The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-11-26
THE NEXT PRESIDENCY.

Nothing organization form one of the most
curious and interesting episodes in the histo.
ny Of our political parties In the Presiden-
tinl election of 1852 the proud old wing party
ing was the majority for the democratic ticket
that IL was supposed this party had secured
new and certain lease Of the government
for twenty years 10 come. But, alas! within
single year, all this formidable array Of
democratic strength and solidily vanished
into thin mir A paltry Custom House mp
pointmeni, and the party squabbes and d.
visions which il produced, proved that the
democratic union of so was from the "cohe.
sve power Of the public plumber" and that
the demand for the spoiIs exceeded the sup
ply. Next, that hazardous Southern expert
ment Of Douglas and Pierce for the Presi-
Dental succession--that disastrous Kansas-
Nebraska bill-precipita,eda an opposition ma.
jority into the House Of Representatives, and
in the State elections of 1854 revealed an OPP
position majority throughout the Union Of
upwards of three hundred thousand on the
popular vote.
But in this general majority, omnpoteni If
united, there wns neither coherency, eonsis-
teDcy nor discipline. 1t was composed of the
loose materials of a sudden revolution, and
Of all sorts OF political elements. Two new
parties had risen from the ruins Of the old
wing party and the disntegrations of the de-
mocracy, to wit: the republican aud the Know
Nothing parties. But while the former was
loosely Organized upon n Northern anti
slavery reaction against the repeal Of the
Missouri compromise, the latter assumed the
terrible shape of an extensive secret political
conspiracy against aliens, Roman Catholics,
the Catholic Church, and the Pope of Rome.
In 1853 we had the firs. disclosures in this
city of the existence of this Order, IN Fourth
OF July collision between an omnibus and an
Irish procession. The omnibus driver was
pretty roughly treated for his manifest con
tempt for the parade, when, presto, like the
followers of Rhoderc Dhu at the sound OF
his whistle, the "natives" Of the neighborhood
swarmed to the rescue, and speedily put our
patriotic Celtic fellow-citizeEs to flight
This rescue betrayed degree of efficiency
and discipline which astonished all parties,
until il was disclosed that the pledges, signs
and signals Of secret anti-Cathoc anli.Irish
fraternity had done the business.
The first revelation was speedily followed
10 this and in other States by political action
In our State and local elections. Thus ope-
rating, under secret system of discipline,
remarkable for its unity, force and harmony,
this Know Nothing order, before the expra-
tion of the year 1854, Ind received such pow.
eriul reinforcements in every quarter that
men of all parties and sections believed it
would stoutly contest, and probably carry,
the Presidential election Of 1856. Accord
ingly, the ranks of this powerful and mystic.
rious organization were swelled on every side
by worn out leaders or impatient aspirants Of
the older political parties, North and South.
And thus, in 1855, they boldly and conf
IDENTITY undertook the task of capturing the
stronghold of the democracy-the Old Do
mnion. But the Virginia democracy, led by
an old line wing, Henry A. Wise, in this de-
cisive battle proved too much for their new
enemy, and his rout was rs complete md dis
nslrous as that of Napoleon at Waterloo
From that day the prestige of this Ameri-
can movement, and the mysterious power
which had been associated with its mysteri.
GUS organization, rapidly declined and thus
this ephemeral party entered into the CAM
paign OF 1856 confcssedly in the reduced pro-
portions of n political balance of power be-
tween the republicans and the democracy
Muiiny had crept into the camp, the charm
Of the secret rites and ritual, and the light of
the dark lantern, had lost their force; and so,
to keep their wavering ranks in order, the
American Presidential Convention was held
in February. There the contest between
George Law aud Willard Fillmore resulted in
split, which carried over n considerable de
tachment Of the "North Americans" to the
'sPu''''"" ''''''' "' "'",'o ""s Vi W.
parry, however, nominated 'neh man. ana
fought him through the campaign on con.
seryatiye native issues. North and Sopth.-
,ph, r,;,a o,i,, ,,,, rI.,o,o.oI ,,,,o -, Ala,
'' Wv
land; but The popular vote oil The Union Tor
Fillmore reached the respectable figure oil
eight hundred thousand, and caused popu
lar diversion of the opposition balance of
.;. 49, MI L.. .,i..LI..
Po"'' !" .' ''''"' ""''" ""q''''o""o''