New-York daily tribune., 1856-02-27
TKIH NATIVE NOMINATION..

Many well-meanlg, straltiOrward people nave
long wondered what the Know. Nothing party was
really driving at. Their expectations in the COM
Ing contest for the Presidency have been involved
in mystery. AS a party desiring success for its
members upon homespun basis Of good sense,
their policy was plain. They had only to so act
that the Anti-Nebraska men of the North could
cooperate with them ,or they with the Anti-Ne
braska men in the election of President to make
triumph certain. To be sure, it would not be the
triumph of the Know Nothings alone, but /. being
the best the case admitted Of it clearly their
true policy to become partners in victory which
they could not achieve without assistance. Many
and leading members Of the party, actuated by fair
purposes and who have never been willing to believe
that the people of the North could be brought by
any ndrection to sustain the late measures OF the
slave propagandists have labored hard 10 accom-
plish this result 1t said aud over again. at
the late Convention that the Northern Know-NOth-
ings and the Republicans acting in concert, could
easily enought elect President. And the state
mcnt is almost a selfevdent truth. If we take
the last elections as a criterion of Judgment the
fact is indisputable. But there were plenty OF
Northern Know Nothings in the Convention who
evidently did not want to succeed on such basis
II was of no consequence that they and the whole
Convention were tod that if no such cooperation
was possible, then the race of the KnowNothing
party was run, and that they could not hope for
success any where. Such consideration had no
tendency 10 dissuade them from pursuing course
fatal to the success Of the party. The Convention
persisted in destroying all chance of participa-
tion in presidential triumph and nominated Mr.
Fillmore on dead certainty Of defeat
This action lifts the vail and shows clearly what
the present managers OF the Know-Nothng organ-
zation are at There is no longer any uncertainty
as TO the policy of the leaders Of that party They
do not expect TO succeed They do not even
care brass farthng about the doctrines which
have given the Order spurious popularity, and
have been the foundation of al its successes They
have not recognized a single distinctive principle
or measure in the Convention. They have been
dumb on every issue, and have adjourned without
saying anything or doing anything beyond nomlnat-
ing Millard Fillmore for President. They have
passed resolutions, made TO platform, but sim
ply nominated a ticket and run. They propose no
contest on any doctrine or principle or measure,
but simply canvass on man-and man who is
the representative of neither side of any living po-
ltical issue Occupying only negative position.
he is intended 70 accomplish only negative results.
He is simply pitched into the canvass as an OBJ
struction. To be it is plain enough 70 be seen
that if he were 10 be elected he would be found an
inyeterate enemy 10 the cause and the friends of
freedom. He has never occupied any other posi-
tion these seven years past.
But he is out OF the range of such a possibility,
and the fact thus becomes OF small consequence;
Mr.. Fillmores friends simply intend TO use him in
the canvass Of 1856 as Mr.. Var Buren was used in
ls4s-for the breaking down OF another party
The game is the same, though the result may be
different. The action of the Philadelphia Conven-
ton is maneuver of the New-York Know Nothing
and Silver Grey politicians to damage the Repubh'
can party and injure certain leading individuals
therein. The Convention has teen used simply ss
an instrument to further certain personal aims OF
these politicians They have thought that by taking
Mr.. Fillmore as the knOw-Nothirg candidate, they
would have al advantage with the old moderate
Wings everywhere in the North, ard would draw
off many Of them to his support on the ground OF
his former elevation.
The object, then, OF the Know -Nothiugs has
dwindle to this-to defeat the Republican party.
That is to say, this is the object of those who have
managed the Philadelphia Convention and nomin-
ated Mr.. Fillmore. The Ex-Vce President is put
forward as man who can entice votes enough from