The splintering Whigs in Alabama faced three choices as they considered their political future. They could join their traditional opponents, the Democrats, reform the party under their old banner despite inconsistencies with the northern branch, or launch a new party. In the North the Know-Nothings espoused a "nativist" political platform and focused their ire on two groups: immigrants and Catholics. Alabama, however, had few immigrants or Catholics.
The Census Daniel Pratt identified only 7, foreign-born residents—mostly in Mobile—out of a total of population of , whites and free blacks, and the state had only five Catholic churches. Hooper tended to join with the Know-Nothings for their emphasis on internal state improvements in infrastructure and industry.
Former Whigs like Pratt, an industrialist, had long advocated state aid for railroads , but they had experienced only limited success in passing such legislation. It was hardly surprising that Alabama's Whigs were attracted to the Know-Nothings, but more unexpected was the conversion of many of the state's Democrats.
Party conflict between Whigs and Democrats was fierce enough to prevent much party-swapping. Some were attracted by the Know-Nothing party's secrecy provisions and fraternalism, which included a fairly intricate system of oaths, handshakes, and passwords.
Other Democrats were frustrated by their party's seniority system and left for the chance to become rising stars in the new political order. Citizen Know-Nothing In addition to attracting converts, the Know-Nothings also developed other trappings of highly-organized, modern political parties, including caucuses, rallies, conventions, and formal platforms. On June 12, , the Know-Nothings held a state convention in Montgomery and nominated Shortbridge for governor.
The party platform included nativist planks aimed at linking the state party with the national party and southern rights provisions that protected slavery. Regarding the growing issue of secession , Know-Nothings tended to have more Unionist sympathies than some of the more zealous Democrats.
Its members strongly opposed immigrants and followers of the Catholic Church. The majority of white Americans followed Protestant faiths. Many of these people feared Catholics because members of this faith followed the teachings of the Pope.
The Catholics would then place the nation under the Pope's rule. The Know-Nothing Party intended to prevent Catholics and immigrants from being elected to political offices. Its members also hoped to deny these people jobs in the private sector, arguing that the nation's business owners needed to employ true Americans. The majority of Know-Nothings came from middle and working-class backgrounds.
These people feared competition for jobs from immigrants coming to the United States. Critics of this party named it the Know-Nothing Party because it was a secret organization. Its members would not reveal the party's doctrines to non-members. Know-Nothings were to respond to questions about their beliefs with, "I know nothing. Waves of Germans, who mostly spoke in their native tongue, and Irish, whose thick brogues were difficult to understand, were two groups who inspired the great opposition.
The clannish Irish, who were Catholics, were particularly feared and despised. Many Protestants felt that. An "Nativist" campaign banner. By the anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic political group—then known as the American Party or Know-Nothings —held their only national convention in Philadelphia, nominating Millard Fillmore for president.
Certain groups of already established Americans who called themselves "Nativists," formed secret societies dedicated to stopping the flow of immigrants. The depth of nativist animosity was demonstrated in when a group of anti-Catholic laborers and townspeople chased a group of students and Ursuline nuns from their school and convent near Boston and then burned the buildings.
In the s more groups appeared in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and other metropolitan regions of the country. Various local groups appeared and disappeared over time. Eventually the themes of hostility to Catholics and immigrants and the corresponding opposition to the costs of trying to support and educate indigent foreigners found favor with groups attempting to organize on a national basis.
In a secret fraternal organization bearing the name of the Order of the Star Spangled Banner was launched in New York and similar lodges began to form in other major American cities.
When asked about their nativist origins, members would respond that they "knew nothing" and soon found themselves so-labeled.
0コメント