Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-08-29
NUMBER PA.
The American Party and the Recent EIec-
tiOns.

the late elections in the Southern States, and par.
ticularly in Virginia, and even a portion of the
American party themselves have regarded the gen
eral result as rather unavorable wheD so fer
from such being the fact, il is the very contrary
and the most favorable augury for the future sue
cess and strength of the party may Justly be drawn
! ffom the elections which have thus far come of
in Southern States, at least in those where the
! American party put forward pretensions for sue
cess, particularly in Virginia, Tennessee, and Ken.
| lucky.
First, let us regard the result in Virginia, and
| see whether, instead of responding at the result
there, 1t is not on the contrary for increased
confidence for the success of the good cause in the
| Old Dominion
virginia, for nearly seventy years, has never
swerved or fatered in her allegiance to the Demo
cratic party. The political tornados of 1910 and
1913, which swept and uprooted the surface of so
many Democratic States, and drove them from
their political faith, passed over her without effect
And yet here is a new party, of but few months
existence, their organization unsettled and in
crude condition, without any public demonstration,
enters the arena under many disadvantages, and
on its very first effort polls vote which is the
majority of the entire vote that the State ever poll
ed in any previous election, and L., 900 more than
General Scott received at the last Presidential can
vass, when the opponents of Democracy pat forth
their utmost efforts in favor of that gallant vet
| Gran.
Previous to the recent election, the American
party proclaimed that the rolls of their lodges EN-.
! braced ~, 900 voters, and their enemies laughed
in derison at the statement as vain-glorious and
unfounded boast; admitting, however, at the same
time, that if such was the fact the State was theirs
and they would carry the election. And what was
the result? Though of course large number Of
the American part,, from sickness of themselves
or families, business calls, distance from the polls
and other causes, were prevented from voting, YET
they polled nearly $4,000 votes, fully iustying
the previous assertions of their strength, while
their opponents cast nearly $4,000. In the last
Presidential contest General Scott obtained only
900, against n 900 for Mr. Pierce. The De
mocracy felt that the recent election was death.
struggle for the party, and they therefore put
forth the most Herculean efforts, and left nothing
untred or omitted to ensure success and the only
error the. American party made in their calcul-
tonF, which otherwise were fully justified and well
based, was in not allowing for the increased vote
which The unheard of efforts their opponents, in
the extremity OF their terror and excitement, cna,
bled them to bring forth.
In this election, the American party had various
difficulties and disadvantages to contend with-but
there were four prominent ones, the combination
OF all of which We're necessary for the election of
Mr. Wises The anti-Amcrcan candidate, and if any
one OF them had failed him, the American party
would have triumphcd.
The first Of those causes was the viga uoce vote
There were great numbers of the old line Demo
Gratis who could not muster the moral courage to
go up to the hustings, and proclaim in presence
of their late associates, that they had abandoned
their time-honorcd party, aud consequently they
either declined to vote at all, actually voted az
they always had done aId against their real wishes
and judgment.
This piUa poce vote also operated extensively
against the American party, under the system Of
terror that was brought to bear A few days be-
fore the election three leading mechanics at the
Norfolk navy yard were summarily dismissed and
they were told, and it publicly and semi.ofFici-
any q. au',ounoeA by the press, that the cause
their Amercanism and LnuI an Lvt,...,i.n
to the party would share the same fate.
There were 500 workmen in that yard, not
one of whom could venture TO vote the American
ticket, except at the expense of his employment.
The same system, il was fully understood, would
be pursued with all those employed under the
Treasury Department, whether connected with the
custom-house the lighthouses, or the erection Of
new custoui-houses, and also the numerous body
of employees connected with the post Office and
mail transportation. All the subordinates of tho
State government, rs well as those employed in
the public State works, in like manner fully under.
stood that vote for the American ticket insured
their dismission. There is therefore, no doubt
that, from all these causes connected, with the
Uiva pocc vote the American ticket lost more than
was necessary TO alter the result Previous to the
election, ii was the constant and general vaunt OF
the anti American party that the rird roce vote
would be the cause of saving Virginia. and such
the fact under the system of threats Of pro-
scripdon, boldly ayowed aud SO ruthlessy carried
into effect, occasion presented In the govern.
ment offices at Washington the mere suspicion Of
Amercansm msures dismisaa-even to ioJorcrS, aS
exhibited in recently published letter Of the Sec
retary OF the Treasury 10 Of tie tdJOrcrS 50
designated in the letter. Of that department.
The second cause for the success of the anti
Americans, was the support they received from
the Wings. Mr.. Wise, in bis speech ut Washing
ton, acknowledged that he was indebted for bis
election to the Wing vote. This was at once con
ceding the whole question, and was an acknOwl
edgment that the Democratic party was in a mi
nority in the State, and only saved ftom total
defeat by Wing votes In some districts prOm
ncnt and leading Wings actually took the stump
for Wise in consequence of undue prejudice against
the Know-Nothings
The third cause was the absence Of VII public
cxertion or demonstration on the part of the
American party, who relied too confidently on
their enrolled strength. In no State oil the Union
has public stump speaking such effect as IN
Virginia. Mr.. Wise and bis friends eficctually
canvassed every county, and spoke in almost every
precinct whilst neither the American candidate
| nor his friends scarcely made any effort in that
way. Had proper speakers, n is the custom, ac-
| COlHDhnleu ar. W hlSc, IO eApHhHJ coHIaulCt, unu
rcfute his statements, the result would have been
very different Ex.Secretary Stuart made several
speeches on the American side in his county OF
Augusta and revolutioniZcd It, This county, for
mcrly Wing had, on recent elections, gone Dem
ocratic; but under the influence Of Mr.. Stuart's
appeals, In which he purely discussed principles,
aud never alluded to candidates in any way II
gave ,Os4 majority for the American ticket
Similar though probably not so great results would
doubtless have been obtained in other counties had
the same course been pursued.
| The fourth, and by means the least cause,
was the conduct and proceedings Of the fools and
fanatics in the Legislature Of Massachusetts, which
unfortunately in session during the height OF
| the Virginia canvass The conduct OF those dis
organizators and traitors to the constitution aud
laws, was made the most Of in Virginia, and with
most obvious and extensive effect. In every direc
ton their proceedings blazoned in the most
exaggerated and offensive terms, and the people
| were told "these are the measures which the
American party expect you to support, and these
are the persons with which you are to associate