Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-10
Communicate.
FOR THE SENTINEL.


Developments in the efforts that have been
made to organize the House of Representatives
have placed the Southern Know-nothings in
new position before the country. They stand
separated from those who heretofore affiliated
with them at the north-to great extent at
least. The voting for Speaker has disclosed
the fact that on the slavery question the party
north and south cannot agree. Without har-
monizing on that question, it is useless for the
party to expect national organization. A
few good and true Northern men have stood
by the Know, nothings of the South in occupy
plying conservative ground. With that excep-
ton the National Know-nothing party is con-
fined to the Southern States.
The Southern Know-nothings have been
betrayed and abandoned by their Northern
brethren. The course of the Northern Know
nothings has been such as to preclude all hope
that they can be induced to occupy national
position on the slavery question. The party
was not in existence six months before
many of those composing it at the north
showed the cloven foot on this issue. We
ton which had for its object, among other
things, that of putting down the agitators of
the slavery question, such as Seward, Greeley
& Co., that il was to establish national, con-
sentative party. But it was not long before
two of the most rampant Abolitionists in the
Union we're elected to the Senate of the United
States from States having Know nothing leg
islatures. They brought about or permitted
to be brought about the very evil they prom
Used to try and prevent. In the Northern
State elections they almost invariably cast
their votes for candidates holding Freesoil
sentiments.
In the very first national assemblage Of the
party, they refused to place themselves upon
ground sufficiently conservative on the slavery
question for the Southern members of the
party to affiliate with them. The test was ap-
piled in the late Philadelphia Know-nothing
convention. A resolution in reference to
slavery, satisfactory to Southern Know-no-
things, it is true, was passed by that con-
vention; but it was passed by Southern votes.
The Northern Know-nothing members subse-
quently repudiated it, number of them called
an opposition convention at Cincinnati and
took strong antislavery ground. The Know
repudiated the Philadelphia platform, and
large majority of the party throughout those
States still persist in refusing to sanction the
South.
At the opening of Congress the Northern
Know nothing members of the House formally
separate from their Southern brethren and
unite themselves with the Black Republicans.
They refuse at least to vote for any man for
Speaker upon whom the Southern Know-noth-
ings can consistently with their duty to the
South cast their votes. They vote with few
exceptions, for the Black Republican nominee,
and show thereby that they prefer enlisting
under the flag of Black Republicanism to
uniting with their party of the South. The
line of demarcation has thus been distinctly
drawn, and parties stand divided under new
shuttle, and deal somewhat into Black Repub-
licans, Democrats and National Know-noth.
ings. The two first being the larger parties,
the contest is mainly between them, and the
balance Of power with the latter.
On the great question of the day, and the
one in comparison with which all others Of a
political character must sink into insignif-
canoe, the National Democracy and the National
Know-nothings stand shoulder to shoulder
both occupying conservative positions on the
subject of slavery. The idea of the Southern
Know-nothings ignoring the slavery issue, as
has been proposed by desperate Virginia
politician belonging to the party, is something
too preposterous to be seriously considered,
unless we very much mistake the character of
the men. That to defeat Black Republican.
ism and secure the guarantees the Constitution
provides for the institution of slavery, they will
prefer casting their strength with the party oc-
cupying the most conservative, national posi-
ton, is the opinion of one who, when there was
a Wing party, was A WING.