Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-04-25
For the Standard.
RISE AND FALL OF KNOW NOTHINGIsM

RISE AND FALL OF KNOW-NOTHINGISM
existence political party the organization OF which
secret as that of the famed Vehmic Tribunal,
and the rapdy of its effects rvaled those of great
contagion. Weare etignoranti what diseased brain
its tenets and dogmas terminated; we only know
that it came into midst without harbinger.-
For many months its principles were inhaled as 81
lently as those of epidemic. Men shut their eyes
and opened their mouths and swallowed the bait
which it held out with avidity which put to the
blush the unfedged and blind yonng birds of the
nest. 1t at first gave indications of uniting the old
Wing and Democratic parties by directing their ef
forts against what its platforms called common or
national enemy, and this enemy, it said, was the
alarming increase of foreign emigration to our
shores. The nucleus around which the minor traits
of its constitution clustered the advocation of
increasing the time which it required to become nat
uralized, and the ineligibility of Roman Catholics
for office. Secresy has charm for the vulgar
minded; and perhaps this is the true reason why
the success of the party at first unpreceden
ted and to the tearing aside the veil which shroud
ed its movements by the rude hand of curiosity we
may with equal truth trace its downfall. The stran-
gest part of its history now presents itself Why,
when it denuded of its clothing, and its deform.
tiles and inconsistencies exposed in ugly nakedness,
did it not Immediately shrink before the of COM
mon sense into oblivion? The only plausible an
swer we can see to this is, that many demagogues,
ride into Office enlisted under its flag and fought for
it with perseverance worthy of better cause. As
it was generally supposed that Know Nothingism
was spasmodic effort of expiring Whiggery, its
enemies ranged themselves under the mehonored
name of Democracy. Since the foundation of the
Union perhaps political contest has ever ragged
among with much bitterness and acrimony as
that between the Know Nothings and Democrats The
leaders of the first named party, knowing that polit
cal damnaton would inevitably follow their4defeat,
fought with the desperation of men whose lives
at stake; while upon the other hand the Democrats
conscentiousy believing that the ofthe native
Americans Gas they sentimentaly called themseves)
would fix blot of shame upon the brow of liberty,
struggled with that ardor which characterized
forefathers in the revolution. The Know Nothings
said that because America the land of freedom
| was no reason why she should be made sink for
! the filth of the world to be vomited in; no reason
why she should be made vast receptacle for all the
crimina'ity and paupersm of the globe; that five
years were inadequate for the commonalty of foreign
to become acquainted we'll enough with our laws
| and customs to participate in forming them; and
that Roman Catholic could never be true hearted
republican, since he held that duty to our govern
ment should subserve that to the Pope The Dem
ocrats ridiculed this as mere sophstry. They said
! that from the earliest infancy Of republic our
flag had borne for its motto hope for the oppressed
of all nations; that foreigners had assisted in plant
ing the tree of liberty had nourished it with their
! blood, and that it wonld be stigma graft
tude if we denied their descendants the privilege of
basking in its shade; more than this, intercourse
| with foreign nations our most prolific of
| wealth and Improvement; and that if foreign emf
grafton stopped, this would be in great degree
| fettered. The condition of China and Japan were
pointed out true and melancholy results of such
| policy; that denying Catholics the right of hold
ing Office account of their religious opinions,
aiming blow at the heart of that principle more
dear than any other to an American, "that of wor-
shipping God according to the dictates of his own
conscience" Moreover, this attempt to re-
vive the exploded rule of mixing church with State,
which had been the bane of governments since the
creation of the world. 1t is needless for one to
mention the many other arguments used pro and cor
upon this subject. They are as familiar to every
one as household words" I will merely add, in
conclusion, that the Thomsonian doses of common
sense which the sturdy Democracy forced down
the throat of the ungainly beast, ended its fit
full life. Its nearly sank on the election of Gov
Wise of Virginia, and its last fading beams played
upon the brow of Millard Fillmore. II. C. L.