The Feliciana Democrat., 1855-12-15
FELICIANA DEMOCRAT
KNOW.NOTHINGIsM IN THE SOUTH

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KN0w.NoTH1NGIsM IN THE SOUTH.
The South is now beginning to feel the
baneful effects of Know Nothingism. The
seed which this dangerous party had cast
into our soil with frightful rapidity, and is
producing fruits the bitterness Of which is
being sensibly felt among all the truly ma
tional men Of the Union. It has brought
into agitation with renewed fury, the most
vexed sectional issues and succeeded in
carrying to power large number Of its pros.
elytes pledged to keep alive those questions;
to keep them prominently before the pco.
pie, and to exert all their efforts to promote
their ultimate triumph, Never was Abo.
litionism more rampant than at the present
timc-never did the fell spirit of Abolition
ism instil its poison with more certainty
and effect. .'rl.'.
Contrast the condition Of tho country
with what 1t was two years ago, and how
changed the scene At that period our
halls of legislation were in the keeping Of
the sturdy Democracy and National Wings
Of the country. The enemies of the South
andthe advocates Of negrophilism, though
q helpless minority mheeded, contemned,
attempted 10 revive'the dangerous agitation
Of the slavery issue, but were foilcd in their
schemes, thanks to the unfinching devotion
of Northern and Southern patriots.
A bill the object Of which was to repeal
q pseudo.compromise, which when interest
required, was always discarded by the North
and which infringed upon tho Constitutional
rights Of the South was passed. The prin-
ciples Of that measure were essentially the
same as those enunciated and advocated by
the fathers and founders Of the Republic;
viz, that Congress had no right to deter
mine whether slavery should exist or notin
National Territories, but that the question
should be left open for decision, according
to the wishes and interests of the peoplcrc.
siding therein. These were the doctrines
laid down in the Kansas. Nebraska act in
troduced by Richardson in tho House and
Douglass in the Senate. After warm and
protracted debate the measure was carried
approved by the Executive, and received
the sanction Of all the Union, loving men
of the country. 1t was thought by them
that the vexed question of slavery, decided
as it had been, on principles which injured
the interests of neither section Of tho land,
and which was left entirely to the arbitra-
ment of the people would have received its
final quietus. .ul
But such was not the case. Tho north,
or rather that portion OF it under which
Blue Laws, Abolitionism. and the spirit OF
faction now aourishcs in unchecked growth
conceived the design Of carrying ont its pro-
jects uuder guise 10 novel and attractive
as easily to delude the unwary and the ig.
norant. The snare which they adopted was
know-Nothingism. BY arraying the reli-
gious prejudices of the descendants Of tho
Puritans against denomination which was
represented as silently working the down
fall of the Republic; by insidiously instill-
ing into the minds Of the laboring classes
feelings Of envy and jealousy against those
mechanics Of foreign birth whose ayoca-
tons frequently brought them in contact,
and perhaps, in competition with them and
by skilfully using the lever Of antislaycry
upon the fulcrum Of sectional hatreds and
passions, the leaders of the movement soon
saw hundreds and thousands Of young en-
thusasts, grey headed aboltionists, dissap-
ointed demagOgues and ambitious wirepul-
lers Aocking to their standards and array
ing themselves into body, the invinciblity
Of which was said to be unquestionable.-
What was the result? 1t can be clearly
seen in the Congress now in session. Every
Northern Representative who stood upon
the Nebraska platform, and had the patriot
ism to vote according to the dictates of con-
science and equity was numerically sacriG-
ced, and rampant abolitonist elected in
his stead. 1t was immaterial to what po-
litical creed he might have been attached,
whether that of Democracy or Whiggery
Know-Nothingism needed victims, and ruth
lessly glutted its vengeance. This was The
first stab inflicted upon the vitals Of the
South by that Heterogeneous conglomera.
ton of isms, mscalled the "American Par
ty"-a stab from which she has not entirely
recovered and a repetition of which it will
require the undivided exertions Of the De
mocracy to avert. s5f#
The difficulties which are now occurring
in Kansas-the state of anarchy and disoi.
der, into which this unhappy territory has