Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-03-04
WARRINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

WARRINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP,
The Higher Authority.-We hear that q
few days since the Fourth Ward Know Moth
ing Council Of this city duly summoned CAP
tain Darling, the DOOrkeeper of the House of
Representatives Of the United States, to ap-
pear before that august tribunal, for trial On
account Of the manner in which he has seen
BIT to exercise his right to dispense the patron
age OF the Office he holds under Congress
There is no doubt of the fact, we have every
reason to believe. We have not the least SIM
patty, political or otherwise, with the official
action II the accused, and do not care the
snap of our finger how much his late political
friends may rasp him. Yet there is question
far deeper than anything personal to him un-
derlsying this assumption of authority on the
part of secret political association unknown
to the laws, to try public officers for the man
ner in which they see At to administer their
oficial duties.
We have warred against Know Nothingism,
among other reasons because it sets its secret,
oath-bound and prosciptive org animation above
the legal tribunals of the land, as in the case
Of the election frauds plotted in them pre-
vious to the last municipal election in this
city, and subsequently carried out; and be-
cause the tendency Of the entire irresponsi.
bility Of its members Through the action Of
inscriptions and perjured officials and jury
mem to back them in obeying their councils
injunctions in the teeth of the law, Is to place
American public affairs wholly under the con-
troll Of just such Jacobinical clubs a. deIueed
France in the blood of her best citizens dur
ing the times Of the original French revou-
ton.
We call public attention to the summons
referred to above, as a strong and palpabls
illustration of the sOundness of the objections
against the tendency of Know Nothingism so
earnestly enforced In the Stars columns last
summer.
Captain Darling must, at some time, have
come under some obligation that leads the
members of the Fourth Ward Know Nothing
lodge Of this city to claim that, IN the dis
charge of bis official duties as an officer of the
House Of Representatives, he is bound to re-
spect and obey their behests, resolved on in
the secrecy Of the midnight conclsve, and
under the solemnity of illegal oaths. If q
Know Nothing lodge can undertake to control
the action Of one " brother In his official
capacity, why can il not also control the &C
tion OF Brother Fillmore in the discharge OF
his official duties if elected to the Presidency
OF the United States Its authority is ident
zeal In both cases, is it not? The difference
Il simply, that Captain Darling, having not
long since abandoned his connection with
"the ORDER" answers the summons served on
him with request that the council will 90 to
Tophet and mind their own business, or some
thing Of the sort; while Brother Fillmore, &C
cording to Brother Scroggs, of Buffalo, con
tlnues TO be member Of the order In
full communion; and therefore, by its oaths
and rules, is bound to respect what Darling
contemns. This summons displays the work
ing Of by no means uninteresting feature Of
the institution of Know Nothingism.
The Virginia Resolutions Tho following
are the platform resolutions adopted by the
Virginia State Democratic Convention, on Sat-
urdsy last:
1.-The Democratic Republicans of Virginia,
In convention assembled, following the time
nonored usages in declaring tho principles
which bind them together as q party, do re-
solve
First. That the true relations between the
states and the Federal Government and the
true rules for the constructing Of the constitu.
ton, are correctly set forth in the resolutions
and report If 1875 and 1899 of the General
Assembly Of Virginia; and the doctrines
therein exPounded are hereby adopted and
re-afhrmed.
Z" Second That Congress has no power to
appropriate directly or Indirectly, the pro-
eeeds Of the sales Of public lands, or to grant
directly or indirectly, the public lands to the
purpose Of internal improvement.
Third. That specific duties, taxing as
lhey DO the low priced necessaries Of the poor
as hea'ly as the costly Inquiries Of the rich,
are unequal, unjust and odious tina. duties,
designed Tor the protection, foster one branch
OF INDUSTRY aud cherish one section of the
country at the expense Of others, aud are ut
teriy Inconsistent with justice, sound policy
and democratic principles, and that We are
opposed TO any increase Of the duties On i'm.
ports, especially on articles Of general and
necessary consumption, such a. iron, Goa.
sugsr, salt and coarse cotton.
"FoUrth. That the Federal Goverum.n,