The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-05-23

The Know Nothings and virginla Politics.
TO THE HON. HENRY A. WISE.
sR-Your letter addressed to the people Of Virgins,
and dated at Washington 10th inst might have been
permitted to pass without public attention here had
you not unceremoniousy and Il hope By accidsat)
truthfully alluded therein to that portion Of the Anne
can party which Is embraced in the States of the North
In your letter. speaking Of the vote Of Virginia.
you say
1t will defend the State sgainst agrsranism soil
ism and aboopm, threatening to invade the South
thinsism.
By this you wish the people OF vrgnia 70 understand
taat the American party at the North is given agra
ranism free soiiism and abolitionism, and that it
threatens to invade the South with all these dire caiam
ties. Sir you wrong and II the people of Virginia
listen to you they win follow ignus atuus that win
lead them into the deepest quagmre of and dsap
pontmeIt Let me tell you, sir that the American party
organized North and South Is the only party in
existence that sectional it is the only adapted
to the egeney OF the tines and calculated to maintain
involate the integrity of happy and prosperous
Union OF States Jeopardzsd through the coruptions
of party spirit until dissolution seemed inevitable, the
principle of life within it has put forth the recuperatve
power and through the arteries OF popular pariosm
and popular integrity ia NOS applying the cure With
your experience in parzan warfare cannot be gno
rant Of the dupciy long pracced by politicians North
and south on the subject Of Southern institutions 1t
was very well one time partzan leaders at the
North to the and cry against Southern slavery
aud for those NJ the South to hold up the bugbear Of
abolrion but you have carried the thing too faryou
rased storm that you cannot quel and by you
have driven both parties out of national exsten,eyou
longer rally the people by waving In their faces
the incendiSry torches OF disuDion and ABOLITION
VeritaB vincit.
The people are preparing right the wrong inflicted
the country by the unprincplsd and unpatrotc mse-
party. The American national organization is
their lever, the Union Is their fulcrum
Is 1t not singular sir that while you, IN virginia. DC
tho American party In the North as aboonsts
that party here finds In the its bitterest OPP
ponentsS Let call your attention to the leading abo
tion or free soil papers OF this State-the Ne. York
Erening Joundf the organ OF Mr.. Seward. In the
IumDs OF these papers you will find the American party
You are wrong on both sides. The American party is
neither for against the local institutions OF the
South. II desires to have nothing to do with them.
They belong yourseves and you are never deprived
OF them until tho American party interferes you will
most likely enjoy them to your hearts content
the people OF Virginia correct view Of this one sub
ject which you seem to have been greatly nsaorm-
ed, I should close my communication here but from
cesire to notice another very expressive remark which
find in your letter. You say
Never was passion stronger in life or in death than
PIE @ M Us sms ~ M So
have left their party for their sSSd but
bic past for il. profession snd Of
it S T ,s Of is san y
those they "know not of y
In this paragraph, sir think you confess your weak
ness and your coubts You declare that democracy
stronger in Virginia than at the present
time yet you admit that few, (say 00o) have left
the party. This would paradox; but you recon
ce with the declaration that he very flower OF why
gerry have chosen to elect democracy, with all the Ills
they complain of in Il, rather than fly to those they
know not Of" I know, sir, that men have ere nov
turned away from . tedious minority and gone to
the enemy Of their avowed principles but they have not
generally been OF the "hower Of their party Desperate
indeed must bs the hopes Of the democracy in the Old
Dominion when II Is constrained to solicit aid from its
ancient and nveerate foe Desperate must be the con.
dtion of parties when they conteneay lay aside
snd unite with their antipodes in struggle to crush
the national sentiment Of intelligent and free people,
Very respectfully. THOS r. WHITNEY.
NEW YORK, May 81, 1855.