The American patriot., 1855-02-14
! sEWARDIsM.

The recent election of William H. Seward to
the United States Senate has caused tremen-
dous chattcring from Old Fogy one-horse street
politicians. A great discovery has been made.
Smiling countenances are everywhere to be
SEEM general dissolution of the American
party is the all absorbing topic The "knowing
ones" among the Old Fogies are painting glow
ing picture from the landscape, and bright ray
of sweet hope is once more entertained by them
And why? fusion Of the Americans and Abo-
tionists in the New York Legislature, in order to
secure the election of Seward is announced, or at
least hope is entertained by the old-line Demo
cracy that such is the case, and the imagined
event is eagerly seized as element of destruc-
ton to cast among the ranks of the American
party. -. .t .4t
That the American organization was in the
ascendency, or even held the balance of power,
in the New York Legislature, cannot with any
degree of knowledge the subject, or regard
for truth, be advanced. The fact is well KNOWN
and to which we have previously alluded to, that
in the canvass. of last fall in the State of New
York; the American party was unprepared to enter
the political arena True they advanced the
claims of Mr.. Ullman, but general ticket was
organized, and Mr. Ullman was placed in nomin-
alton simply for the purpose of showing an entire
dsconnection with all other parties and factions.
Well, Mr.. Ullman, as was previously anticipated,
met with defeat. Why? Because the Seward
or Abolition wing of the Wing party were in
the ascendency in the State Of New York? Con-
sequently the election of Mr.. Seward by the New
| Vorl- T ho cd for
With majority of 4S on joint-ballot which is
held by the Wing and Free Soil party, we are
not surprised at all at the result But to attempt
to saddle the election of Mr.. Seward upon the
Know Nothings of the New York Legislature is
absurd. The Know Nothings had about as much
or less to do with his election did they in the
election Of Mr.. Slide, by the Legislature of Lou
lana. Mr.. Seward it will be seen by reference
to the following excellent article which we take
from the N O. Bee, failed to get the entire strength
of the Wing vote, by 16, and this can be safely
put down about the Know Nothing force in
the Wing ranks of that body.
MR. SEWARD AND THE KNOW NOTHINGs.
Our contemporary of the Picayune, in the course
of an article upon the election of Mr. SEWARD, ap.
pears to hold the Know Nothings of the New York
Legislature directly responsible for the result
Such an opinion advanced in the columns of
Democratic print would not have surprised us, as
that party is just now wagng relentless war of
SANDER and detraction against the Know Nothings
But an independent paper of the standing and in
fuence of the Picayune should be cautious in
making assertions unless it is prepared fully to
| substantate them.
We are satisfied our cotemporary's ccnsures of
the American party as the agents in the election
of SEWARD arc hasty and unmerited. 1t argues
as if that party had absolute majority on joint
ballot in the New York Legislature, and could
therefore, had it pleased have baffed the ambitious
aspirations of WIN. H. SEWARD. Now what are
the facts? Mr.. SEWARD was chosen by vote of
Is in the Senate and 6S in the House. The SEN
ate consists of 80 members and the House of 1872
The political composition of the one 1--WE quote
from the Wing Almanac for 1s55-frst rate au-
thority,) is Wings %; Democrats 10; of the
other, Wings 80, Democrats 46. The Wings,
therefore, number l04 members of the New York
Legislature, while Mr.. SEWARD was elected Sena-
tor by Sc votes-a papaplc proof that he failed to
obtain the unanimous vote of his own party
Here we see much mention made of Wings and
Democrats, but not syllable of Know Nothings.
Where were the latter all the time, and how is it
that in a body in which sundry New Orleans pa
pers tell us they have majority, their name does
not even appear? The answer is easy The late
election, as far as the Legislature was concerned,
was conducted mainly upon old party grounds.
In few isolated districts Know Nothing Wings
and Democrats were elected, but as a general
rule, the American doctrines did not enter as a
prominent element into the contest. The Wing
Almanac, after classifying the Legislature, adds
'therc arc Know-Nothings sprinkled mscellane-
ously among Wings, Hards and Softs, but how
many there are of these gentry, nobody knows"
Precisely So There were no doubt some Know
Nothing Wings in the Legislature, and probably
the sixteen who refused to vote for SEWARD be-
longed to the secret order. That the Know
Nothings constituted majority of the Legislature
has never been asserted in New York. or anywhere
else until recently. 1t is true that some faint
hope was entertained of the defeat of SEWARD
1t was thought that sufficient number of Know
Nothing Wings might be found to compass this
object by dctaching themselves from the SEWARD
Wings and uniting with the Democratic minority
This was the only way in which such result could
be accomplished That it failed is evidently due to
the prcpondering strength of the Seward Wings.