The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-09-08
THE GREAT KNOW NOTHING BOOM,
How 1t Carried Stark 90. and Wiped Out
the Demooraoy--Ep of 1854 55,
and How the Monster was Met and
Overthrown.

| HOW 1t Oarrled STARK 20 ana WNpsu OuC
| the Democraoy-.Epi of 1854 55,
and How the Monster was Met and
| Overthrown.
| DR.. Slusser's expression" in the News.
| DEMOCRAT OF Saturday last on bis "Choice
| for Congress- was right to the point, and
| in several respects entitled to attention.
The Doctors reference to the Know
| Nothing period, a terrib g time, awakened
| recollections. This avalanche at the cleo
| ton in the fall of 1854 that overlhrew the
| Democracy, was wholly unlocked for. So
overwhelming was it that we in Ohio
saved not q single member OF Congress
| and l do not now remember that we saveu
a county. Never was political party
| more surprised and dumbfounded than
were the Democracy. The old back
boneN Democratic counties, Columbiana,
Stark and westward, we're just gobbled
up. There seemed no ray of hope, for We
knew not who dealt the blow; but we did
realize that a foul and secret con-
spiracy had been entirely successful.
After election, Democrats soon began to
notice u difference in the expression of
mems countenances. OF course our for.
mer political opponents were joyful and
sought no coDcealment; while Democrats
who had not swerved were sad
at heart. Our friends on the
ether hand, who had acted with the
enemy, were overjoyed and could not all
conceal it. Thus in various ways, we
soon had clues which enabled us to spot
some of the men who bad left us and
basely worked our ruin. vengeance is
mine saith the Lord" aud we soon felt
its full force; and began TO ask ourselves
what shall we do?
Mr., McGregor, in the STARK COUNTY
DEMOCRAT, came out weekly in no milk
and water terms. His inspiring words,
and notes of bold defiance and exposure,
were, like Roderick Dhu's bugle horn,
worth thousand men," He said, mo
man may put off the law of Cod" and
wrong must be resolutely met and an ap-
peal to reason made.
But the little Hindoo arrangement was
secret, oath bound affair an entire de-
parture from the usual course of fair
politics. The monster had grown through
narrow appeals to prejudice and passion,
rather than to reason and right. Mr..
McGregor therefore insisted that we must,
for the ZINE being, organize in d way to
meet the requirements. 1t other words,
we must fight the devil with fire that 10
meet him on his own ground, and fight
him with his own weapons, to the extent
necessary. This was his talk to the lead
ing Democrats. Democrats however,
were, as rule, unfavorable to secret
political societies, but il was claimed
altered cases." and the
object was only to tap and burstthe Know |
Nothing Conspiracy.
The custom was in those days to hold |
Democratic state conventions on the 9Th |
of January, in Lonor of jackson md New |
Orleans. The convention of January 9Th, |
1855 was largely attended, and there |
quietly, was set a going the -so-called |
''SaR Nichts" society. In due |
time the organization was flour |
ishing in Stark CO.. and had a wonderful |
effect in reviving the dropping hearts and |
hopes of Democrats. There was much |
in the plan, for the main work |
was to instruct the members in all the |
know nothing clap-trap, signs, pass
words, ETC., 30 that the Sag NIGHTS enter |
the Hindo lodges as we'll as their own |
m mbs RS, In this way we knew all the |
plots and schemes OF the X. Ms as we'll as |
cropping in the dark by any manner OF |
means; and in due time they discovered |
the leaks, but that did not help them nor |
relieve.
The Know Nothings again carried Stark |
county in 1855, but by red iced majority |
of about one thousand, and only then
after n desperate effort. Indeed their
ticket was largely made up of men
elected as Democrats who were then run.
ming for their second term. In 1856 the
K Ms carried the county by close vote;
but in 1857 they were, as DR.. Slusser says,
routed, horse, foot and dragoCns. Dr.
Slusser was then elected as one OF our
members TO the General Asse mbly and
James E Case as the other, while Thomas
w. Chapman was elected to the State SEN
ate. The county remained Demo-
cratic until 1860 when divisions
then gave ii to the Republicans.
So much for the Know Nothing period
referred to hy DIR. Slusser, 1t was ter
ror time for a while and quite an
episode in the history of our poliucs. Few
OF the present voting generation know
anything of IL, except by hearsay that
leaves little impression. History, how.
ever, repeats, and repeats, of course with
slight variations. The offspring are not
precisely like either parent, though bear
ing close resemblance. So il is with
events. They are similar, though not the
same.
The leaders of that time ia the State
and county have mostly gone to their rest,
and need not be named. Other men and
other times and incidents have followed
on, and so will humanity continue. Striv'
ing for political opportunity they took
advantage OF the condition of the human
mind, and were for the time successful;
but their boom soon declined for its
foundation was not upon the rock of
truth and justice; and "error wounded
writhes with pain, and dies amid her wor'
shiDperB,D OLD DEMOCRAT.