{"title":"Early Political Nativism in Louisiana: 1832–49","authors":"Marius M. Carriere","doi":"10.14325/mississippi/9781496816849.003.0002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14325/mississippi/9781496816849.003.0002","url":null,"abstract":"This chapter discusses the ethnic and religious politics in Louisiana that began in the 1830s that came out of the Creole-American rivalry of the early days following the Louisiana Purchase. Louisiana became more democratic with an influx of native (Anglo) Americans and this led to political turmoil. The chapter discusses foreign immigration, mainly Irish immigration that further heightened nativism in the state during the 1830s and 1840s. The chapter describes how the nativist sentiment affected politics in the state, both in local and national elections, and which, at times, led to third party movements that exploited the nativism. Violence and fraud became more commonplace in the state.","PeriodicalId":244617,"journal":{"name":"The Know Nothings in Louisiana","volume":"31 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116650635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Know Nothingism at Its Peak: 1854–55","authors":"Marius M. Carriere","doi":"10.14325/mississippi/9781496816849.003.0004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14325/mississippi/9781496816849.003.0004","url":null,"abstract":"Chapter 3 discusses how the Know Nothing party affected the entire state with several election victories. The chapter stresses Know Nothing resolve to affect reform and native-American control of the political system. The chapter also demonstrates how Know Nothings have been incorrectly characterized by earlier historians of the party in Louisiana. The chapter points out how the influence of northern Know Nothings’ opposition to slavery placed a heavy burden on the creditability of southern and Louisiana Know Nothings in the South and in Louisiana. For Louisiana, this chapter confronts the anti-Catholicism and secretiveness of the national party that embarrasses the party in the state and how Louisiana Americans stressed their conservatism and devotion to the Union as a way to avoid the slavery issue.","PeriodicalId":244617,"journal":{"name":"The Know Nothings in Louisiana","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121762525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Decline of Know Nothingism: 1856–57","authors":"Marius M. Carriere","doi":"10.14325/mississippi/9781496816849.003.0005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14325/mississippi/9781496816849.003.0005","url":null,"abstract":"This chapter discusses the continued Know Nothing election setbacks in the mid to late 1850s. However, the chapter emphasizes the belief that only the Know Nothings, according to many members, could avoid the sectional tension of the 1850s. While the state elections proved futile for the Know Nothings, the party continued to do well in Greater New Orleans. The chapter also continues to describe how Louisiana Democrats branded the Know Nothings as proscriptionists and abolitionists. The presidential election of 1860 is highlighted in this chapter with sectional stress assuming more importance than native Americanism. The ultimate failure of the Know Nothings in the state follows the party’s 1860 presidential election defeat and its gubernatorial defeat in 1857. Finally, the chapter summarizes how inexperience and lack of Know Nothing unity adversely affected the Know Nothings in these elections, as well as in the state legislature.","PeriodicalId":244617,"journal":{"name":"The Know Nothings in Louisiana","volume":"171 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116893758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Resurgence of Nativism: 1850–55","authors":"Marius M. Carriere","doi":"10.14325/mississippi/9781496816849.003.0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14325/mississippi/9781496816849.003.0003","url":null,"abstract":"This chapter begins with how the Compromise of 1850, temporarily, calmed ethnic, anti-foreign prejudice, and sectional tension in Louisiana. Yet, nativism remained close to the surface. Nativism returned as the National Whig party fell apart and foreign immigration increased. The chapter discusses a new native-American party rising to replace the old Whig party, the American or Know Nothing party. The chapter covers how many Whigs found a new political home in this party. Violence characterized the elections in the state, particularly, in New Orleans. However the chapter notes how the large number of Catholics in the state, who often became members of the Know Nothings, put the state party at odds with the national organization.","PeriodicalId":244617,"journal":{"name":"The Know Nothings in Louisiana","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130400303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Epilogue","authors":"Marius M. Carriere","doi":"10.14325/mississippi/9781496816849.003.0007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14325/mississippi/9781496816849.003.0007","url":null,"abstract":"The Epilogue chapter summarizes nativism in Louisiana from the 1830s to the 1850s. This chapter discusses how foreigners and Catholics became a part of the political climate of the time and how the Know Nothings seemed to be a permanent fixture to oppose the Democrats. The summary reviews how Know Nothings’ anti-Catholicism was a serious handicap in heavily Catholic South Louisiana and confirms that many old Whigs made up a large part of the Know Nothing party. The chapter refutes older views of the Know Nothings being primarily large, wealthy slave-owning aristocrats or well-to-do town businessmen. The chapter reiterates that Louisiana Democrats and Know Nothings were often from a similar socio-economic background. It concludes with the view that Louisiana Know Nothings were different and unique in many ways from Know Nothings elsewhere. Louisiana Know Nothings attempted to preserve the Union while, at the same time, defend southern rights. In the end, they failed.","PeriodicalId":244617,"journal":{"name":"The Know Nothings in Louisiana","volume":"2008 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127322510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Nativism Struggles: 1858–60","authors":"Marius M. Carriere","doi":"10.14325/mississippi/9781496816849.003.0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14325/mississippi/9781496816849.003.0006","url":null,"abstract":"Chapter 5 discusses how some Know Nothing felt the American party’s candidates’ inaction and the lethargy of the party’s leaders led to the party’s defeat in 1857. Some Know Nothings continued to oppose the Democrats and the Democrats’ radicalism, but the party witnessed its strength reduced to the New Orleans area. The party did remain successful in New Orleans and many old Whigs and Know Nothings continued to resist the Democrats. This chapter discusses the 1859 state election when an “Opposition” ticket appeared to replace the Know Nothings. In 1860, remnants of Know Nothings, Whigs, and a few Democrats refused to support Breckinridge and hoped to avoid a national disaster. These conservative men supported the Constitutional Union party, with a few old Know Nothings deciding not to “accept Unionism at any price,” and going with Breckinridge. In May 1862, Know Nothingism disappeared with the Know Nothing mayor of New Orleans surrendering the city to the Union forces","PeriodicalId":244617,"journal":{"name":"The Know Nothings in Louisiana","volume":"85 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122404087","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}