Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1872-09-14
WILSON'S podges and shufling.


Senator Wilson, who was Know Nothing
when Know Nothingism paid, has been trying
hard to produce the impression that he never
was member Of that order, now that he has
nothing to expect from it but the less of votes.
We have hitherto published his sneaking letter,
which every body construed as a denial of all
connection with Know Nothingism, and which
Wilson would have allowed to stand as such If
Mr.. Bird and General Pike had not conclu-
sively fixed his status as member of that Or
der. Hemmed in on all sides and unable to
escape otherwise than by new lodges and sub
terfuges, the Massachusetts, Senator has fallen
upon the following method of extricating him
self:
Returning from his electioneeriny tour to his
home, he sought last Friday an opportunity to
address his constituents. He brought up the
charges that had been made against him, and
endeavored to excite their sympathy in his be-
half He referred to particular speech which
he said he had been accused of making in
Know Nothing times, and quoted the follow
ing passages:
"These foreigners have no more right to vote
than the beasts of the field, and have not half
the sense of good Newfoundland dog. God
knows that would tell these paupers and vaga-
bonds, these vile, filthy, degraded foreigners,
that if | am ever a candidate hope you will
never vote for me-"
He denied having ever made this spec Oh, and
artfully sought to limit his letter of denial to
which we have several times referred) to this
speech, as will be seen by the following re-
mark:
Well now, gentlemen, took occasion few
weeks ago when | first saw this-for did not
know its hiStory-I took occasion to write a
little note which was circulated all over this
country by telegraph, that this was forgery,
a cruel and wicked lie, and never thought or
wrote or spoke a single line that is in it,
That "iittle note was universally under
stood by his friends and his foes as being de-
NAL of his having ever been a Know-Nothing
and was so used by the organs of his party.
But hemmed in as he has since been by trou-
bleSome proof, he found it necessary to try
new moral dodge. While denying that he ever
made such a speech, he confessed when driven
by necessity that he did belong to the Know
Nothing order. Here is what he said on this
subject in his late speech
Now, gentlemen, denied this the other day.
What was the response Why, the New York
Tribune, that denounced it as forgery in 1860
and knew | never wrote anything Of the kind,
came out and said wanted to deny had any
association with the Native American party
Well, good God, never thought of denying
that. My denial referred to that speech
They have got two or three more, and | shall
net be surprised if become such victim
when the election is over that you will not
know me for the speeches that they charge on
me. Well, this brought out Mr.. Albert Pike,
who says that he met General Wilson in the
national convention of the American party in
1854, and that he was there engaged in the eff
fort. Well, didn't suppose that any man
denied that-the Tribune especially-for they
have several columns devoted to what l said
and did there. Well, suppose that made
| fifty speeches in 1854 and 1855 that referred
to that movement. This Mr. Albert Pike Is a
Massachusetts, man, and if you want to find a
man that can do mean thing, always find a
Yankee; he can do a meaner thing than any
body else.
We shall not follow Mr. Wilson in his TRADE
against General Pike, who has incurred his i'll
will because he dug him out of his hole
While forced to acknowledge what General
Pike charged, he yet endeavored to excite the
feelings of his audience against him General
p on account of his Confederate record
We have in the above, from Mr.. Wilson's
own lips, the distinct admission that he was a
member of the Native American or Know
Nothing party. That being established, it
matters not whether Mr. Wilson did or did not
make the particular speech to which he refers
If be was a Know Nothing land he admits he
was) he was opposed to foreigners and Catho-
lies, and was sworn to do all in his power to
deprive them of political power He cannot
escape from that dilemma by any evasive sub
terfuge or direct falsehood. If, as he now de-
clares, when he wants the votes Of foreigners
and Catholics, he was all the time in favor of
giving them equal rights with natives, then he
cOnvicts himself of false swearing when he took
the Know Nothing oath.
Thehct is that Mr.. Wilson is a thorough cheat
aud trickster.-Riclmond Wing.