Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-05-31
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

The Point Of Honor.-It often happens in
human affairs that perfectly guilsless and
usll-meanins men are csptivatsd with certain
ideas which are for the first time presented
to their minds, and finding that numbers Of
their fellow men to all appearances are SINH.
larry affected, they act upon the impulse and
unrefectingly commit themselves to those
ideas in such manner as afterwards to find
1t difficult to relinquish them, even when their
fallacy begins to stare them palpabiy in the
face. Some, jumping suddenly to wrong con-
illusions, are quick to perceive their error;
yet they have kind Of pride which forbids
the admission of the fact unless to persons
who they are sure will never taunt them with
it, and they fear that q spot may be cast upon
their honor if they forsake the wrong even
when they know it to be such. Young men
especially, who fall into erroneous ways of
thinking and acting, are often deferred from
abandoning them by this false shame and
groundless apprehension; but those who are
thus operated on by such causes generally
manage to stultify themselves for life, while
they who are willing to reiinquIsh q wrong
course and seek the radiant path of truth sell
dom fail to attain an honorable position in life,
where, fortified by reason and experience, they
Are able to Withstand all assaults on their
honor or consistency.
How many young men have been deluded
into the ranks of Know Nothingism, from a
belief that it was their duty to oppose them
selves to foreigners never dreaming of the
injustice they were about to do to their native
fellow citizens of the Catholic faith
How many young men of foreign born pa.
rents thought to propitiate the anti foreign
feeling by joining the hue and cry of those
who, through interested motives, two years
ago commenced hunting down a class which
included their own fathers and mothers, aud
now regret the course they have pursued,
How many Christians have allowed them
selves to be led of by sectarian animosity into
the turbid waters of Know Nothingism, where
their garments of spiritual purity have been
sadly ssilsd; and now their influence is much
impaired!
no" many ardent disciples of liberty have
lent themselves to the designs Of groyelling
olgots' while the cause which they most cher
ish Is suffering for the want Of united sso,,s,
How many Wings, through mere opposition
to the Democrats, have become the defender,
Of political doctrines which, as whigs. thew
sbhorred and condemned,
How many Democrats, through the real or
fancied neglect which they supposed they had
suffered, have rushed into fold where tb.v
are obliged to defend dogmas of political
iaith which they have all their lives de.
hOanoed' and now in their hearts dstest!
no" many men Of all ages, who set high
'siue upon their veracity and honesty, have
since found themselves involved in Iabvr;ntbs
% us'e" oy the pledges and obligation. i'm
p0'ea upon them by the Know Nothing order.
and bound by artfully -cOntriysd .nga1sm.r,'
and platforms to keep good faith With n.,.or,
who In long life were never know % -
serve 1t politically or otherwise; and h.
many would gladly separate themselves from
such ignoble associations,
To all such We say cut loose the cords bv
which you are bound, and leave that party
s stand not upon the order Of your going,
But 20 at once"
Leave publicly, if you will leave private
iS you VIII; leave loudly or silently, but
lsave' Friends sympathy, respectabiIity-
and, above all, self-respect-avait your no
doing Perhaps you will be astonisbsd soon
70 md how many Of the best men of your or.
der have preceded you in this cours. and
AoW many more of the same kind are mov;n.
WIN yOu Retain your independent political
ana religious Opinions-your views of right
and wrong on every question which is suL.