The sun., 1892-12-18

by the President 1t came out In the ensuing
debate TINT the Southerners were willing to
give from Sl25.000.O0O TO 100000. 900 for the
island. but II they could not buy 1t they were
prepared to take It and talk about 1t alter
ward This bill was ultimately withdrawn
because its advocates found that 1t could not
be pressed to vote without the sacrifice Of
the appropriation bills. which would involve
an extra session. These incidents are chiefly
mcmorable rs testifying to the pecuniary
value Of Cuba in the eyes Of American states
men mt various times. The conjunction Of
Spain's inability to provide for its public dobt
with revolution like that which brought
about the expulsion OF Isabella H.. may at
any timo impel us to inquire what would be n
reasonable sum to offer for n voluntary ces-
sion OF Cuba
The authors remarks on the Know Nothing
movement are characterized by good sense
and breadth OF view. The PRINCIPLES OF the
new party found their keynote In the procln-
nation OF an order attributed to Washington.
Put none but mericans on guard tonight
and the Father Of His Country was represent
cd as declaring that Americans should rule
America" This was the fundamental doc
trine OF tho Know Nothing party. The imme-
diate and practical aims in view were first to
exclude foreigners and Catholics from all ma
tional. State. county. and municipal offices.
and secondly to so change the naturalization
laws that an immigrant could not become
citizen until after the residence OF twenty-one
years in this country. Mr. Rhodes does not
deny that even in 1884 tho influx OF ignorant.
pauper. and criminal immigrants had be-
come an evil Of serious proportions. Had
tho remedies sought by the Know-Noth-
;,ra I,nan o. Nd ort}n }n0l, 40 md
had their methods been above sus-
picon. their movement although premature.
might be justified at the bar OF history. But
the crusade against the Catholic Church was
contrary to the spirit OF the Constitution and
was as unnecessary as it was unwise. The
statistics OF the times showed plainly that
Catholics were not sufficiently numerous to
justify alarm. Then again the purposed ex-
clusion from office Of foreigners who had al
ready been naturalized was illogical and un-
just The methods OF the Know-Sothings
were even moro Objectionable than their aims
The party was vast secret society. with rami-
flcations in every State. Secret lodges were in
stituted everywhere. with passwords and de-
grees. grips and signs. The initiation was
solemn. The candidate who presented him.
self for admission to the first degree must.
with his right hand upon the Bible. take
solemn oath OF secrecy. Then II he were
II. il he beloved in God: IL lie had been
born In the United States. II neither he him
self nor his parents nor his wife were Roman
Catholics. and he had been reared under Prot
estantinfiuence.he he was considered proper ap-
plicant. Before receiving tho password he was
further obliged to swear not to vote for any
man unless he were Protestant, an Ameri-
can-born citizen. and in favor OF Americans
ruling America. Tho number OF citizens
who Joined this secret society was very
great. 1t was made UP partly OF men who were
incensed and alarmed at the power OF foreign
born citizens in elections. but moro largely
OF others for whom the secret ceremonies and
mysterious methods constituted q powerful
attraction. A still stronger reason for the
transient success OF tho order arose from the
fact that. although the old parties at the North
were rent into fragments. there was no ready
made organization to take their place. The
political and official name Of the new associa-
tion was the American party. AS the men,
bcrs. however. when the curious inquired
what were their principles and their objects
invariably answered Il know nothing" the
popular name OF Know. Nothing was given in
derision. As tho appeation expressed mys-
terry it was not resented.
In tho State elections OF 1854 tho Know
NothinGs exhibited remarkable strength. and
National Council assembled in Cincinnati.
This meeting is noteworthy from having
authorized the third or Union degree. 1t was
provided that after candidate should take an
oath rs strong as words could make it that he
would faithfully defend tho Union OF the
States against assaults from every quarter he
should be admitted to the brotherhood OF the
Order Of tho American Union. In six months
from the time that the Union degree was insti-
tutcd it was estimated that a million and a
half Of men had taken the degree. and tho ad-
vocates OF tho order did not hesitate to assert
that it controlled that number Of real voters
Nevertheless. In May, 1855. the Southern Know
Nothings received a severe blow In the cleo.
tion OF n Democratic Governor in Virginia,
and ut the next National Council. held in
June of the samo year at Philadelphia,
the party was irreparably split upon the sa-
very question. majority report. adopted by
n vote OF 30 to 3d. declared that Congress
ought not to prohibit slavery in any Territory
or in the District OF Columbia and that it had
no mower to exclude any State from admission
to the Union because its Constitution recog-
nlzed slavery. llenceforth the Southern Know
Nothings made their election contests on Il
programme which included tho declaration
quoted: the Northern Know Nothings. on the
other hand. including even those OF New York,
repudiated the slavery plan when they asked
for the votes Of the people. Another important
fact brought out at the National Council OF
1850 was the discovery that the Know Moth
ings had exhausted all tho virtue Of their oc-
cult machinery. The secrets had been on
posed: there was no longer any mys-
tory: their dark ways had ceased TO excite
terror. Those who vainiy hoped that
the secret work OF the lodges. which had
played such II part the preceding year. could
still be continued. must have been undeceived
whom they saw every proceeding Of their Ma
tional Council laid bare to the public. Hence
forth the Khow-Nothings had to appeal openly
to the people for support on the ground Of cer-
tain defined principles which they wished to
put into force In legislation or adminstra-
tIon. They could no longer demand votes
simply because voters had taken solemn
oaths: they had to justify the existence OF
their party by discussion and by convincing
reasons II they failed. 1t was because they
were not alive to the needs OF tho times.
having subordinated the question OF slavery
to tho question OF immigration. and having
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