Letter written by George Washington Knox of Livingston Co., MO. He was a school teacher, lived near Dawn Township, in Livingston County, MO ***************************************************************** ****************************************************************** File contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Vicki Knox Larson USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non- commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. Unauthorized use for commercial ventures expressly prohibited. All information submitted to this project remains - to the extent the law allows - the property of the submitter who, by submitting it, agrees that it may be freely copied but NEVER sold or used in a commercial venture without the knowledge & permission of its rightful owner. 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I once thought I was a Know Nothing but since I went into their meetings I was convinced that I never was to be a Knox Nothing. It might with propriety be said that I have seen one leg of Same but did not wish to see the other because it was so near like my own. That is, it was so out of place that I do not wish to see it. I once thought just others think that the Knox Nothing party would be the only party that would save the Union. But I am satisfied in my own estimation that if any party, that is, any one party alone will save the union it will be the old Democratic party. It alone I consider to be the true American party. I contend, as the Knox Nothings do, that Americans shall rule America. But the question arises who are Americans. Are they those persons that are living in our country and hold allegiance to a foreign power. Are those Americans who come over to our country and pretend to be friendly to the United and are endeavoring to betray us. Are such men as Arnold Americans. Are such men as those that are steeling negros Americans. Are such men as those that are raising mobs Americans. Are such men as those that contend that congress has power to determine how those new territories shall be admitted, true Americans. No, the question arises who are Americans. Who are those persons that shall rule America. Are they those persons that will not trust any but southern men to legislate. Are they those that will not trust any but northern men to legislate. No. Those are Americans who are willing to spend their lives for the Union of the United States. Those are Americans who are willing to meet their brethern from any part of the union and greet them as friends. Those are true Americans who will meet their friends, let them be northern or southern, eastern or western and cooperate with them in enacting laws for the perpetuity of our republic. Those are the persons that will stand firm in the hour of trouble. Those are the persons that (if permitted to stand at the helm) will cause peace to and harmony to penetrate to the utmost bounds of our republic. And send glad tidings of great joy into the heart of every true American. Those are the principles that will sustain the union. The Know Nothings contend that none but true Americans shall rule. So do we. There are no doubt many true Americans in the Know Nothing ranks. But I fear that a great many are beginning to show the cloven foot. We must judge a tree by the fruit it bears. Look in nearly all of the northern states how they are down on slavery. I fear that the Know Nothing will fall. They and the Whigs I fear will be just like the bulls that got into a fight. They will fall. As I said about the Know Nothings there are a great many true Americans or Republicans in their ranks but as they are about extinct I must tell the story of the two bulls. Once upon a time two bulls were bellowing at a terrible rate but they happened to be a long way apart with a large river between them over which there was a bridge. Well these animals each one heard the other bellowing at a terrible rate. And finally they concluded to decide which was the stoutest so they met upon the bridge about middle way and locked horns and went to work. They made some powerful surges. First one and then the other but finally they turned across the bridge, but still continued to push one against the other by accident one of them made a mistep and the other shoved him over board. Down he went into the flood. The other bull as if conscious of what he had done went to the edge of the bridge to look for his antagonist and spied him far below in the flood. But he did not stand there long until he began to be uneasy about his own situation. So he began to step back from the edge of the bridge and kep on going back until he finally went off on the other side into the flood also. Ao you see that these two bulls got a pretty sound drenching for not each attending to his own business. So you may readily conclude that these two bulls went home and ever after were content to stay at home and attend to his own business. Geo. W. Knox Note added to the bottom of the page: “Am sending this writing of my brothers, Geo. W. Knox, of 1856 when he was school teaching. R. L. Knox” On the back of the last page is the following written in pencil and no signature. Some of it is not legible: Mr Editor To error is human, but ---------error and c----- ----- truth is certainly commendable. I have seen Sam, at least a portion of him; enough however to satisfy me that he is not the charlatan he has been represented as being. I, like thousands of others, was induced to believe, that the so called “American” organization was the only one that promised to provide swift timely national and ----proove safeguard to this Union. But I find those pretentious; false. So this time it is difficult to miss a line of demarcation between “Sam{“ and “Sambo”. The late American party has seased to be national. But is now a new function. I find that any old party ---- Democratic is the only and which --- the --- of sectional - ------ .............. etc.