Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-30
An IMPUDENT PRE- TENDER EX'
POSED.

Our telegTaphic dispatches report that
letter from Henry Wilson to the Germans
ofBrooklyn is published, in which be states
that he never was member ofthe Know
Nothing rarty,b but always opposed it. Now
let Us see about this. Gen. Albert Pike
writes to the New York Tribune as follows:
SIR: "Was Henry Wilson Know
Notbinq9n You say that you are constant
" receiving letters asking an answer to this
question.
will answer it. l was a delegate to
and member of the National Council Of the
Know Nothing Party, in the summer OF
1855, at Philadelphia, and one Of the seven
delegates from a Southern State. found
the present Senator Henry Wilson in that
body when entered it, and be sat In 1t du
ring the whole session, and helped settle
the platforn-being one of the seven dele
gates of Massachusetts.
To he there, he had TO have the sign,
word and grip; and necessarily had taken
the same oath which We all had tsken on
entering the orCisr, !. E.; not TO assist in any
wav In elevating to any Office Of trust or
profit any person OF foreign birth, or any
roman Catholic. The oath is as binding
On him now as it was then.
NV name will assure you that / know
that of which l speak. l object to MIR.
Wilson's sneaking out OF the scrape, by
both the s1lppreSsi0 Ueri and suggeStiO fdlSj.
ALBERT PIKE.
WASHINGTON CITY, Aug. p, 1872.
We think there are two or three gentle
tlemen in Tennessee who were members Of
the National Council to which Gen. Pike
refers, and one of them from whom We
have heard remembers seeing Wilson there.
Now we have here incOntrovertible evil
dence that Wilson was member Of a
Know Nothing Council, and that he could
not have been there without first having
she sign, word, and grip" and to have be-
come possessed of these, be necessarily had
TO take toe same oath which all Know
Nothiugs took. Gen. Pike vOuehes for the
following as the text Of the
oath which he took, and which Mr.. Wilson
took. for it was forwarded to the New Y ork
Tribune by a respectable aud responsible
Massachusetts, Know Nothings
I'm the presence of the true and ever
living God, and on these sacred Scriptures,
His Holy Word, | do declare that Will
Irllv fulfill all my obligations toward my
brethren of the Order Of Known Othings,
and that will keep sacred all the signs,
tokens, pass and degree words, embleDs and
proceedings of said Order. And L
further declare and solemnly swear that |
will not knowingly vote for, appoint, or
elect any person of foreign birth, or Ro-
man Catholic, to any Office in the the local
or general administration Of the American
Government; and | further declare
aud swear that I viii use all the
means in my power to counter&cs and des-
troy the influence Of foreigners and Roman
Catholics in the administration of the Gov
eminent of the United States, and in any
and all parts thereof, both local aud gen.
cral. To all this, a free and voluntary OBJ
legation on my part, without reservation,
pray that l may ever be able to remain
true and steadfast, so help me God.
Here is the testimony that Wilson was a
Know Nothing and the oath he took when
he became such; yet with an utter disre
gard for truth, be denies that he ever was a
Know Nothing, and brazingly asserts thai
be always opposed that party. The fellow
seems ambitious to get down to the level
of Grant, 50 far as character for veracity Is
concerned. He is already there.