The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-03-30
OFFICIAL KNOW NOTHING MANI

6NS "
The N Y. Herald publishes an official
manifesto from the Know Nothings of New
York, and comments upon it rs follows:
We publish to-day the contents of PAM
phlet emanating from the Know Nothings Of
this city, Council No. II, Fifteenth ward, ex-
Planatory 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 ~, is
substantially the platform recently laid down
by George Law, in his letter to the new par
ty of the PENNSYLVANIA Legislature. Here
the Know NOthings declare substantially that
4 new epoch is upon us, and that they have
entered the field to provide for its necessities,
IN the introduction Of new order of things
in the politics and the government of the
country.
10 this end they propose TO abolish and
supersede the electioneering corruptions of
The old political parties-their rum and row.
dyism, and their system of trafhcking with
the foreign elements of our population, and
all the little outside factions of The day.
! They propose to introduce purely Ameri-
can policy, in order to root out those balah-
ces of political power in our elections known
as Roman Catholics, lrishmen, Germans, 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 opinion.
They make no war upon any religion; but
they are pledged to put down the interference
OF the Catholic or any other church, or Of
the clergy of this or any other church, in
State or political affairs. They say that all
churches must be reduced to the same level,
of non-interention in politics. They also
insist upon the Bible as proper book for the
use of our common schools.
This Council No. IL also advocates a lib.
eral system of improvements of our rivers
and harbors BY the federal governnent-they
advocate the independence of Congress over
| all sectional agitations-the total abolition of
the spells system of the old parties, especi-
ally M illustrated by the present administIa-
tTon; they urge, in view of the mighty swarms
of European emigrants now pouring in upon
MS, some material notifications of the nat
uralzaton laws; and, upon the whole, at
home and abroad they are in favor of'Amer.
len being governed by Americans"
1t strikes us, though this is decidedly
revolutionary programme, that there is moth
ing very sanguinary about il. This new
! American party, in fact, so lately risen from
the chaos and etfervescence of the old parties,
is beginning to assume symmetrical and
consistent shape, as a great progressive ma
tional American party. Before the expiration
| Of another year, we have no doubt that its
political principles for the campaign of 1856,
in every hole and corner of the Union, will
be rs clearly understood as the popular
strength OF the party.
In the meantime, this new American or
| ganizatlon, this spontaneous popular reaction,
is multiplying its forces upon every side
During the last year, from Maine to New Or
leans and from Virginia to San Francisco,
the Know Nothings developed a power ut the
| polls perfectly astounding to the old par
ties and factions. AT the last fall elections
in massachusetts, they poleds upwards Of
eighty thousand votes; in New York, upon
the sptr of the moment, one hundred and
twenty-five thousand votes; in Pennsylvania
upwards of one hundred and twenty thou
sand 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 spoismen without q North-or, in the
choice language of Caleb Gushing, complete
Nv "crushed out"
We suppose that at this day the newAmer-
lean party could command majority of the
popular vote over all other parties and fac
tons combined, old and new. We believe it,
from the returns of nearly a thousand Coun.
ellis in the State. We presume that they have
been making corresponding progress in the
States around us. No such advances rs these
could be made among the intelligent Amer-
can masses except upon sound Union and
constitutional platform.