The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-25
RAID OF OLD JOHN BROWN.
The Events Leading Up 10 Il as Recalled
by "Grandlalher."
The ARCH CRIMINAL OF THE CENTURY.
The Death of the Wing Party and the birth
ofthe Republican Party-1nteresting
"Reminiscences From Vivid
Recollection.
written for The Times.)

written for the IlInes)
Proposing 10 wind up these rambling
"reminiscences and memories Oh 1he ions
ago" in Virginia with Il couple OF letters
on the startling raid OF old Jonn brown
and his gang OF cut-throlts INTO the state
at Harper's Ferry In October, leo', OF
which | have the most Niyiu recoiisc'. .'li,
IL may make what shall have 10 say
about that affair more interesting ana
Ineligible TO the majority OF younger
readers TO preface that story with pre-
liminary glance at the political situation
which Immediately follow 81 tho wise
and patriotic administration OF Miilafd
Fillmore, all through the administration
Of Franklin Pierce, and a part OF that OF
James buchanan. The unfortunate nom
inatiOn Of Gen. Winfield Scott and his de-
feat by Mr.. Pierce was hy majority so
overwhelming that the Wing party went
all to pieces, and no attempt was ever
made 10 rcOrganize il.
owing 10 the troubled condition OF Eu-
rope, immigration TO this country pc
came enormous. The better classes or
these foreigners, especially from coiil-
mental Europe, pushed on TO the raplilF
filling up States and Territories west or
the Mississippi river and north o. tHe
old Missouri compromise line OF - Dc
grees ~ minutes north latitude. In otncr
words. beyond the limits OF slavery. Inc
iregs OF Europe. however, the criminal
Idle, and vicious class were content 10
remain in the large Eastern cities, ghere
through the vaccinations OF corrupt po-
llfical bosses" they were converted into
voters hy wholesale, by fraudulent eva
sions or our naturalization laws ana
were used as the m)rYc-pOWe err 70 run
political machines" always corrupt.
This state OF things along about ls9i-J
aroused the native American, ana better
classes. In the machine operated towns
and cities. esp ally Of the North. 10 or
ganize IN self-defeuce. secret political
party eschewng all former party 80
Citations, and uniting 10 protect the free
Americans franchise from the cOntani-
nation OF these new and lawless elements
IT, jscted into our yOtiug population. RMS
CrgarizatiOn called itself The Ameri-
con party" lis OPPONENTS stigmatizs I'd II
as the "knOW-NOthing Party because
lis operators were carried on behind
closed doors. and under solemn pledges
Of secrecy.
Originating In fanatical New England.
q religious test OF anti-Cdth)licism was
made q plank In It's platform which En-
tho end disintegrated and destroyed the
rarity Its main purpose, VIII IN was 20
require "A rwcnty-One years residence or
all foreigners. before FUN naturaliz alton
and tho right 10 vote. met with the hearty
support OF nearly all tho Old Wings IN
tie Southland many cmDcrits-but the
ant-CathOlic feature was so generally
condemned as contrary 90 our fundamen-
tai law. that in Virginia. at least, 10 was
Insisted q at no religious test 10 vote or
hold Office should ever be made, and
tiOual Council. and strike that odious
clause out OF the party creed as well as
10 abolish secrecy. and 90 plant the party
simply on denial of fun citizenship TO
any adult emigrant under twenty-one
years residence. And such assurances
were held out by leading men Of the new
party I'm the North that this should De
done, that the anti-CathOlic and secret
features Of the ritual We're practically
left optional with each State orstniza-
ton tin a National Convention could
amend and modify these Objectionable
features OF the party creed.
50 that when In 1906 the time ap-
preached 10 nominate a presidential tick
~. an open door and public National
Convention Of the American party was
called 20 meet in Philadelphia. / do not
remember the exact date but lt was early
I'm the summer.
ANTI-sLAyRRY FANATICIsM.
Every state was fully represented. ana
some OF the delegates We're members OF
the Congress then ia session. Antl-slav-
cry fanaticism was rampant and al ITS
height in the North. Uncle Toms cab
in." the most Infamous and most ingeni-
GUS and criminal SANDER eyer conceived
hy mortal brain against christian peo-
pie was doing it's diauolical work or ln-
cendiarsm in the North. and inhamiug
the popular mind there 10 that degree oil
intense hatred of the South d at for the
tine dethr0ucd reason. patriotism, ana
even Christianity. and Installed bloc H.
fanatcism as higher law than
,hrists teachings, or the compact DE-
tN cen the States embodied .n the Consti-
tuition framed by the "Falers or inc
American Union
l vas from west of the Blue Ridge, one
of the two delegates at large from Nlr-
ginla 10 that Convention. and after lts
o. npOrary organization. was appointed the
member from this state on the committee
10 nominate permanent Ollie ana re-
port "A platform. As soon as IL met 10 was
df parent the struggle Tor He.tlolN cone
troll OF the Convention would begin In the
committee. GOV. VIM. j.. Johnson, OF
Pennsylvania "a distant kiusuan OF mine,
as he had figiu cd out in a social gather
ing the night before az tho DIrard HOus y,
mlttec. / nominated VIM. O.. SrOwnl DW.
the celebrated lighting parsOu' Of Ten
Iessee, who Was then the most rabid Pro
slavery man iu the Convention. Brown
low WIS elected by two majority on a
vote by States. This test showed we
could not be "downed" in The conven-
ticn.
Governor Johnson had in his pocket
"cut and dried platform, which he drew
out and read. After a mild speech in IT'S
support he asked its adoption by the
committee. and 20 De reported 10 the Con-
Tcntion as thcAmefican party's platform
in tire approaching presidential election.
Il was all well enough except ON the
slavery question" but in his preamble
and one long resolution on that subject.
he fully justified the landtical theories of
the auti-slaNcry and abolition elements
or the North; assaulted the great cOmprO-
misses NJ 100 made under Mr.. Clays IA
mOur Omnibus Bill. one feature Of
which. favorable 10 the South, was the
Fugitive Slave law, providing for the zee
turn of runaway negroes from any state,
where captured. lie also defended the
Personal liberty laws. enacted i'm most
OF the free States ln fact 10 nIllifX and
set at nOught the just and constitutional
features OF the acts Of Congress favorable
TO- the South, embodied in the measures OF
1850, thar had crowned the life work OF
the Great PacincatOr,' as he was called,
Henry Clay, and who with Daniel Web
stcr ana John G.. Calhoun, known as
"The Great Senatorial Triumvirate" had
all passed away between 1870 ana 50.
Governor Johnson had scarcely taken
his seat when Percy Waller, of Alabama,
" hO was then a member OF Congress, re-
Piled TO him In a speech of nery elo-
urence, invcctivc ana constitutional Argyll
ment. Others on both sides rarucipdt ted,
and midnight found the committee in
lreat turmoil, when a motion was carried
TO adjourn till o'clock next morning.
IN pencil. resting the paper on the crown
OF my hat a substitute for GOV. john
sons preamble ana slavery resolution,
as nearly as | can recall its phraSeOlogJ,
in the following words
Resolved. That upon the question OF
slavery in all its aspects, the American
party plants itself upon the Constitution
OF the United States, and OF all acts OF
Congress sed H. pursuance thereof.
upon this basis We declare our unalterable
dow a he or o.