Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-05-06
on LINE WHIGS.

This is title that we have ceased to use except
70 designate men who are now Democrats, but who
were Wings so long as there was such organized
party in existence There is no such party now
ana never viii be again, notwithstanding the great
body Of those who composed it will continue to CO.
operate with the opposition to Democracy under
whatever name itmay assume.
There are but two parties in Tennessee KDoW-No-
things and Democrats. Men must arrange them
selves under one banner or the ether Those Of the
Cd Wing party who are now acting with the Know
Nothing. are Know-NOthings, notwithstanding ma
ms Of them may never have found It necessary to
their loyalty to go into the lodges and swsar to OPP
pose the Democrats. Those who have been demon
mated old-ine Wings, that, in this new " divide
out. went into the Democratic fold in good faith,
are Democrats and nothing more.
When the old Wing party lost its nationality and
ceased to exist, Know Nothingsm laid violent hands
upon its effects and appropriated them as far pos
ible to their own use. They kicked the dead car
ss and made profert of its corruptiOns from which
they claimed to have extracted all the particles that
were healthy and pure The facts were that the
great body Of the old Wing party had become so
corrupted that could not longer perform its func
lions with its small proportion Of healthy material
The corruption sloughed off into Know Nothingism
and the more healthy part Joined the Democracy.
Of all the different changes through which the
opposition has passed, it has at no time assumed a
form so odious to the moral sense, and so shocking
70 the republican feeling Of the country, this last
one. Like vice, it is
ga monster Of such hateful MEN,
That to be hated needs but 20 be seen.
The force Of this fact none feel more sensby than
the unfortunate individuals who went into it. Thou
aands who had been duped and deceived, left it SC
soon as its enormity was apparent. Others from
their iuveterate preudices against Democracy, felt
that they had no other alternative but to submit and
endure it. trusting to the future to furnish an escape
There were those again who were proverbiaIly reck
less Of eonsequ enees and wOuld rather "rule il
hell than serve in heaven.
It is not necessary for us to array evidence il
support Of this position. We have the truth Of II
constantly staring US in the face. Outlines vii
speak though tongues were out Of use" A striking
6xemplfcation Of this trite old saying is made
apparent in the present eagerness with which the
secret society Of Know Nothngs are endeavoring tC
change Their name and destroy all traces of then
identity. They have taken special pains to assure
the world that their lodges have been broken up;
thai their rituals have been dispensed with; that
their oaths and penalties have been abolished-i1
fact that they are no longer the Know Nothing party
and should not be so regarded. The disOrganizet
Wing party which they stigmatised as corrupt, anC
upon The ruins " Of which they founded their or
der, is no longer denounced as cOrruPt--nO Longer
spoken OF as dead All at once they profess to hav
discovered their mistake and now swear as roundll
that there Is a Wing party, to which intense Amer
icanism is aectiOnately inclined and that with tBi
conjunction the Democracy viii yet be overwhelmed
and the country saved from ruin and DISASTER
They no longer speak Of the great American party
as suited to rule and bless the world, but that tn,
Wing and 4msrie1a parties will accomplish thes,
,-gs. "Whig is held up in glaring letters be
d" American" with the hope that in the con
onting head the world viii fail to observe the tai
nat ways behind 1t; that many, attracted by the new
eature will fail to recognise the defomities which
conceals Their stump orators, their convention
md their newspapers are all piping to the new tun
f " Wigs and Amsyteans." Another canvass anC
he tune will be changed, the tail viii be choppe,
#, and Know Nothingism will swear that it is no
In0w Nothingism, but that it is Whiggery, pure anC
ncoutaminated.
Can such deception sucoeed3 Can the credulity
men be so practised upon! Can they be dupel
ito such associations by the mere cheat of assuming
Use names, once venerated and respected but nov
'5ad2 Such of the present Democratic party al
ere formerly Wings and came over to US in tn,
smemberment Of that party, desPised Know-Noth
agism and viii despise it STILL under whatever name
may seek to cloak itself 1t can never be any thing
ss than Nothingism, no more than garlicl
n be sugar by calling it sugar. Men who desir,
get into its embrace will do SO, but the trapping
lich II wears will not change its prostitution int,
-tue They must take the consequences Of the
sSejstion, and should not cheat themselves witt
other belief. There are but two parties il
nnessee-Democrats and Know NOthings- chOOs,
rly between them