Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-06-17
FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE II, 1850.
IS violated Pledges. A"


The Know Nothing party came before the coun-
try in 1856, Boosting that it national party,
and making extraordinary professions of purity and
patriotism. In the language Of their platform, they
ayowed their determination to "reform the charae-
ter Of our national Legislature, by elevsng to that
dignifed and responsible position, men of higher
qualifications purer morals, and more unselfsh pat
riotism." In the language Of Gen. QUARLEs now the
Opposition candidate for Congress, in this District
they pledged themselves 10 maintain the principles
Of the Kansas Nebraska Bill and claimed that they
were "ths old guard Of the Constitution and the
Union" determined to defend it through sunshine
and through storm, through gloom and through
glee."
They went before the people on these pledges and
elected smsOrity of the members of the next House
of Representative. Having absolute control Of the
House of Representative, how did this Know Moth
ing msjority redeem their pledges? How did they
defend the Union and the Constitution, and carry
out the principles OF the Nebraska-Kansss Bill,
which they had promised to maintain Why,
their very frat act was to elect NATHANIEL 7.
BANKS, an honored member Of the Know Nothing
party from Massachusetts-the man who was will
ing to s'lst the UIsiOR Shds"-WhO was violently
opposed to the KansRs-Nebrsska Bill,-Speaker of
the House, and WILLIAM CULLoM, another anti
Nebraska Know Nothing from Tennessee, Clerk.
They pledged themselves to elect men Of purer
norals to the national Legislature aud at their FIRST
session four members Of Congress of their own
party were convicted of the grOssest corruption,
dishonesty and fraud; and one of these declared
that large number Of his associates had entered
into corrupt combination, binding themselves to
vote for no bill granting money or lands, unless
they were paid for it. CULLOH, the man whom
they elected Clerk is now indicted in Washington
City, for corruption in Office, and was proved before
an investigating committee of the last House, to
have been guilty of acts, which his OWN political
friends can neither excuse nor justify.
When soliciting the support of the people, this
Know Nothing party sdvOcSted " q strict economy IN
he public srpsAditarss" The House Of Representa-
tives of which they obtained control, was distin-
guishsd for the most Wasteful and eztrsvagant sp-
preparations of the public money ever known in this
government, having increased the expenditures Of
government to seventy-tWO millions of dollars, in g
single year.
Such was the result of the triumph Of this " great
national" Know Nothing party in 1855 The same
men who composed that party, North and South,
are now organizing themselves into "great ma
tiOnal" Opposition party.
They come before the country with the same
professions Of purity upon their lips They claim,
At least at the South, the same fidelity to Southern
institutions. They declare earnestly against ex-
traTagsnce in 1885, and are not less eloquent in
their advocacy Of economy.
Surely such barefaced efrontery was never wit
messed before While the memory of their obnox-
ious acts and violated pledges yet fresh in the
public mind; while the nation is yet suffering
from the effects of their extravaganza and corrup-
ton; while the Constitution is yet endangered from
the fires Of fansticism which they kindled in the
councils Of the country; the same men who have
lust now deceived and injured them asking an
outraged and indignant people to give them again
their confidence and support They persuading
them 20 enter into another "grest national" move
ment, exactly similar to that which swept over the
country in 1855. They soliciting them to place
themselves under the leadership of the same men
who conducted that movement. They are renew
ing the pledges which they have just violated, and
reiteratlng the professions and promises which they
hsve Just falsided When reminded Of their past
sins they eoolly diselam all responsibility for their
own obnoxious acts and violated pledges" and
under a new name seek to escape condemnation
for their late offences, and thus obtain the power TO
commit new ones
The people are net fools. They are not madmen
and idiots. They see the same men al the head OF
this Opposition movement as in 1855. They see the
same elements entering into its organization which
constituted the Know Nothing party and filed the
House of Represen sstivss with abolition spOismen
in the Saith Congress. The Northern Know
Nothing allies Of whose nationality and sOundness
Tennessee Know NOahings boosted four years ago,
are now their allies in this Opposition party. The
Opposition victories in the Northern States over
which the organs Of the Tennessee Opposition re-
joics now have resulted in the election Of just such
men as their Know Nothing brethren BANKS, BUR
LINaASIE, MATTBsox and others, whose triumph
they hailed with such eKustiOn when they we're sll
sworn members of the American order
The snake has been disjOintsd, not killed Its
scattered parts crawling together again and will
re-units in the next Congress. We shall again.see
Northern aud Southern OppOstiOnists cOnspiring
together TO plumber the treasury and squsnder the
eeoples money, and We may again expect - find
them casting their united vote Gs in 1855, for
CuLLoM, whose treschery TO his constituents will
be followed by faithlsssBess TO his public trust. q