The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1859-11-05
THE PRESUMPTION OF THE
INDEPENDENTS.

aidates that great many Democrats are
going. to vote for them. This is told US
| by candidates who are still Know Nottl-
| ings to all intents and purposes inst as
much Know Nothings as they were IN the
early days of the wigwam, when one could
NOT shake hands with dozen nciglibors
without enduring variety OF strange
grips and pinches. Some of them say
! that the whole foreign population
| lmeauine American citizens who are such
by preference and not by aeeident) are
Going TO vote for them. We cannot credit
such story. 1t is very great conpil-
ment for airy Democrat to pay to any
very intimate and highly esteemed friend
who is not the regular nominee OF the
party, when he neglects to tell him that
he can give bis vote only to the nominees
of his party. But there is something re-
! voting and absurd in the idea that the
very men whose rights were threatened
by the followers of the dark lantern-wfso
were classed by them as seris and enc
mes-who were denied to have the right
10 vote when the laws gave it--who we're
excluded from Office by all the oaths OF
| the Know Nothing ritual-whose term OF
probation was sought to be heightened
out to twenty-olfe years or mare than haif
the average life Of man--who were sub
iected to every ;tannt and accusation
wllic! bigotry and intolerance could en-
graft upon the fruitful tree OF palltlcal
auimoslty---we say it is revolving and
absurd to be told that these men are going
to vote for the bittt-rcst and most active
of their prosecutors. Who first drew the
odious line of distinction between native
citizens and those born on the other side
cf the Atlantic The Know Notiings.
| WHO first proclaimed that o man not born
on American soil was unfit to hold an
American Office The Know Nothings.
/ Who first assumed that more than twenty
wears residence should be required before
an adopted citizen could vote !? The
Know Nothngs. Who cast the slime of
calumny upon the holy robes Of the Cath,
/ olic priesthood, slandcred Catholic bishops,
| Invaded Catholic schools with Legislative
visiting committees, ransacked Converts,
circulated filthy lies about Catholic insti-
| tutions, Knocked the language OF the most
sacred rites in their drunken street brawls,
and insulted even the funeral professions
of deceased Cathoiics2 The Know Moth.
I ings Of the North and of the cities Of the
South. Who have caused the CRITTERS Of
Louisville, Baltimore aud New Orleans t.
run with the blood OF honest laboring men
. who were only attempting to exercise
right which our Constitution and laws
confer and which q bold and honorable
people ought to maintain? The blAtles
and assassins in the employ Of the Know
Nothing party. While all these things
/. are fresh in the memory It is absurd and
slanderous to say that oar foreign-borr
citizens ere going to vote for men wl't
were the most active 10 the service Of thu
oath,bound and proscrlptive faction VIII
have not yet repented of their own follies
nor worn sack-cloth and ashes for the
crimes Of their party, who still cling te
the recollection of the midnight conclaye
the lantern-lighted wigwam, tue steallhily
concealed blue-book, the grips and signals
the rallying calls and slogan cries " Of
'55, '56 and Isl.
1t is with reluctance that we allude tc
this matter for we would forget, If WI
conld, that, in this enlightened age and in
this favored land, the spirit Of bigotry
, demagoguism and intolerance ever got $,
, strong hold upon the passio $ and pre-
judices of 50 many thousands Of the Amer
, icau people. 1t is blot on our history
!, that an entire political party should have
adopted creed so illiberal, SO unjust aal
, so odious.
G
q Ttrp p,ooncrn TIxraN TLa Nat;o,al T.,