Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-07-15

INC FuIfillment of Prophecy.

The FuIfiIIment of Prophecy.
1t was constant prophecy of this paper in 1856
and 1856 that the Know Nothing party of that yesr
would before six yesrs should pass, become the
clamorous but hypocritieal friend Of the foreign
born citizen. We regarded Know Nolhingism as
trick to catch votes; the appeals to naOnalities as
the mock patriotism of changelings and denagogues;
and the abuse Of the Catholics as the lowest of
panderings to the mOst degradedO PASSIONS dan
gerous fanaticisn. We he political odium which
must attach to secret oath-bound association, or
ganizsd to persecute and deprive Of political prvi-
Ieges men made citizens by laws passed inPursuance
of q wise political economy; and We knew that o
revulsion, which should overwhelm those politicians
who Joined this secret association was as sure TO
follow as that the fever follows the ague. We
reasoned from laws as immutable in the moral
as those in the physical weird when we pro
phccied The spsedy downfall Of Know Nothing
ism, and told our readers of 1856 that it would
be but few years before those who then stig
matised the Democratic party as '4he foreign and
Catholic party would try TO forget their abuse of
''the red mouthed Irish" in appeals TO 'sWaie Ire
land :" that 'The id Dutch would be eOured with
The seductive appliances; that lager bier would
become the fashionable drink of Opposition exqui-
sites and even the hated krout of those days
come to be pronounced dish most delecIablel We
told the Know NOthings of 1855 that all this would
follow certainly that the Of the night
are followed by the dreadful headache of the morn
ing.
And now, in less time than we prOphecied, look at
the ful6liment Of The prophecy 1t is only four years
since Gov. BROWN wanted to make matters "hot with
American indignation" Now we doubt if he would
consider himself prejudeed if aceosted Familiarity by
Dutchman, asked to take ufink of lager, or even
if called Sag-Nicht. And Gen. ZoLLIcoFFEE, who,
in 1865, suspected msn of being foreigner only
because his name was PETER D. VROoM-a native of
New Jersey and once Governor of that Stats-why
we wouldn't wonder if, from his late letter, he we're
now to claim credit with the foreigners that his
name had 'st.Ong German accent"
As for the newspapers: The Patriot which, in
1855, declared that-"so long as we are able to
WELD pen we shall omit no suitable occasion to
arouse readers to just appreciation of the dan
gers which are hidden under the claims of the Pope
upon the allegiance of his VassAls''-the Patriot
must feel satisfied that it has whipped out "the
Pope and his myrmidOns," for it finds now no "suit
able occasion to warn its readers of any danger
from the Catholics. The Banner apparently became
an out-and-out Know Nothing organ somewhat later
than the Wing and Patriot; but from the inception
of that party it supported candidates and defend
ed most of its leading ideas. The Banner has no
longer any fear of the Pope and foreigners. A de-
fence of their rights 0hen out Of this country is now
its leading idea Doubtless during the next canvass
it will be their most energetic champion here.
In these frequent changes lie the secret of the
constant failures and defeats of the party which
opposes the Democracy. Their idea seems to be
that the people are easily deceived; and eOnse-
quently they never go into canvass without some
humbug by which to impose upon The credulous.
They have to make new platform for each canvass.
They never doubt their capacity to deceive the pub
lie, and, when defeated instead of sttribotug such
defeat to the weakness of their principles, they
think they must have made some mistake in the
play That they have abandoned their cruel and
wicked crusade against the Foreigners, is matter of
congratulation. 1t would look much better were
they frankly to acknowledge the of the past
rather than attempt shield those errors by attacks
on the Democratic party. The naturalized citizen
knows that the Democratic party defended him and
his rights at time when his person, his property
AMI his citizenship were attacked by the very men
now apparently so much his friends. To suppose
rhem capable now OF fOrgetiir what The Democrat
10 party has done for them. and flying for shelter TO
the arms Ct the know-nO,hings, is TO suppose them
alike ungrateful and foolish. We have fears Of
any such result; no fear that any naturalzed oiti-
zen will thus degrade himself. But will not those
persons who have been frightened By the clamor Of
the know nothing leaders against the Pope and the
foreigners, renOuuce those leaders now that they
see them as ready to fawn upon the naiuTazed citi
zens for their votes, they to excite mobs
against them when ''intense Amerieanism and ''ihe
Protestant religion" were the cards they played to
win office