The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-07-25

such fusion, the Democratic party went
down in every State at the North. In
municipal. State, and federal elections,
"the fusion" triumphed, prostrating with
one hand every friend of the South, and
with the other elevating to power the
rankest abolitiorists. At single blow it
converted Congress, where conservatism
and some regard to Southern interests
prevailed, into den of fanatics, whose
sole object is to vilify and crush her. This
constitutes the second era Of Know Moth
ingism.
Meanwhile, in the teeth Of fthese fragrant
proofs, the party was organizing and gath.
ering strength in the South. Preserving
the same mask, yet secretly appealing TO
the same intolerant prejudices and fcelinp
against foreigners, which had given it i'm
petus at the North, the party in the South
carried the elections in many cities, in
which, OF course, foreign influence was most
felt. While these facts were transpirinp
before us, we could not be silent consis,
tently with duty or principle. We held
up to the South the conduct of this party
at the North-its public and official decla.
rations of hostility to her-the threats
and insults Of its Northern leaders-the
fury with which it visited every man in
Congress who dared to stand up for the
South or the Constitution-the mad and
fanatical course Of the Massachusetts Leg.
islature, in which Know Nothingism was
supreme; and We warned theSouth against
utilization with such a party. But its
friends in the South repudiated for its
Northern wing the charge Of abolition, al
though stamped upon them by thousand
proofs. We were invoked to wait and
forbear until the National Convention met
when this stain would be washed away.
and the party would rise up, the embodi.
ment OF American principles and Ameri-
can hopes; standing under the broad Ma
East, no west.rrue to the Conhsnthnon
and the rights ofthe Southr' We pause,
at this point, in the history of the Know
Nothing party, and seek for the evidence
that has since become so apparent to the
Times, Of its being Southern resistance
party. But we seek in vain. We pro
Gee with the history.
The National Council met in Phila.
delphia, and most anxiously the country
watched its proceedings. Contrary to all
their hopes, the Southern delegates found
themselves face to face, with enemies in.
stead OF friends, and read in the looks
and defiant denunciations Of the delegates
of the North, the failure of their most
cherished expectations. What was to be
donel The North demanded the restora-
ton Of the Missouri Compromise line, and
the repeal Of the Fugitive Slave law
This, Of course, Southern men could not
yield. Compromise propositions, one af:
ter another, were submitted; all more
or less propiatory to the Additions. Mr.
Albert Pike tells us that he himself, pro.
posed to ignore the subject of slavery al.
together, but even this proposition, so un,
worthy and suicidal as it was to the South
was rejected. And the Times admits
that "there was disposition and willing
ness to ponder to Northern influence By
compromising rights Of the South for the
sake Of party and its interests"
| But the North refused all compromise.
whatever, would have none Of them. l,
made the South choose between its AFRO
giant demands and its company. The ma.
jority platform was adopted, and the del
egates from twelve Northern States, rep.
resenting an overwhelming majority Of the
party, left the Convention. The Time.
asserts "that the party went further TO-
wards putting down the assaults of fana
tics, than either Of the old partes."-
Where is the ground for such an assertion
Never before in any Of the National Con
yentions, were Southern men and the insti
tutions Of the South so vilifed. Never die
fanat'cism wear so bold and defiant an a
pect. Are the burning words of Henr,
Wilson, the taunts and insolente OF Ford
already forgotten by the Timos! 9Th,
assaults Of fanatics put DOWN. Why til,
Tribune gloried in the secession Of theNor
from the Convention, as the surest way Il
consolidate abolition and secure its tri
umph! And that secession has since gath
cred to its fold the great State of Pennsyl
vania, and is uniting the North in unbro
ken phalanx.
| But we are pointed to the platform, a,
the proof that the Know Nothing part,
Of the South els the only resistance party
What is the Southern wing following III,
faithless example of the Northern allies IL
splitting upon the PLATFORM and repudia
ting their pledgesi Where in the plat
form shall we look for such thought a,
Southern Union or resistancei II itin il.
silence upon the Wilmot Provisoi Shal
we look fer It in the declaration, that 9Th,
Union is the paramount political good,
4 declaration as absurd and tyranicsl a.
the "divine right Of Kings" Or shall W,
dive into the depths Of the "third degree
to find 'Southern resistance" breaking
there in the very slough Of submissioni--
II that platform means anything III Il ha,
10 II itasingle clear an unmistakable clause
It is that Unionism, Natior aIisn, anything
and everything else, but Southern reals
tance, Is the object Of the Know Nothing
party. And when the party At the Soutl
talks Of Southern resistance, It abandon