Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/457

 1852-eo] The Know-Nothing party. 425 and spontaneously in the face of the accumulating difficulties of the time : so that timid and busy men, and men accustomed to follow leaders and take their cue in politics from the clearest and most confident voices, left off doubting and searching for a party and followed it, electing Pierce and leaving the Whig party to go to pieces at its leisure. The uneasiness of the time showed itself in all sorts of abnormal whims and diversions from the regular game of politics. Utter de- moralisation fell upon the Whigs after their defeat in 1852, and, seeing their place vacant, a new and novel party pressed hopefully forward to take it. This was the " American " party, whose motto was, " Americans must rule America." It had been brought into existence by fears concerning the effects which the great foreign immigration of the time might have, under the country's too liberal naturalisation and suffrage laws, upon the control of affairs both local and national. It had not escaped general attention that the political disturbances then so acute in Europe had brought exiles of a new type to the United States, exiled agitators, political malcontents, men likely to be bitter, ambitious, covert, and astute in seeking their objects in a new field; and the "American" party had been formed to keep the government of the country in the hands of natives of the old stock. The organisation of the party centred in a secret club or Order, with its private councils and governing hierarchy ; but no member of the Order would admit his connexion with it. They all with one accord professed entire ignorance of any such organisation; and the country dubbed them, with a sort of piqued amusement, " Know-Nothings." Regular party men were inclined to make merry over the mysterious new body. " It would seem as devoid of the elements of persistence," laughed Mr Horace Greeley, " as an anti-cholera or an anti-potato-rot party would be." Nevertheless the Know-Nothings showed surprising vitality. To join them seemed to many of the disconcerted Wliigs a hopeful way of withdrawing attention from the troublesome slavery question. In the large towns and more populous cities, too, their objects seemed very practical and desirable indeed ; for there the new immigrants naturally thronged and made themselves at home in threatening numbers, and showed an ominous indifference to American standards of life and action. For one reason or another, therefore, this singular party drew strength to itself and played for a little while the role of political successor to the Whigs. Politics moved upon a confused stage during the next eight years, years of critical interest every one of them; but determining events followed each other in quick, unbroken succession. A storm gathered and burst, and the crisis all had waited for and dreaded came at last. For a little while it seemed as if the presidential and congressional elections of 1852 had cleared the air and restored a certain calm to affairs. If other parties had been broken and thrown into confusion, the Democrats at CH. XIII.