CHAPTER  I

BEGINNINGS  OF   NATIVISM,  I807-1843

Among the many political issues which have at one time or
another claimed the attention of the American people that of
nativism has its place in history. It meant hostility to every
non-American influence that could clash with the settled habits
of the American community. In the field of national politics
it first appeared in organized form in 1845 as the Native
American Party, but it shortly disappeared after a brief exhibi¬
tion of activity. In 1854 it suddenly came into the field again,
this time upheld by the Know-Nothing Order, and again
collapsed after a short life of three years, shattered by the
impact of a rival issue. Since then nativism has been absent
from national politics, but, it has flashed up from time to time
in the politics of the commonwealths, and there is no cer¬
tainty that it may not again, sometime, astonish the nation by
a new stride to the front. The Native American movement of
1845 was too weak and too unsuccessful to leave any real im¬
press upon the political memories of the nation. The Know-
Nothing Order, on the contrary, was strong for a time and
startling in the changes that it wrought. It brought before
the people new ideas and new methods. It roused earnest
enthusiasm and bitter hatred that endured long years after the
Order itself had passed away. But yet its career was too brief
to permit it to be really understood then or since. It has re¬
mained a curious political memory, whose origin and aims
and sources of strength are obscure topics in the annals of po¬
litical change.

The doctrine set forth by these two national organizations
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