The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-03-12

We publish to-day the contents Of q pamphlet
emsnating from the Know Nothings of this
city, Council No. IL, Fifteenth ward, expana-
tory of their political principles and purposes
as members of the new and great national
American party.
In the argument of this manifesto, and in the
resolutions appended, it will be seen that this
American platform of Council No. IL, is sub
stantially the platform recently laid down by
George Law, in his letter to the new party OF
the Pennsylvania Legislature. Here the Know
Nothings declare substantially, that new
epoch is upon us, and that they have entered
the field to provide for it's necessities, in the in
PRODUCTION of new order Of things in the poll
tics and the government of the country
To this end they propose to abolish and SUI
persede the electioneering corruptions Of the
old political parties-their rum and rowdy ism,
and their system of traficking with the foreign
elements of our population, and all the little out
side factions of the day. They purpose to intro
duce purely American policy, in order to root
cut those balances Of political power in our cleo
tions known as Roman Catholics, Irishmen, Ger
mans, and so-forth They propose to make the
federal constitution their guide upon national
affairs and to adhere faithfully to the Union,
State rights, and the liberty of individual OPT
MON. They make no war upon any religion;
but they are pledged to put down the interfe-
renee Of the Catholic or any other church, or
of the clergy of this or any other church, in
State OF political affairs. They say that all
churches must be reduced to the same level Of
nonintervention in politics. They also insist
upon the Bible as proper book for the use of
our common schools.
This Council No. II also advocates liberal
system of improvements of our rivers aud har-
bors by the federal government-they advo-
cate the independence of Congress over all Sec
tional agitations-the total abolition of the
spoils system of the old parties especially as
illustrated by the present administration; they
urge, in view Of the mighty swarms Of Euro
pean emigrants now pouring in upon us, some
material notifications of the naturalization
laws; and upon the whole, at home and abroad
they are in favor Of America being governed
by Americans" !
II atr;b~. 49,
-.-....,s us, though this is decidedly re-
volutionary programme, that there IS nothing
very sanguinary about it. This new American
party, in fact, 80 lately risen from the chaos
and effervescence of the old parties, is begin
ming to assume symmetrical and consistent
shape, as a great progressive national Ameri-
can party. Before the expiration OF another
year, we have no doubt that it's political prln-
ciples for the campaign of 1856, in every hole
and corner of the Union, will be as clearly I'M
derstood as the popular strength Of the party.
In the meantime, this new American organ
ization, this spontaneous popular reaction, is
multiplying it's forces upon every side. Dur
ing the last year, from Maine to New Orleans,
and from Virginia to San Francisco, the Know
Nothings developed q power at the polls per-
fectly astounding to the old parties and fac
tions. AT the last fall elections In Massa-
chusetts, they polled upwards of eighty thou
sand votes; in New York, upon the spur Of the
moment one hundred and twenty-five thou
sand votes; in Pennsylvan upwards Of one
hundred and twenty thousand votes; while
their tremendous balance of power thrown
against the administration in Ohio, Indiana,
Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin, has
literally left the Cabinet and their spoilsmen
without North-or, in the choice language Of
Caleb Cushing, completely crushed out"
We suppose that at this day the new Ameri-
can party could command a majority of the
popular vote over all other parties and factions
combined, old and new. We believe it, from the
returns of nearly a thousand Councils in the
State. Wepresume that they have been making
corresponding progress in the States around
us. No such advances Us these could be made
among the intelligent American masses, except
| upon sound Union and constitutional platforms
such, for instance, as that of George Law, and
the present manifesto.
| From this day to the last of next November,
in State elections, the battle will be between this
new Ameri can party and the combined odds
and ends of the old parties and factions. The re-
organization of parties is rapidly narrowing
down to this arrangement In New Hampshire
the case is somewhat different. There they
| have four tickets in the feld-the Know
Nothing, the administration, the whig and the
free soil tickets. But even there the fight
is between the Know Nothings and the
administration as the last vestige of the old
order of things. The result, we apprehend
will prove it, very much to the prejudice Of
| Mr.. Pierce
The New Hampshire election comes Off to-
morrow. Mark the result. 1t is the beginning
of the new series of 1856. which is to degeiope,
far and wide, the irresistible progress Of the
| Know Nothipgs. Virginia will follow towards
| the end Of May. If the Gibraltar of the spoils
democracy in the North should be taken to-
morrow, which is very likely, we may look out
for the captulaton Of their Sebastopol in vir-
| ginis as the next sacrifice, together with all