The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-03-20

I
Of It and 10 relieve their ancestors from Il
Mr. GIDDINGS. Wen, can gointo that question f'he
gentleman wishes IL
Mr. LETCHER Stop = moment There is another
question which wish to put TO the gentleman Suppose he
had been INTERCEPTED the question Of slavery and the
power Of the government over slavery what would have
Mr. GIDDINGs do no, believe should have done il
batter than Mr.. Wilson.
Mr. LETCHER Would you not have gone little fnr-
I Their than be does
! Mr. GIDDNGs, might have gone more into detail
Bat If had undertaken TO do il in brief and eompre-
hensiye manner should probably have done u IN nearly
the he has done His letter contains every
thing that have said tonight only have elaborated and
gone into detail
tleman from Ohio and Mr.. Wilson both belong TO the
same organzation-the know-nothingsY
/ Mr. GIDDINGS, No man viii impute that TO me,
know something [Laughterl ! have known enough al
all events TO keep me here Tor twenty years renewed
laughter.l
/ Mr. LETCHER know the gentleman not practically
a know-nothing know that very we'll But whether he
is theoretically know-nothing, and practically upon The
platform with Mr. Wilson with regard to the slavery
question, is what want to know.
| MIR GDDINGS. Ny friend, suppose, asks me II | be
long to that political moral organization called know
nothing, in the language OF the day can say TO
my friend that individually, "know nothing about that
organization whatever either by preoept example or any
thing else excepting OF what have seen In the
public press. daughter.
i Mr. LETCHER. / find that nobody has any personal
knowledge about that organization They all "know moth
ing about it, [Renewed laughter And have yet to see
I
claimed that number Of seats in this hall occupied by
know othings-who will acknowledge that he is one
The gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr. BANKS could not
be screwed up TO the other day although every in
this House would swear that the gentleman is member %
the order. ELaughterl
/ Mr. BANKS. No one asked me the question
Mr. LETCHER. Well, then, ask IT now. Win the gem
| tleman answer me-
i Mr. BANKS WHAT
/ Mr. LETCHER. Do you belong to the order Of know
nohings?
Mr. GIDDINGs One moment if you please. l want to
answer The gentleman rop Virginia.
/ Mr. LETCHER. oh, cannot get anything out Of YOU
I Laughter.
Mr.. GIDDINGs. only want to shy that do not be-
| long TO any organization of that kind whatsoever.
/ Mr. LETCHER. Very well That is frank.
/ Mr. GIDDINGs have no knowledge of any such or
1 ganizaton.
Massachusetts Does he belong TO the organization called
know-nohing that has been the subject OF comment by
the gentleman from North Carolina Mr.. RurFlN tonight
i Mr. BANKS belong 10 an organizaton-net that
know that il is called by the of know-nohing; but
that the description that generally understood
by that name in my own town Nobody has asked the
question before have declined to answer it and
nobody has screwed me up to it"
i Mr.. LETCHER. Then | have gotten anti-slayery
gentleman here 10 acknowledge the Grea laugh
ter He is the first Now, many Others are said to be
here and should like TO know of the gentleman from Mas
sachusetts since he acknowledges himself to be high
priest in the organization how many of his followers
members of this House
I Mr. BANKS | do not know
Mr. LETCHER. 1t is very remarkable that the gentle
man should be the head of family and know of his
children is il not? Laugher take it that the gentle
is about nearly practical know-nothng as you
| could well get. Renewed laughter. | have heard it
said it of the rules of this organization to know
nothing know nobody say nothing TO hear all they
can to retail all they hear and make the best of all
they hear and think after the last of the gentle
from Massachusetts, the House will have difficulty
in arriving the conclusion that the party has been pretty
accurately described
! Now let me call attention another fact in connexion
with this Here is Senator Wilson, who is said to
be know-nothng. That is conceded fact as under
Ern,x
Mr. BANKS do not
Il Mr. LETCHER Does the gentleman mean to deny that
he and Mr. Wilson brethren in the organization
sailing under the colors and struggling for the same
L ends
i Mr. BANKS Mr. Wilson and myself have long been
struggling for change in the politics of Massachusetts,
Whether he member of the organization to which the
gentleman alIudes never knew and have knowledge
than from what the gentleman is the gem
I era report,
Mr. LETCHER Then there is q general report TO that
effect and il is remarkable that gentlemen living in
the State the leader of the know-nothngs from
his in this House. and the other occupying the
position in the Senate and that each SHOULD not know
whether the other belongs to the organzatont Laugh
ter 1t does strike extraordinary that there
should be organization which they sweeping
the country from North to South and from East West
celebrating all old party lines, breaking up all old party
organizations buryng all 'old ogy politicians and dena-
gogues and building up all things anew and which TO
give of political millennium, and yet of these two
men of political prominence residing in the same State
having the political objects in view, and struggling
for the political endShe relief OF their State from
the power of the party that has hitherto controlled it,
der the lead of Webster and Everettand yet neither
knows whether the other belongs to the organization
Mr.. GIDDINGS. Let me put one interrogatory to the
gentleman
Mr. LETCHER Not just now.
4 Mr.. GIDDINGS. One short question only.
i Mr.. LETCHER. / have doubt the gentleman from
Ohio feels sympathy for his brother abotions from Mas
sachusetts and would like to get him Of this scrape
Mr.. GIDDINGS. answered your question.
i Mr.. LETCHER. Yes the gentleman answered me
/ frankly enough.
/ Mr.. GIDDiNGS. Then lie, ask if you know
nothing2 [Laughter
Mr. LETCHEK. No sir; neither practically, theoret
I cally morally socially, or in any way.
i Mr.. GIDDiNGS. That is the usual answer [Roars Of
! laughter
4 Mr.. LETCHER Let me say the gentleman than
that; that whenever shall join society whenever shall
get my consent to join political organization, that
shall not have the manliness to say am member of
trust shall not be here in any other position where
confidence shall be reposed in by just and
constituency such represent here Cries Of ~GoodP
But let get back the point discussing. Here
then, is Mr. Wilson, admittedly elected to the Senate Of
the United States by know-nothing legslature-one al
4 most unanimously There lonely democrat
enough get into the ody- laughter l-and there
four FIVE wings but the remaining four five
hundred all belonged to this organization Is II not so
pause for reply Now, have heard that Of those
bogus know-nothngs, in the popular acceptaton
of the term but that they all of the real genuine stripe
Can the gentleman from Massachusetts, tell me how that
Mr.. BANKS. ! cannot say.
n Mr.. LETCHER The gentleman cannot safp Well
SIR take il that the people of the South will kop