Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-04-24
fFsom the washington Uulea.l
A Page of IistorY.

mories, even among our poliueai oppoe
nents, but it would be wrong not to avail
oursslf Of the useful lesson which is to be
drawn from the history Of the opposition
lin the late Congress. This opposition
was composed in the beginning OF two ell
ements. each Of which started into life
with. pretensions of extreme purity and
patriotism, aud loud promises of reform.
The blsck.republican party originated,
20 considerable extent, with men who
found neither of the old parties sufficient
ly. Just and pure 10 be worthy Of compans'
ionship. Some of them were NOT satis-
fed even. with the constitution. and Of.
tered = higher Law" ofstheirS own 70 the
practical legislation of Congress- Their
feet were on the earth, but their heads
seemed very much in. the clouds. CLOTH
ed with prodigious quantity of self>
righteousness, and claiming to rise supe-
rior TO all party considerations. they band.
ed themselves together as the forlorn hope
Of virtue and Christianity in degenerate
age, and invited around their standard all
those who thought they had plenty OF
goodness and philanthropy TO spare for
the benefit of their neighbors and The
world. AS their followers gathered. 1t
was curious to see. not ouly how album
dant virtue was in quarters where it's ex-
istence had never been suspected before.
but how suddenly a great many people
had changed all their ideas with respect
to parties and Office. In this self. denying
and disinterested band OF reforme,s were
found. miraculously brought together. de-
cayed politicians Of almost every grade
and order. II was perfect hospital Of
political invalids. and quite wonderful was
il to observe how many of these old and
worn political hacks were willing TO pur
sue a new career Of service for NO other
motive on earth than the public good
Their object. in the beginning. was to
control the local legislatures IN the States
and secure a majority OF representatives
in the Thirty. fourth Congress-. TO this
end they seized upon the Nebraska-bi!l.
and SO iuhamed the public mind that. in
the heat OF xcitement, they drew into their
ranks many persons who had usually been
conservative. and who. by this time. be-
gin to wonder themselves at their own
halucination, The Democratic party. OF
course. maintained It's organization. and
kept its flag flying. ..ai,
But the Tide rolled on, and with the
aid OF the :" secret order" the republicans
Of the North elected almost all their con-
gressional candidates. Their success
would have been far less general without
this aid: for although in large majority
OF cases the know noshings and republi.
cans Of New England were essentially the
same. this was not universally SO at the
North-and. besides, q secret organiza.
lion made black republicsnism uore dan.
gerous. ln 1854 the know nothngs aud
the black republicans looked Kindly upon
each ether. both North and South.
This know-nething party was another
organization, made up Of men who had
an exubersnt share Of patriotism and vir.
tue. Their love Of Christianity was sc
great that they could not tolerate free re-
Iigion. Their philanthropy was so exslt
ed that they looked with fear upon the
immigration to our shores Of the poor and
needy and oppressed abroad. They had
so deep respect for our republican nsti
tutions that they were jealous Of any par
ticipation in their blessings of our nstu
rallied citizens. And these views the,
held to be SO excessively pure that they
would not allow the sun to shine upor
them. They held their conclaves. there
fore. at night. and administered thei
oaths in darkness; and laid upon their as
sociates. moreover, it is to be feared. the
lamentable necessity. under certain cir
cumstances, of choosing between false
hood uttered openly anu q violation o
oaths which they had assumed in secret
This monstrous order-worthy only of III,
darkest period of the world-combined
substantially with the black republican
organization. in the reformatory move
ment which was 10 commence its career
OF usefulness with the Thirty fourth Con
gress. The presidential campaign hac
not then been organized. But the com
bined opposition succeeded in electing d,
majority ofthe House. and controlling
few of the State Legislatures. The spe
cial promise Of the know. nothings was
that the naturalization laws should be re
pealed OF essentially changed. The grea
boon which the black republicans were Il
secure TO the people was the repeal Of th,
Nebraska bill. TO many persons thi
seemed work of difficulty. il nothing
more: but 10 the view Of these ardent re
formers nothing was more easy. w,
well remember TO have beard Senator
Hale. OF New Hampshire. describe ID.
process by which it was to be accom- pIish
ed. Il was only to add the repeal as ar
amendment TO the civil and diplomat,
/ bill. and send il to the Senate. Ii IN,
Senate sent it back. the House was L
Stick" and by this sticking" process
the Senate aud the Presiden. we're to BE-
forced into an approval Of black republi
can Legislation.
Such was the manifesto. We wish on,
readers TO remember. now. how very fai