The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-24

spirit of Know Nothingism. Mr.. Pearce, Of
Pennsylvania, Ia clergyman, we believe who
has been voting for Mr.. Banks, volunteered his
reasons II voted for him, first, because had
reason to believe that the charges which were
made against that gentleman, of his being a
leader of the ultra Abolitionists of Massachu-
sets, were not well founded.
"Then, sir, voted for the gentleman from
Massachusetts for another reason-because
was satisfied he was member of the American
party. / wish to make distinct avowal here,
that would vote for no man who is not a
member of that great, that glorious, that giant
American Party"
A very pretty exhibition of Pennsylvania
Anti Nebraskaite! The strife in the South is,
who shall do most for Slavery; in the North,
who shall do least against it. 1t is a kind of
American god, to be spoken of with reverence
and fear. "Ultra Abolitionism !" A little in
fusion of it into poor, creeping Pennsylvania,
might put her on her legs.
And then Mr.. Pearce would not vote for
any man not member of the American Or
der Reasonable Mr.. Pearce! Mr.. Nichols,
of Ohio, Democrat, might say, with the
same liberality, will vote for no man not a
Democrat-and Mr.. Washburn, will vote for
no man not Wing. What right ct such a
crisis as this, when Slavery and Freedom are
striving for the mastery, has any member from
free State to thrust in his miserable, petty
issues, and demand adhesion to them, as the
condition of his support of the Cause of Free.
dom?
Mr.. Todd, of Pennsylvania, in kindred spirit,
said; I" | am conservative man, having no
sympathy with ultraism on the one side or the
other of the Slavery question. / abhor the Abo-
ltonists, in the common sense of the term as
much as do the border rufiians. /
come from a district which Is not agitated by
any ultraism on the subject of Slavery"
And then he went on to say, that his " asso-
citation with certain men on that floor was
calculated to create some uneasiness among
the people in his district"
We think our readers will come to the con,
clusion that the worl. of reforming Congress is
not yet finished. AS our paper is entirely indie
pendent, belonging to no Party, and assuming
a right to speak for none, we feel quite free to
say that "all are not Israel that are of Isra-
el"-that in some cases Anti Slavery voters
have sent real Pro-Slavery Representatives to
Congress, to do AntiSlavery work for them!
After the outrageous usurpations of the
Slave Power for the last ten years, in full view
of the fact that it rules the Nation, and is de-
termined to rule it for its own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
and perpetuation, we hold that it is the extreme
of folly, to use no harsher word, for professed
opponents of that despotism to stigmatze other
of its opponents, for their excess of zeal, and to
be mincing their words and measuring their
gait, most obsequiously, as if to propitate the
Power they seek to overthrow.
To prevent misunderstanding, and deprive
gentlemen of any pretext for quoting our re-
marks to the detriment of Mr.. Banks, let us say
that we belong to no Party-that we do no,
recognise or support any "Anh- Nebraska" Par
ty-that the only practical organization with
which we sympathize is the Republican,
which has not yet spoken in Congress, but
which, we trust, is destined next November to
demonstrate that the masses of the People Of
the Free States are ready to confront and put
down the Slave Oligarchy. If the Party be
true to itself, we shall support it; if it drag it
self down to suit the scarcely developed Anti
Slavery sentiment of such men as sometimes
speak in gouGfesse rs, ~ RRig and Democratic
Parties. But we will not wrong it by doubt