Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-05-21
For The Spsctntor

ueSsls. Editors The writer in your last pa
per who styles himself IAN American" has
wholly misconceived the position, motives and
objects OF the author Of "a Wing, whose article
appeared in the Spectator Of the 7th instant.
"a Wing" is no ofice-seeker, nor has he ever
aspired to be the leader Of a party. He has
never solicited g vote, or asked for an office
and he feels no interest in the issue of any pub
lie question other than that which is common to
every good citizen. He claims, howeyer,to love
his country, and to be willing at any time, to
make any sacrifice, to serve her. Hence ms
zeal;-and 1T place him in opposition to old
friends, on questions of either local or general
interest, affecting the welfare OF the people, he
may regret, but cannot help it. lie thinks ne
may confidently appeal to his antecedents to
shield him from the imputation OF any selusn or
unworthy motives. None can doubt that he
might have been a Know-Nothing, if he pleased.
If, therefore, he has been "shelved," land laid by
to keep" it is the result of his own voluntary
act, which he neither repents of nor is willing
to recall. He stands now, just where he wishes
ostand, the firm, determined and uncompromising
enemy of acknowledgement, and Of any and
every secret organization, of whatever kind,
which attempts to interfere in the political al
fairs OF the country.
In his former communication, "A Wing" I'M
dertook to state one of his leading objections,
early entertained against "Know-Nothngism,
to wit Its ready adaptation to the uses OF
party managers of the very worst sort. He then
adverted to the fact of the singular aud almost
simultaneous union of the "Sons of Temperance
with the acknowledging" which occurred
some twelve months ago the object, which at
the time seemed apparent in it;-the result
which he anticipated; and then expressed the
o:.A~ -. lol:oe +bat - bol haan raaliya1 in the
nomination just made by the County Conven-
ton. But, in coming to this conclusion, he did
not rest on mere speculation. Both before and
after the Convention, he had heard individual
expressions of dissatisfaction with appointments
of delegates, by Known othings, all pointing the
same way. He had a right to conclude, there
fore, that the Know-Nothings proper felt them
selves out-witted how, or in what manner it
was done, was not material, so that it was sue
cessful. He could not be expected to know
more than had leaked out, not being in the
secrets of either party. The bold challenge of
IAN American" therefore, which is made to
"a Wing" 'to show that the nomination was
ever discussed in any Division in the County,
and that, if possible, still bolder call made upon
Maj. J. b. Watts, the Presiding officer of the
Staunton Division "himself q Democrat" (and
he might have added q decided an~ti-Know-No-
IlttuS,J " SHY W COiiJ liz SNOt hAtON ~ " RS
discussed in his Diyision-are simply ridiculous.
The "Sons' would be dull scholars, indeed, if
after q twelve months tuition with Sam" they
could not learn how to make themselves 'invisi-
be-" even TO their associates, when necessary to
the attainment of an object.
But if they are harshly judged of in this mat
ter, they have no right to complain. They are
q secret organization, and they have heretofore
intermeddled with politics and our Courts, in q
most exceptionable manner, and we have no
reason to believe they have been made better by
their association with "Know Nothingism." On
the contrary the double secrecy and ally-strength
with which they have been invested only render
them objects of greater distrust and jealously.-
The primary lessons of ~concealment, disSimula-
ton, and treachery there taught them, could not
be without their effect. The system Of conceal
ing their membership, and of trapping indivi-
duals into the organization the solemn de-
clarations made that no oaths were required of the
initiate the deliberate frauds thus practised up
on the unsuspecting and then, horrible to say,
the means and influences used to hold the reluc-
tant to his oath-bound allegiance ARE lessons
which cannot fail to tell with fearful effect on
the general morals of the Country.
1t is true, we have been told these oaths are
abolished-but since that announcement we
have seen the Organ of the Party in Richmond
openly threatening WITH their penaItleS meHlOerS
who were whispering the nightly doings of the
Grand Council in the ears OF the editors of the
Wing. Again, the New York correspondent of
the Natural Intelligencer, under date of May 6,
SUBSTITUTING a trial now progressing in the
~. S. Circuit Court in this city, the ertraordin-
'ary fact comes out IN sridenee, that @hen a
"Knoc Nothing as admitted to has second degree,
she becomes a party to an oath ahich binds him
'to stand By a brother Gfthe same grade, regard
"less Of consequences, ecen as a aoitness an any
"Court" And again-what means the late
great popular up-heaving in the staid old Wing
city of Philadelphia, by which Know Nothing
ism has been buried so deep that it never can
rise again2 Is it not fair to conclude, it had
become too intolerable to be borne2
The Know Nothing,or American party claims
to be q National Party. lift be such, its prin-
ciples, usages, ceremonies and obligations might
reasonably be presumed to be the same all over
the Country. We will not pretend to say that
they are but whether or not, it is equally to
be distrusted as a party. One thing is certain,
however, that many among us have acknowl-
edgedly quit it in disgust, and that Others are
now a~nxiously seeking what they call their re-
leases. God grant them a happy deliverance,
and q speedy reunion with the glorious Old
Wing Party. A WING.