Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-05-16
ORIGIN OF KNOW NoTHINGIsM.

That the Know Nothing party originated in the
Northern States is matter about which there is no
dispute; and that it is of recent origin all know.
The only open professions it makes is opposition to
foreigners and Catholics. Whence this newborn
zeal for nativeism and professionalism? Let us look
behind the curtain and see.
1t is we'll known that the great bulk of foreigners
and Catholics in the United States in the North
ern States There also, is the great bulk of the alb
otionists. Does any Southern man believe that the
abolition party would reject the aid of these foreign
ers and Catholics if they would act in concert with
them? Is the abolition party pure and thorough
" protestant that it would accept aid from for
egners and Catholics? No, indeed Know Nothing
ism had its origin in the very fact that the foreign
and Catholic voters would not cooperate with the
abolitionists.
There was no Catholic among the three thousand
abolition clergymen that protested against the pas
sage of the Nebraska-Kansas The refusal of the
Catholics to sign that protest sufficient to array
the aboltionists against them About the same time
John Mitchell established paper in New York, in
which he denounced abotonism and called upon all
foreigners to rally against them. Such appeals from
such man had powerful influence the foreign,
and especially the Irish vote. Hence not only for
eigners but Catholics Also whether native foreign
became odious to abofionism and that wiley fend,
never at loss for subtle schemes, devised Know
Nottingham under the plea that foreigners and Ca
tholcs were about to destroy our liberties. Why
did we not hear of this new ism before the famous
protest of these 5000 abolition clergymen, and be-
fore John Mitchell had induced the foreign popular
ton to take sides with the South and with the Con-
sttuton and why does it follow so closely on the
heels of these events? The whole matter is explain
ed in three words-cAUsE and EFFECT? The refusal
of foreigners and Catholics to act with abolitionsts
was the of the effort to put them down, and
the Know Nothing party is the efSct and in all the
free States where the K. Ms have obtained power,
they endeavorimg to make up their loss Of foreign
vOtes By admitting negroes to COTE The foreigners
would not vote the abolition ticket and hence they
must be deprived of the right to vote at ALL and
groes substituted in their place. Is not this beau
tiful party to seek an alliance with the South?
But we may be asked how it happened that
vile an ism could get foothold in the South. We
think we can at least explain some of the causes.
When Know Nothingism first made its appearance
in the South or at least when it fist began to be
talked about, it regarded sort of myth, a
joke, hoax, or a harmless order of fantasies,
something of that kind Curiosity excited, the
scheme deeply laid and not being open to oppo-
siton IL Sprang up rapidly II arrived, 100, just aI
time when the Wing party was gasping its last
breath the defeat Of its last principle; and the
transmigration of its soul into the body of Know
Nothngism easy and natural, as soon as it felt
the attraction of politics therein, and such politics
as were hostile to the Democratic administration.
Thus at one gulp down went the Wing party, while
curiosity and false pretences swallowed even some
good Democrats and large number of bad ones.
Inscriptions Wing leaders seized upon it as their
last chance for riding into power-the Wing press
wheeled into rank, always ready to adapt itself to
any apparently position, and having already
acquired great skill in such maneuvers by its former
practice. The result is that what was once termed
the abolition party at the North is now known as
the Know Nothing party; and what was formerly
styled the Wing party in the South has taken the
same name. When they meet in pational conven-
ton we shall whether their chemical properties
are attractive repulsve. When Mr.. Rayner and
Senator Wilson in contact, will they adhere, or
will they repel each other ? Both profess the same
name-we shall see whether the materials are the
same.