Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-05-31
Reasons why Qid-Line wings cannot
act with the KnOW-nOthings.


Reasons why Oid-Line wings cannot
act with the KnOw-nOihings.
We have read with much pleasure a
series of exceedinglywell written articles
in the Nashville (Tennossee) Union, in
which an old-lne Wing of that State
discusses the course proper to be takenby
them in the pending presidential contest.
From the concluding number of the Sc
ries we extract the following conclusive
reasons against cooperation with the
Know-nothings:
In the northern States, where aboli-
tionism finds its only adherents, it is
confessedly true that its only antagonist
is the national democratic party. The
American or know-nothing party is as
thoroughly abolitionized in the free States
as the black republicans themselves. In
proof of this fact | need only adduce the
unanimity with which, in the election
for Speaker. they united upon Banks, in
the undisgiused spirit of aggression upon
southern rights which sgnalized the pro-
ceedings Of their national convention at
Philadelphia, and beyond the limits of
Philadelphia and New York; the univer-
sal demonstration Of abolition proclivities
among the adherents and supporters of
. that party. Old wings, who are guided
by the great conservative and national
principles which they have always claim
ed to be the characteristics of their party.
cannot support the candidates Of the
know-nothlng party
" LIST. Because by voting for Fillmore
and Donelson they divide the strength Of
the national forces, which should be ar
rayed in solid column against the black
republicans.
ID. Because the know-nothing can
didates can only be elected by attracting
to their support the abolition know-no-
things of the North, and therefore the
success Of that ticket would be virtually
a defeat of the national party and tri-
umph of abolitionism.
3D.. Because the measures and prin-
ciples of the know-nothing party are di-
rectly in conflict with the fundamental
doctrines of free government, and with
that freedom of conscience in questions
Of religious faith which is the dearest
Inheritance bequeathed to us by our re-
publican ancestors.
4th. Because secret political socie-
ties, the members of which are bound
together by solemn oaths, are immoral in
their tendency, dangerous to liberty, in
consistent with the spirit of republican
ism, and unnecessary in free country,
wtAs every citizen has right to express
hisOenions upon political subjects with
out let or hindrance.
9Th. Because all their political prin-
ciples and practices are at war with the
principles and practices of the wing
party, which they repudiatc and con-
denim
Goth. Because true wings cannot, in
the exercise of proper degree of self
respect, support the candidates of a par
ty the members of which, under the So
IDENTITIES of oaths, have virtually bound
themselves TO erclmle all 'chiys who have
not taken upon themselves similar oaths
from the honors and cmoluments of office
in the republic.
These insuperable objections to
union of old-line wings with the know
nothing party conceded, we have only
one Of two alternatives left-either to
remain inactive spectators of the conflict
between the sectional abolition party of
the North and the rational democratic
party of tho Union, or to assume position
in which our influence may save. the
country from the portentoas ovilHy
which it is menaced. AS wings, we owe
no allegiance to any party, and least of
all to that one which, by its detection,
accomplished the destruction of our par
ty, and whose leaders ingloriously beg to
be released from their portion of respon-
sibility to the country for what they
term its obnoxious acts and violated
pledges"
The ticleconcludes with this eloquent
paragraph;
The old wing party, as an organized
body, no longer exists; it has persisted
at the hands of those in whom it most
trusted; it has fallen by the treachery of
pretended friends but let not its EpIrApm
be written until it may be recorded that
in the great struggle between the NATION
and the sectional and sectarian FACTIONS
which menaccd its integrity, the last
expiring efforts of its disbanded, but still
patriotic adherents, were directed to the
preservation of the UNION without con-
eessions. and the CONSTITUTION without
mutilation.
Then
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