Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-04-04
LETTER FROM MR. GEORGE B. LoR1Na.

Know Nothing address Of Governor Gardner. The
times are indeed, strange; and considering the po
siton of Massachusetts,, as State Astounding IN
wealth and intelligence, it is matter OF interest tc
every patriot to enquire in whatway she has reached
her present anomalous political condition. More
particularly is it matter of interest to every Nir'
ginan, whose political lessons have taught him that
ais own State and Massachusetts have always occu'
ied the opposite poles of the political universe and
who is now in sited to follow the lead of his long
established and natural political opponent Let MIN
look we'll to the political history Of Massachusetts
before he follows her example. Let him remember,
that in the earliest DAYS of our Republic the prnci-
pies which received the support Of Jefferson and
Madison, met here with the bitterest opposition
Let him remember, that the peculiar doctrines,
whose establishment in the Constitution has given
tone to our whole Union, started forth from virginia,
and were received with bitter hostility on the very
boundaries of Massachusetts, And, as he surveys
the political condition of this latter State, let him
shrink back in horror and disgust at lending his
hand to plunge the Old Dominion into that ''ower
deep" which now furnishes room and verge enough"
for every species of Massachusetts, fanaticism and
arrays her against the safety and prosperity OF our
Union.
It cannot be that Virginia and Massachusetts, are
destined to travel together the road of Know No
thingism Here the way has been prepared. BY
slow and persistent labor the popular mind of Massa-
chusetts has been cultivated the political para
dox which startes the prudent and patriotic por
tons of the community In no State i'll the Union
have there been such pertnacious resistance to the
prevailing sentiment of the times-such determined
devotion to selfish interests-such disregard OF the
rights and wants of other sections OF the Union
such bigoed political faith, and such shortsghted
political endeavor, have marked the course OF the
dominant party here for years Massachusetts te-
deralism however honorable it may have been IN lts
origin has at last brought forth that very fruit
which it's early rejection of the true intention OF
our government promised. Devoted IN ltS youth 10
measures of such doubtful utility that the nation
speedily repudiated them, it passed on into man
L. hill mt llIr1n 1pf
to adorn its history-and it has now found its cul-
minaton in the monstrOus political thoughts ana
deeds, which make Massachusetts politics a re-
proach in the Union.-This is no fiction OF the i'm
imagination. Her devotion to the 'alien and sedtlon
laws of John Adams, her opposition to the large,
pure liberal democracy Of Jetfersonher declaration
in the Missouri debate in 1920, through her Senator,
Mr. Otis, that the States were subservIent to the
Federal power and that 'if the Constitution is not
strong enough to restrict slavery, we must make 1t
SO :" her determination exhaust the rest OF the
Union for the benefit of her own manufactures by
protective tariffs her support OF an inflated national
currency her bitter and unrelentlng hostility to the
of 1850 her progress into the maddes
abolitionism her howl of phrensy when the pl1n-
cple of non-nervention and the sovereignty of the
people was established by the territorial bill of Ne
braska and Kansas; her present spirit of nulliflca-
tion and of religious prescription, are facts known
throughout the length and breadth of the land. 1t
is these things which are now having their jubilee IN
Massachusetts, Is it not SO? Does not the mes
sage of Gov. Gardner contain the whole dark list OF
dangerous political heresies which have just emu
merated? Massachusetts, has indeed found the har
rest for which its political field has been SO long
cultivated The stiff and proscriptive Americanisn
Of John Adams the notification Of Gov. Strong, the
Aboltonism of OTIS the protective doctrines Of al
,er Wing statesmen have eliminated in the sophis
ries Of Gov Gardeners address, in the abolitionsm,
md prescription, and anti-Republicanism, which
oeryade it. and III the popular sentiment which sends
Abolitionism to Congress, and cherishes Garrison
md Phillips as household gods at home.
This is Massachusetts, Know Nothingsm. It is !
he adoption by the people, misdrected by old party
eaders, of the theories of that party, and their ex-
ression, in the crude and fanatical manner which !
We now behold Can you conceive of a more glo- |
iouS opportunity for abOlitionism? The popular !
mind, tainted by long previous teaching, and the
opular feeling perverted during years of political
eresy, have burst forth into revolution, which IA
atheism seizes upon with natural avidity. And a
zee and republican people, clamorous for American
;m and red-mouthed in their denunciations Of Jes-
itism, bind themselves by party ties, which moth
ne but perjury can break, subject themselves to OBJ
nd are willing to be confined within the limits of
riders, whose lines fixed the castles of the
[indoos. Is not this political paradox indeed?
an State be proud of the political history out Of
hch such monstrosity has grown? Is there any
emptation in this that Massachusetts should be fol-
WED by her sisters in the confederation? 1t is in
eed strange that such heresy should come from
Massachusetts, )" strange that with her intelligence
such conclusions But it would be passing strange
she met with response from Virginia. | cannot
,nceive of that madness which would lead the peo-
lie of Virginia at this hour to follow the 'lead of
assachusetts'-t lead which discovers the
tates arrays sectional interests against each other
roscribes foreign industry and destroys that reli
ous freedom which forms great element of the
constitution. Virginia would develop her resources.
an she, then, shut her doors against the entrance
adopted citizens without whom even Massachu-
tits could not have attained to her wealth and pros
Gritty? Virginia would maintain her doctrines of
which she has set forth in the great cr
S which have heretofore threatened our national
brio. Will she then place her destinies in the |
lnds of party, whose whole vitality consists in
e very hottest of abolition dictation? Virginia
oud enlarge her universities, and multiply her
hools, and extend her churches. Can she do it by
lopting system of religious intolerance? Virginia
Guild maintain standard of honesty and freedom
political opinion among her citizens. Can she do
by reducing the standard of truth to the morals of
Know Nothing lodge, and by the voluntary sub
lssion of her citizens to the discipline of this pro-
riptive Order? Virginia the 'mother of States and
atesmen," would stretch forth her arms and en- |
ace a confederation bound by mutual regard for
e rights and privileges of each other. Can she do
If the doctrines of Know Nothingism prevail and |
70 finds Gardner to rule her at home and federal |
olitonists to represent her in the national Coun-
Is?
1t cannot be for a moment supposed that the prin-
pies which majority ofthe people of Massachusetts
we declared themselves in favor Of are consistent
it'll the perpetuity of this Union such as the !
ldings minds of the country, would attempt to adj |
cate. And yet the overwhelming success of the
aow- Nothlngs here, has already operated as re-
arkable stimulus to this extraordinary party else
here 1t is On this account that would have the
a. .~1