Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1857-04-29
For the Standard.
RISE AND FALL OF KNOW-NOTHINGISM

Mushroom like, few years ago. there sprung into
existence political party, the organization of which
was secret that of the famed yehmic Tribunal,
and the rapdity Of its effects rivaed those of great
contagon. We yet ignorant in what diseased brain
its tenets and dogmas germnated; we only know
that it came into our midst without harbinger-
For many months its principles were inhaled as 81
lenty as those of an epidemic. Men shut their eyes
and opened their mouths and swallowed the bait
which it held out with an avidity which put to the
blush the unf1edged and blind yonng birds of the
nest. 1t at first gave indications of uniting the old
Whg 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 required to become nat
uralized, and the inelgibility 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
may with equal truth trace its downfall. The stran
gest part of its history now presents ITSELF Why,
when it was 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
swer we can see to this is that many demagogues,
seeing in it a hobby which they might successfully
ride into Office enlisted under its flag and fought for
it was generally supposed that Know Nothingism
a spasmodic effort of expiring Whiggery, its
enemies ranged themselves under the me-honored
name of Democracy. Since the foundation OF the
Union perhaps no political contest has ever ragged
among us with as much bitterness and acrimony as
that between the Know Nothngs and Democrats The
leaders of the first named party knowing that poit
ical damnation would inevitably follow theirodefeat,
fought with the desperation ofmen whose lives were
at stake while upon the other hand the Democrats
Al Al
Americans (as they sentimentaliy called themselves
would fix a blot of shame upon the brow of liberty,
struggled with that ardor which characterized our
forefathers in the revolution. The Know Nothings
said that because America was the land of freedom
was no reason why she should be made a sink for
the filth Of the world to be vomited in no reason
why she should be made vast receptacle for all the
criminaiity and pauperism of the globe; that five
years were inadequate for the commonay of foreign
ers to become acquainted well 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 mere sophistry. They said
that from the earliest infancy of our 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 would be stigma on our graft.
tude if we denied their descendants the privilege Of
basking in its shade; more than this, intercourse
with foreign nations was our most prolific source 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 as true and melancholy results of such
policy; that denying Catholics the right of hold
ing Office account of their religious opinions, was
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 OWL
conscience" Moreover, this was an 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" 1 will merely add in
conclusion that the Thomsonian doses of common
sense which the sturdy Democracy forced down
the throat of the ungany beast, ended its fit
full life. Its sun nearly sank on the election of Gov
Wise Of Virginia. and its last fading beams played
upon the brow of Mard Fillmore. H. G.. L.