The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1855-02-14
Decline Of Known il
New Hamnshire.

The Union IN. H Democrat has a very
sensible article on this subject. The editor
Of that paper had just returned from a visit
through the State, which gave him a good
opportunity of ascertaining the state of Pub.
lie feeling on the subject of Know Nothing
ism. Alter stating that this heresy is eve
rywhere on the decline, the writer adds that
"a change has come over the spirit and
prospects of Known othingism. Inflated
with its then recent success in Missachu'
sets, it looked at New Hampshire as
already within its control, and its jubi.
liant disciples had actually commenced an al.
!otment of the spoils. Perhaps we may say
more. Perhaps there were some who bore
the thing no love, whe we're. nevertheless,
half inclined to compromise with foe which
they feared might not be successfully resis
ted. But there is a change. The 1'sober
second thought has done its work. The
great heart of the Democratic party--that
heart which throbs beneath homespun jack
cts, on the hills and in the valleys of the
Ola Granite State is right; and the faith,
once perhaps feeble, that this heresy might
be crushed, has grown to an inAexible de.
termination that it shall be; and il the por-
tents of the times do not deceive US, the De-
mocracy go into this contest with unusual
promise OF a successful issue. The causes
which have produced this change are thus
stated: l.E
First, the manifest dishonesty of the whole
Know Nothing movement. 1t has not even
the merit of being an honest fan 4ticism--
a merit we have sometimes been disposed
to accord to abolitionism, in somc Of its
phases. 1t is not simply an error, which
may be excused. but a monstrous swindle,
which on sht to be punished. 1t is based
upon fslsehood. Its pretexts are all icti.
tious. The evils it complains of do not TX.
list; or, if they do. it is the least of all its pur-
poses to apply a remedy. We have, to be
sure, a few Catholics, but they are not like.
ly to be turned from the terror of their
ways by such unevangelical means ot
grace as the Know. Kothings employ. On
the contrary, these means will confirm their
faith, and multiply their numbers. We
have ONE aliens among US: and Know Moth.
ilgism aims to keep them so perpetually
in fact AMI in feeling. Its effect is just the
reverse of its avowed design, in all things,
1t deprecates Catholicism; yet makes more
Catholics than all other causes com
binel. 1t complains of foreign ~sympatnies;
yet repels the tendency to American assimi
~lation. 1t grumbles that aliens confederate,
ct compels them to do SO in Selfdefence.
But. to say nothing of its purposes, lis
means are sufi odious to repel ev'
cry man from its association.
Copying tie very vices it pretends to dep.
~recate, i: has instituted here, in opposition
to the whole spirit of our government. that
every system Of secret persecution which
could only exist ia semi, barb lrous Spain
by the assent and cooperation of the gov
ernment itself. II its purposes are honest
let them be prosecuted by honest means.
In the whole history of the too often de-
praved politics of our country, nothing has
done so much to demorAlize on, people as
Know Nothirgism. Its tendency is to de-
~preciate the tone of honest and manly NOR
ais. 1t drives men to pitiful evasions and
downright lying. Time aad again have We
krown men to deny. in one form or another
all knowledge of or participation in thi'
disgraceful business, when we knew as wei
as lie hat made them, that they lied. W.
have seen the rankest perjury even in oui
courts of justice; and by the very men whc
complain of Catholics, that they owe para
mount allegiance to other than our civil All
thority. These things have perhaps done
more than anything else to effect the graft
flying change which is now in progress il
public sentiment. Good men have become
) alarmed at the appalling decentralization thi
folly induces; and we know of multitude:
Of Protestant clergymen, who would not, i
they could, extcrminate Catholicism at sucl
frightful cost.