New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-14
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
KNowNoTHINGs AND REPUBLICANS.
A SCANDAL REFUrED BY RESINIscENcE.

SCANDAL REFUTED BY REMINIsCENcE'
To the Edtfor or The Tribune.
Sir: Democratic demogogues, In and out OF Con-
ress for the purpose of misleading foreigners, persist
in charging that the Republican party grew out OF
the defunct "Know-Nothing' party. The coincidence
of the death of the latter and the birth of the former
at about the same period of time has furnished
tho sole pretext for this scandal. To retire tho
stale fasehood IL is only necessary to refer to the
first last and only triumph Of that old mushroom
party I'm tho election of Gardner as Governor OF
Massachusetts,, in 1864, stouty opposed by tho
anti slavery forces which aferwsrd crysalized
into the Republican psty Of that State. Intoxicated
by that local success the party fix upon for holding
Its National Convention In Network the very Gay
appointed for the Republican National Convention IN
Philadelphia in 1885, for the studied purpose OF FORM
ing an alliance by putting pronounced member
Of each party upon the Republican National ucket'
thus merging the rapidly disintegrating Know
Nothing party in the rising Republican tde' lno
two conventions being thus In session at the sans
time, persistent effort was made TO form such an
alliance, which brought on scene In that Nationai
Republican Convention, of which / was memoer'
and now the sole surviving delegate, from Vermont
that tenacious memory Keeps wildly before mo
Upon an attempt made in open session TO so any
our party with KnowNothingsm, scores OF delegates
mounted upon every available elevation, shouting
and stamping for recognition, the Chair totally unaoe
to make his calls and raps for order heard or respected
each, from Dewitt O. Ltttlejohn. OF cooperstown'
to your humble servant inclusive, determined 70
be heard IN opposition to the unhsllowed alliance
whereupon, a man near the Chair, with voice ana
bearing loud and commanding to be distinguished
above the confusion and shouted out that son
OF John Quincy Adams is this platform, ana Viii
speak upon this question II order can be had INC
instant subsiding of all competition for the moor
showed that the old champion Of the right OF pennon
TO conjure with, and Charles Francis Ans az
was introduced, and by sharply showing why INV, INC
Republican party could never ndorse even ~ mn
proved abortive and the party thus defeated went
10 its merfted death by final struggle as Natonai
faction In that Presidential campaign. ..,
The party journals OF that day said but nuo
about the scene haze reoited; the Republicans,
because they did not wish to repel recruits rom me
defunct party the KnowNothngs' were quiet rom
their chastened defeat, and the thing was TOO fres
10 furnish morbid nutrition for the Democratic reIs
for scandal, and has, therefore, mainly been ntnxca
on the sly, as O ruse 10 impose upon Ignorance ana
prejudice as a means OF recruiting their party rom
the influx OF immigration. -,
And age seems TO have strengthened, rather than
weakened the traditional falschood as factor In
their party tactics Of war. ID. Il. NlCHoLSoN'
Rutland, VT, JaA 2, 1889.