Weekly Trinity journal., 1872-08-24
THE OLD TACTICS AGAIN.

mails and speakers seek To draw attention
from the real issues before the people,
by endeavoIing to excite a feeling of
prejudice against the Republican candi-
dates, upon some point or other which
has no bearing whatever upon the real
questions at issue. Their latest di-cov-
cry is that Henry Wilson, our candidate
for Vice President. was Know Nothing
in 1854, and that he should be prescribed
by citizens of foreign birth OH that ac-
count. Whether this assertion is true, or
false, we do not care to inquire-what
the opinion of Henry Wilson, or any
olher man was upon IN issue presented
twenty years ago, is n thing that it will
not benefit us nor the community to
know-it i o. more importance that we
should know their views upon the living
Questions Of the hour. Aud it Is not for
the purpose of refuting these assertions,
(Which we believe to be false), that we
refer to the the matter Mt alive only
speak of it to illustrate the Inconsistency
and the insincerity Of those who stoop to
such weapons of warfare.
Upon one point the American party of
1854 and the Democrats of ten years lat
er were exactly agreed. This point was
that intelligence and worth was not the
standard 10y which the citizen should be
Judged. Each was n party of prosclip-
ton, the difference being that the one
party prescribed by reason of creed and
birth place-the other by reason of color
and race. The arguments brought for
waid by the American party against the
naturalization of foreigners and their
election to official position, were seized
upon and re-ha,hed by the Democrats a
few years later, as good logic to urge
against the eniIanchi-ement of the negro
race. We use the word argument" us
Il term of couItesey, but in reality the
whole opposition to both the naturalizu
ton of foreigners aud the enfranchse-
ment of negroes, could have been SUNNI
ed up in the one woId-prjudicc. Pr,j-
udice declared that if man was born on
foreign soil, he could not become so wor-
thy citizen rs he who was native-born
A few years later, prejudice again declar-
ed that when n man was born on the soil,
when it WAS the only land he could claim
n his own when his religion, customs
and instincts were in unison with those
by whom he was surrounded. he would
still tie disqualified tor citizenship unless
also bonn perfectly white. How much
is there to choose between these two forms
of prejudice. one of which was the un-
dcrlyng "principle" Of the American
the other that of the Democratic party OF
late years ? And it is noticeable fact
that when the American party was in its
full strength and power, in its ranks were
found most of the leading politicians who
had been Dem Icrats, and who resumed
their old relations with the Democratic
patty when the American organization
ceased to exit. In those Southern States
where the chief Democratic strength now
centres, the American organization re-
tained its organization longest, and il will
he observed that in this State nine out of
ten Of the leading American Democrats
are known to have been identified with
the party when it fuuri>hed here, and
are believed to secretly cherish its one idea
still. Intelligent foreigners, however,
recognize that that issue was settled years
ago and that any attempt to make po-
litical capital Of it against individuals
now, is low, contemplate piece OF dem
agoguery, which will have effect upon
none but the most ignorant of their class.
The inconsistency of Democratic Jour
nalism is apparent in another view. For
years they have been pleading that we
should forget the past, that the record of
a man during the rebellion should not be
cited, for the issues of the war were set
tied by the war;" While we have no DE-
sire to allude To the past farther than it
tends to throw light upon the designs
OF politicians of the present day, we en-
ter our protest against that kind Of jour
nalism which talks so smoothly Of "bridg-
ing the bloody chasm," and buryng
the hateful past" in ono column, and in
another goes back twenty years, to fish
out some mans record upon an issue long
since settled. and buried in oblivion.-
Therefore we shy it matters nothing to
the present campaign whether Mr.. Will
son was n Know Nothing in 1854 or not.
We have only to deal with the living is
sue. of the day and the questions from
which those issues have arisen.