 1855
THE CANVASS IN THE SOUTH.


THE CANVASS IN THE SOUTH.
I,is fortunate that Virginia was the first State IL
,he South to encounter Know .Noth;ngism, for no
where else was the triumph of the Democracy so
certain If this fatal hcresy in politics and religion
had once 20, foothold the soil Of the South II
might have spread with the destructive rapia'y u
pes,ence, and its progress might not have oeeh Ut
res.ed before it had run its career OF Hsch''i "n
had Inflicted rreparablo disgrace ana cai"',''.y 0D
country. The Democracy Of the oid Doni"'o', 'n''
,atins The resclute policy of jackson al Ne"
nrecju;,a,.d themselves upon the ehen'y oe'''' A'
had secured himself on our coll anu kop' up q"
;,ce..an. and hurassing fire, until lie was nnai!
driven away in disastrous flight. The result OIL the
comics, in Virginia has inspired the Democracy o. the
S,r,b with Trash confidence and courage, and ther9
I. now no doubt of the defeat Of Know SothinS'sm
In every State South of tho Potomac.
Kentucky, after o long and glorious association
with Virginia in the Republican cause was at last de-
tached from the alliance by the balefni influence o
bcr GREAT but errng son. Still her Democracy were
,,a..b,v true 10 the faith Of Jefferson and MADISON
ard opnosed a gallant resistance to overwhelming
numbers. Since the death Of Henry Clay, Kentucky
has given promise of return to her early love- aud o
fidelity to the teachings and example OF her venera
h. mother. As in 1900 she stood side by side with
Virginia in tho great struggle OF that day. 30 nov"
when III, Federalism of the Alien and Sediton laws
asaiu aspires TO rule the country, her Democrac!'
animated by the example Of tho Dsmocrac! o' 'uS
State, have rallied TO the rescue with spirit ~Mch
gives assurance of glorious victory.
In Tennessee, Governor johnson conducts the can
vas, with the sprit of our own eloquent Wise, aud
the samo success will reward his energy.
In .recep, convention the Democracy Of Mississippi
nominated Gov McRae for second torn, and Pio-
c,,;m,,d discriminating war against Know-Sothng-
ism.
1ovsrnor Winston is again the candidate of the
Democracy of Alabama He is traversug the State
v-,hou, competitor, and his election is beyond
doubt
The Democracy of Georgia, strengthened by the
accession of the best spirits OF the wing party
and led on by the gallant Johnston, have opened the
canvass AGAINST the Secret Order, with evory assu-
rance Of brilliant success
Ga TOO, .he Democratic candidates for Congress III
North Carolina, sustained by the alliance OF John
Kerr. The brightest ornament Of the Wing party in
the Old North State, have fearessy encountered the
!.su. of the day. with the most encouraging prospect
of popular support.
Thus, throughout the South, we find the Democra-
cy wagiug fearless and triumphant battle against
Know nottingham. The struggle will result in the
sscendancy of tho Democratic partyin every South
ern State.
THE PHILADELPHIA COUNCIL. IN COSFC-
SION.
Yielding to the pressure of public opinion, tho or
sans of the know-Notbing party, promised that the
National Council in Philadelphia should conduct It's
deliberations in the presence OF the people. Whe- |
ther be that this pledge usncsre in the frat
stance or that its fuflment has been prevented by un
ioreseen difficulties it is certain that the Philadelphia
Council refuses to the veil of secrecy from its
proceedings.
Never before in the history o: this country nor in
deed OF any other free government did the represent
tativss u great party meet III secret concaveto de-
hLerae upon matters opopuler concern aud to deter
mine the principles ofpubcpolcy which they should
promu!Sa:e Tho spectacle is as an anomaly Of alarm
ing significance. II berays distrrst and contempt
OF the popular intelligence, which does not consist
with the theory Of institutions and dscloses the
purpose of party which asPires to supreme control
in the country 10 absorb all the political powers OF the
state into the haIds of unknown and irresponsible
oliyarchy. When che people are thus repealed
from the presence OF party that courts their conf
dence aud support 10 time they should begin 10 con-
eeve suspicion of it's criminal dssgns and dscredita-
bic practices 1t matters not what may be the exter-
hal aspect and public professions OF such party its
own eonduc supplies the evidence Of its secret guilt
and divests it Of all claim to popular sympathy ana
support.
:I.l G,I,
pei popular approach by means OF a elaborate .ppa'
ratus of sgus and passwords, thcn 10 Pro'ioe
aSaus, the treachery of its members In spite OF
all the precautions by which It attempts to guard
nsn., the disclosure Of secrets, some passages OF
.s proceedings have been communicated to the pub
lie. The correspondents Of the New York Heroid
and 7ri6xne furnish the most distinct and complete
n.igh, into the mystery We usert their revelations
in another column.
THUS fur tho Council has been engaged exclusively
in the preliminary matters Of organization, bu. it has
done enough already to show ths spirit and to indi-
cate the direction OF it, formal and decisive &C
t,on Wilson and his associates were not excluded
In accordance with the suggsstion Of the Wig, hu,
the entire abolition delegation were admitted to seats
In tho Council. Thus, if are TO expect the fulfil
nent of our neighbor. prophecy, we must look out
for rupture. And, indeed, there are plenty indca-
tions of this result, Upon question OF public
policy is there any COMFORT Of opinion in tho Council
The members do not even aSrec upon the distinctive
priaeip!cs Of the party Some are 10 favor OF the pre-
se, system OF na,uraI aiiou while others go for the
complete ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of the foregn-born citi-
Sen And, again, como advocate the largest liberty
OF religious creed, while majority ofthe Council, as
shown by the exclusion ofths Louisiana delegation,
will extend no federation nsmbers OF the Catholic |
communi>n II will be hard to strike mean be- |
tween these opposite extremes Of opiuon.
But, the slavery question 10 tho most difficult pro-
hleu Of ALL 1t 10 sufficiently apparent already that
there cnn DO no compromise this subject. Wilson
has takeu his stand on the extreme anti-slavery
GROUND, nor will he BIZ driven from it by the
vituperat,on OF Dir. Phil. Boiling, himself
svndad. The correspondent of the Herald shows
how it 10 to be done, and the editor undertakes to
prepare the public mind for tho policy. 1t will not
lie accepted by the South. The organs of the purity
here have declared in advance, that non-action will
not avail to satisfy thu South. But the proposed
policy Ia worse than non action, inssmuch as i,
cont.nplatcs an ultimate revision OF the con-
st;uon, by which the South must lose even the
little power that it possesses. Neither will va
pid defamation about tho GLORIOUS Cnion,' and
cheap professions Of patriotism, suffice to snsty the
,ust demands of the South. No mau affects a more
even the Ohio platform embraces tho "Thlrd De-