Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-05-01
TIE MORAL DEFORMlTlES OF KNOW
NOTHINGISM.

Wo make the following extract from an able and
eloquent address delivered BY Robert Tyler Esq,
before Democratic Association i'll Philadelphia
We recrct TINT we have not room for tho whole of tho
admirable production:
While am opposed to these secret oath bound
societies. as pcstential heresy, on political grounds
they become, it anything, still more ahh"rrcd on
grounds oi morality. Irur, IN ts fusion with Adolf
onism, land this must afford exquisite Eratilca'i"h
-, those Democrats who have preferred rs p"liiiug-
embraces TO the honest principle. oi JrtrrsJn Know
Nothingsm has assisted to elect eight or uils A"!t-
ton Governors Of States, and aided 10 elect three
Aboltionsts 10 the Senate Of the United States, anu
helped 10 send Bedlamiie Rct o Abolition repre-
srntatiycs to the next Congress from New England,
New York, aud the Northwestern states Its p"iItl,
cal action has Uecn highly dangerous hut III is noral
anatomy il is still more uncndurab" than IN it' "li-
cal character. As II moral being hiloW -NohlGlShi
has been conceived in n doginailc and tyrannulls
t.murr IL il conducted in darkness and secrecy by
agents unknown 10 the people. The end II seeks ~
power for the sake Of plumber ana Inc hieaiis oy
which it works not only offensive 10 delicate
OF plivntc honor. hut Ia The comontst Ideas 81
decency aud honesty. hnvo never seen but one man
who would hot deny, point blank questioned. that
he belonged to the order. have Known hnilrtGs
of men who were members, deliberately ucnv the
fact with the intention Ia deceive. II Is well known
TO YOU, fellow Democrats that during our last clc"-
tons here, there cren.GScs who proicssed tl.
utmoat aversion to Know. neutrality-suspicious. ltcrnffd
and reiterated their sense Of Democratic hdrlify-
who received money from the treasury ol the party
Ia Sprnd for the purtys scs, VIII" not only cnnEelt
ed 10 serve on important committees, but VII" pr"cr-
ed them seves to he appointed; ana who, neverthe-
less in violation of good faith and all admitted rules
of moral duty Intentionally derrvcd uS and betrayed
us to our opponents, being all the Time the agents OF
tho secret olice-seekers. In plain language, their
conduct occasioned, no doubt, by the wicked infiu-
ences 20 which they were subjected was an alert
lie in private and TN abiect lie N public. presume
that what has happened III this State l. lar Test OF
now y othingism elsewhere. Now II Is impossible
10 imagine wider and more disgus,in. pr"ll;gacy
than has been developed here Men, horri"i"r" sup
posed to be respectable, have presented themselves
in every county candidates tor oiiice--te agents
and sworn servants of Know Nothingi,m-lave
nevertheless pointcdy denied having the lras, COLI
ncction with, or knowledge OF. its mystcrl"S- have
written Snd published letters to that eiirct--hav"
made adavits attestaS them ny oa:hs sworn Oh the
Gospels, and then published them IN the newspapers
auI still after all this, their actual membership aS
been sine, established by their own admissions and
acts, and consequently all their allegations aud oss
were intended in execution OF scheme OF deception
that they might propitiatc the favor Of the dark spirit
of Know Othiuglsm.
Your attention has no doubt been attracted by the
circumstances that recently III Senatorial caucus of
Know Nothing members OF the Legislature NJ Harris
burg there were but two ballots taken, when the eau
Gus broke up in cOniusion 1t appearing III ihc m"s
conclusive maiIuer that they had managed to cheat
and deceive each other on both nalotings. |, Inns
been well ascertained that during the late Guhcrn"-
oral contest there were persons VIII" were once Dem
ucruts and thought honorable, who attended tie Dem
ocrati candidate with the most assidios O!i,rECss
and care who voluntarily expressed t" him niid I"
others repeatedly the deepest interest in his success
who accompanied him from county TO county, and
took their seats with him or tho rortrum at public
meetings-who denounced the antl-Aneriran faction
in unspnrinr and vehement tcrlns-who did all men
could do TO deceive that they might bcray, and who
thu. acted tho part of traitors and spies the decgn-
ted e,nissuries of the KnowNohng Su"ety. But
the other day. fact indicating the most startling de-
gree of m0lltal and moral decentralization, TRANSFERRED