Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-05-12


We are making vast party arrangements to deiend
ourselves against few foreig who never inter
meddied with our property held sscr.dy under the
Constitution; while We are heedlesiy running into
alliances with nqticeS of our country who d'ny to
US our rights entiee away onr slaves-taking u en-
before our eyes when travelling with them tlr'us"
their portion of the Union. Ii we make au a.,
tempt to reclaim them peaceably, holding the Con-
sti.ntion in the one hand and the fugitive in the
o-bar tb,v shoot US down like dogs in open day
I,ob.I when has a forei ,ner, when has Cath1-
lie with all his erroneous opinions 40 it ms c1urch
and relisipn, ever attempted such wrongs against
usss tbes No, il is native bora citizens Of our
ovn country who ha9e wronged US m ost and who
arc managing this secret and oath-bound movement,
in orderto DO US still greater wrong Wouldto God
we could impress it deeply on the southern mind,
that those who started this lnow-nothing party in
the north and who arenow insidiously welding its
power, hate you and yours infinitely worse than
they hate either the Foreigner OF Catholic. We
believe, that if the Foreigners and Catholics would
agree henceforward to vote the wing ticket in all
our elections instead ofthe democratic, there would
be an instant end to the war upon them.
Let no man say that we have Swallowed too
darby this picture of danger to the South. We
aver that the know-nothings of the South, who
ever they are, have united themselves in political
bonds with the abolitionsts and reesoilers of the
North, and have taken solemn oath to 60 with
them wherever a majority may command them
We here give the exact words of that oath as pub
Eshed without denial of authenticity so far we
have ever discovered:
"You win in all things political or social, so far as
this order is concerned comply with the will Of the
majority, when expressed in a lawful manner, tho
it may conflict with your personal preference"
If any man doubts what will be the anti slavery
action Of this know-nothing party, with that tre-
mendous majority which they hold in the Northern
States let him look steadily at what they have al
ready done 'sBy their fruits We shall know them. -
First. That in nearly every case the Know
Nothings in the free States have elected violent
free-soil Wings to the 34th Congress.
Second. That in every case, with but three or
four exceptions, every candidate for Congress
elected by the Known othings was compelled to
pledge himself in advance to all the extreme
measures of the abolition wing, beginning with the
restoration of the Missouri Compromise line,
and ending with the repeal Of the fugitive-slave
law.
Third. That every governor, elected by the
Know Nothings in the free States was compelled
TO avow his abolition proclivities in advance and
we give the list for the benift of the Konw- Moth
| irg papers Grimes of Iowa, Gardiner of Mas "a
chusetts, Metcalf of New Hampshire, Bingham OF
Michigan Dutton of Connecticut, Hoppin of Rhode
Island, Pollock of Pennsylvania, Morrill, of Maine
Fourth. That every senator OF the United
States elected by tie Know Nothings is a rank
fanatical and svowed aboltiouist. The following
list is submitted to the inspection and criticism Of
the KnowNothing papers Harlan of Iowa, Wi.
son of Massachusetts, Durkce of Wisconsion, Sc.
ward of New York, (however his present position
| may be at war with this undenable fact;) and
there can be but little doubt that men of the same
opinions will be chosen from New Hampshire as
result of the election in that State. Nothing
but the frnness ofthe democratic party in Penn.
qylvana and Indiana has thus far prevented the
return from those States to the United States
| Senate Of rank and uncompromising abolitionists
Notices undoubted is the fact that never before
has abolitionism been strong in the northern and
western States as since the triumph of the Know
Nothngs
Ultra abolition resolutions are now before the
| Know-Nothing legislature of Pennsylvania, and are
| expected to pass
The most revolutionary abolition instructions and
resolutions have already been passed by the Know
Nothing legislature of Michigan.
The same have been passed by the Know Moth
ing Legislature of Maine.
The same by the Know-NOthing legislature OIL
Illinois.
Such are the trophies Of Know-Nothingism in
the free States. We ask, will the people of the
South be deceived? We do not invite their atten-
ton to arguments to be contested but to facts pal
pable and present. We point to members of Con-
gress already elected and known; to governors now
in Office; to legislatures now in session; to scenes
passing before all eyes.