Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-08-31
Know-Nothingism Abroaa

acknowledgment Abroad
The last number of Westminster, in thu
an article, touches upon the secret political 9se Of
the Know-Nothings We make the foIIov Groer of
tract - lhg ey
We know not to which Of the leaders Of =,
tation the idea of secret society suggestoa s agi
Perhaps it borrowed from the Jesn;t;.Uro ISelt
which it contends; and there may be somo against
for it in the excuse alleged by the Know Na,H;text
Lodges in their manifesto, that without sarug
its early formation, no young independent mart In
independent objects, survive the attacks with
lurements of the old parties with their selfish d.
Nevertheless, we believe that there is sometbJcs
the nature of Democracy which gives an eana. IN
attraction TO secret societies. There is in ,bpia
appearance of exclusveness, imitation of an an
tocracy, which is aluring. However this NAV Is
the success of this movement, though now ann oe'
ly on the wane, has been wonderful When M
Robertson was in America, little more than MI
ago, the "Know Nothings' were only Just heard "a
thousand of voters through every State tbnr oi
contestlng and until lately in Virginia penS,o H,e
carrying the elections, whether for Congres. Sy
Legislature, Governorships and if they can nase
upon candidacy for the Presidency, there s,E"e
probability that they may secure his election Sg
speedy and empowering success would have bo
impossible without some real principle was nv.
duced, and, indeed, there is principle asserted w.
this new party, than which none can be moro mroSy
tant viz the principle of Nationality The ApOs
lcans are sui so Engnsn, tnat as Englishmen wo
cannot but rejoice over this assertion of Amor;cne
feeling; and Protestants, it is pleasant for No ~
mark manifestation of Professionalism Nevortb"
less there are two great evils incident to the now
ment, to which we cannot but alude The spcroon
IN It's organization may have been expedient in ~
formation OF the society, and it may be congenia IN
the character OF the people; but surely it is renna,
nant TO the idea of Republic, where every citileD
ought TO be responsible to his fellows for the fSi
ment Of the citizenship. Nor can we believe tho,
the despotc government to which every secret socp
must be submitted, and which we understand is n
this case most stringent, will long be submitted to bv
men unused to dictation. Already we see SWIM,
toms of growing INSTRUMENTATION; the Lodge mem,
bers will not always vote they are ordered: and
the sympathy of those outside, supports them aeans,
the threats and opprobrium of their fellow members
The seeresy, however, may be got rid of; net so,
fear, the religious intolerance which seems to he
inseparable from the principles of the movement In
the manifesto above alluded to, this intolerance is in
deed denied nevertheless, there is abundant rroof
OF its actual, not to say virulent, activity By the
second article of the Constitution of the Order, each
member " must be Protestant born of Protestant
parents, reared under Protestant influence" and if
united TO Roman Catholic wife, Ct he is not eligible
10 any Office" The third article defines the object
of this organization to be, "to ress! the insidOus
policy OF the Church of Rome and other foreign in
fuence, against the institutions of our country by
placing in all Offices in the gift of the people or bv
appointment, none but native born Protestan, citi.
Zens." The Oaths most solemn every Know
Nothing binds himself, therefore to exclude large
number of his fellow citizens from all share in the
administration the exclusion from all share in the
- government that is, the deprivation of the franchise
will be natural consequence. II would be we'll
= however, If political disabilities all that were
aimed at. We have by us many numbers of the
- Know Nothing, or American Crusader, Boston pa
per, which processes to be the most influential organ
of the Order, and which boasts of its 100000 readers
q dpfy Irn1a nHf SC h,
most rabid Orangeism served up with American slang
e and even the Tablet is not intoerant, while il
is far less vulgar 1t full of exhortaons to exclude
b all Catholics from companonship, and all Irish from
is employment and this farrago of fanatcism and sci
1t Gshness is made attractive BY tales describing the
denominations OF celibacy with pruriency which car
ez only be equalled in England by Reynolds Myster
is les OF the Court The effect of this teaching ev
dent enough in the style and temper of the correspon
dence which is inserted both in prose and verse.
W is most sad TO see America thus entering upon tina
m course OF polencal conflict which has been the
e of Ireland and England also. Our experience in
a. stead OF being warning, appears to excite them
" emulation, of the same the cause of komanism vii
be aided not injured. Believing, as we do most firm
IS ly, that from the influence of the Romish Churcl
there follows, and always must follow, social degre
ia daton and national subservence, thi
spirit OF persecution, not only because it is an mia
ir ton, but because ii is aggravaon of Romanism
A. The fear of priestly power in the States thougf
perhaps not unnatural, is unreasonable. The Roman
le Catholics indeed absolutely increasing because
v of the foreign immigrations but they relatively
diminishing by the conversion of many of the immi
grants. The Irish as they improve in circumstance
s. VIGOROUSLY cease either themselves their children
es to be Catholics. Archbishop MacHale preached il
at Connaught against the exodus, because of what
ne calls its irreigous effect and according to The sta
tstics of Mr.. Mullen, an American priest, the Re
man Catholics in the States are scarcely two mi
ed lons* The faith which Protestant ascendancy an
he territorial tyrrany had wound round the Celtic hear
s. becomes loosened by the possession of republican
equality; let the Protestants of America enact III
penal laws of Ireland or exhibit its Orangeism, ant
they will quickly restore to the priests their influence
OF Persecution is game by which Romansm is sure t
ne gain.
re EVerett's Journal p. &C. By the last Census QS5(
NV the Church accommodation for Roman Catholics is on
for 67672l-not one-sixth of the accommodation for Il
ethodsts nor onewentieth of that for all the sects con
bined. See DeBow's /" Census - D. I37.