Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-03-19
The American Party.


Election, 4th Thursday in May.
"
The American Party.
We took occasion, not long since, to define
our relations to those, who persist in agitating
the question of slavery, ayowing our determi-
nation to compromise with none such, 0hether
in or out Of the order. The opinions we then
of the systematic demagoguism
which prevails on this subject amongst the
selfish aspirants, and constituencies jackalls Of
the party press, are strengthened and confirmed
by the incidents and subsequent developments
of the late senatorial elections in New York,
Massachusetts,, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Take
first the election Of Seward, in New York.
The hackneyed party press Of the South, and
the peacock politicians of the same section,
affected great alarm for our institutions for
the peace and harmony Of the country, and
even for the integrity Of the Union, if Seward
should be reelected.
Well, he was reelected and how was the
news received by those same presses and poll
ticiansg Was it received with sorrow and re-
greet at the triumph of intrigue and knaveryg
Not at all. With an appeal to the honest and
conservative portions Of all parties and sec
tons to be on their guard against the ma
chinations of this arch intriguer? By no
means-but on the contrary, his election was
hailed with evident rejoicing and delight. The
interests Of the country, and the peace and
safety Of the Union, were forgotten in the sup
posed compromise of the principles of the
American party! All the appliances Of the
lowest demagoguism, and the most barefaccd
mendacity were resorted to, in their efforts to
prove, that there was an utilization of the
" Know-N othings" with the "higher-law
disunionism and moral perjury Of Sewardism.
So pertinaciously was it declared by these
kennel presses and their votaries, that Seward
had been elected by Know Nothing votes, that
for a few days there was an evident reaction
against the American party" throughout
portion of the South. But as soon as the
truth was made known, and it appeared that
the Known othings did not vote for him, but
used every exertion to defeat him, the onward
march Of the party was resumed The Know
Nothings belonging to the genuine national
order stood firm and true whilst portion Of
the Democrats voted for him and many others
held back their votes declaring that they should
be given to Seward, if they were necessary to
elect him
The demagoguism of the Richmond Enqui-
rer, Richmond Examiner, and the Union and
Sentinel of this city, whose lead the small fry
throughout the country follow, was the more
disgusting from the fact that they mast haze
kno,on, that corps of the Forney and Pierce
ofRceholders from New York were actively en-
gagged at Albany, working to promote Stewards
election. Every one of these presses appeared
delighted when Stewards election was an
nounced, supposing that the country could be
made to believe, it had been effected by the
Knew-N othings, and that therefore it would
ruin the American" cause at the South. We
ask them in all seriousness, were they not
pleasedg
They have continued however, day after
day, to croak about the horrors Of abolition
ism, and the dangers therefom to the South !;
and yet they chuckled with delight at the cleo
ton of Seward, because he is the great arch
enemy of the Know othings The most NOR.
tilted of all the people ofthis country at his
sI~ses-- 40 the Know-Nothings not because
nc is opposed to slavery, for no fair-minded
man expects the North to .JapoF slavery, but
because he is disorganizer, mischieEmaker.
disunionist in all his tendencies, If not in his
professions; because he recognises "highcr-
law" obligations than those Of solemn oath
upon the Bible; because, for selfish ends, he
would plunge this nation into all the horrors
Of anarchy and strife; and because, also, he is
bitterly opposed to the American platform"
We do not regret that an issue is now fairly
made up between Sewardism and American
ism, Indeed, werejoice that Forney and Pierce,
the Richmond Enquirer and the Examiner, the
Washington Union and the Sentipel, the Ma
tiondt Era and Seward, the New York Tri
bune and Fred Douglass, with all the odds and
ends Of Dcmagoguism, Foreignism and Ro-
manism, Bishop Hughes and John Mitchell in
cluded, are leagued together in a mad and
blind crusade, an unrelenting war upon the
American party and its principles. This rare
combination Of antagonistic elements against
Amcricanism," will open the eyes of the
South, to the Jesuitsm Of those presses and
politicians, who pretend TO discover abolition
ism in party, that is pledged to sustain the
Union Of all, and the rights Of each Of these
States, whilst those who thus denounce us,
frdternise and amalgamate with tho very agi-
tators whom they affect 50 much to despise.
But the same demagogues have been equally
delighted at the election Of Wilson, in Massa-
chusetts, although they profess to entertain so
many fears for the institutions Of the South,
from the election Of free-soilers to Congress.
In their eagerness to destroy the "Know-
Eothings" they actually rejoice in the election
Of men, from whom they had hitherto pretend
cd to apprehend so much danger
But it SO happens that the election of Will
son proves no more than this, that despite the
progress we have made towards Matchmaking
T. Al