Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-07-02

The Natick cobbier proves heavy load
for the Grant Republicans TO carry. His
Know Nothing record is anything but palat-
able, especially to the German and Irish
voters. The New York Nation, while en-
dorsing the Philadelphia nominations,
mildly suggests that the only objections
which can be urged against Wilson
are, "that he is purely politician,
no statesman, and given to time
serving, and on the special ground that he
ought to be odious to the Germans, as hav,
ing been leader among the Know-Noth.
ings.n "Warrington," the well-known cor
respondent os the Boston Journal, and a
warm personal and political friend of Sena-
tor Wilson, makes the following explana-
ton and defence of that gentleman's Know
Nothing record:
"lVhen Webster went over to the slave
holding party in 1850 the Free-soilers de-
termined to break him down, and his party
| with him. And, by coalition with the
Democrats, then mainly controlled by
1 OOOSWCAA anu OdllAD, dllQ OhLCL 14lCn Will
! liberal notions under their caps,' they sue
ceeded. The coalesced reform party held
| the State for two years, chose Boutwell,
Governor and Sumner Senator, and Wilson
President of the Senate, and Banks Speak
er of the House. 1t then undertook to re-
| form the constitution of the State, but
broke down in this operation.
"Now commenced the most disrespectabie
part of Wilson's career. The constitution
OF 1858 was defeated partly-at any rate it
was so believed-by the ShrewdneSs of the
Wings IN getting the Roman Catholic vote
against it. The secret order of Know
Nothings arose about this time, and was
stimulated TO great activity in Massachu-
sets by this real or supposed Catholic &C
ton. Wilson was in the movement, but
do not think it can be truly said that he
sorganized it." He was in it, and Of it;
and his great ofiense, in the eyes of fair
dealing men, was that he was ia and Of it
while actually running at the regular
nominated candidate of the free
sellers for Governor He is the only
Instance in our political history, believe, of
man boiling the nomination of himself
receiving without remonstrsnce votes of
| his friends while he was actually support
ing candidate who was utterly unfit to be
chosen-the worst candidate of the four
who were in the field. To do him justice,
he never did the thing before nor since. L
Go not think that he established the lodges
of the party-that work was done by the
fellows who believed in it-he never did so
TO any great extent-never, to any great eX-
tent, pretended to. When the Legislature
Of 1855 met he sought the Senatorship, and
got it, against the opposition of the doc
trinaireS of the party and its organi-
zers, the Jonathan Pierces and Alfred
Elys, who thought the Pope had
actually sailed for America, and was
about to establish the inquisition in Boston,
and roast at the stake, or bake in dry paniI,
all the evangelical citizens of the Bay State
He was chosen because the Freesoil and
anti Wing element was stronger than the
anti Catholic and anti foreign element. His
majority in the House was considerable; in
the Senate, only one, if rightly remember.
He wrote a letter to Robert B. ball, which
was just K. n. enough to save his credit
with the K. Ms, but was mainly occupied
with ''the principles which underlie" the
movement, rather than with its measures,
its constitutional tinkerings and its prospec-
tive statutes.
cater his election he took but little pains
to disguise his contempt for his associates.
a letter of his to Vespasian Ellis, of Missis-
sippi, is accessible to the antiquary, which
was written in this "between hay and grass"
period of his Kuow-Nothing career"
Here, then, says the st. Louis Republican,
is friends testimony to the effect that
Wilson was Know-Nothing in full COM
munion with the party, and yet playing the
hypocrite all the time! Himself candidate
for Governor of Massachusetts on the Free
Soil ticket, he actually, though secretly,
bolts bis own nomination in order to elect
Gardiner, the Know-Nothing candidate!
While the senatorial contest was pending
he did all he could to secure the Know
Nothing vote, got it, and then "took but
little pains to disguise his contempt for his
associates" a traitor to both sides, he
was true only to bis own selfish interest,
and for the establishment of these he was
ready 10 sacrifice every principle of honor
and decency. We congratulate the Radicals
on their happy selection of a candidate for
the Vice Presidency