Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1977 The Know Nothing Movement in Louisiana. Marius Michael Carriere Jr Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Carriere, Marius Michael Jr, "The Know Nothing Movement in Louisiana." (1977). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 3056. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/3056 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. 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University Microfilms International 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA St. John's Road. Tyler's Green High Wycombe, Bucks, England HP10 8HR Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 77-25,373 CARRIERE, Marius Michael, Jr., 1942- THE KNOW NOTHING MOVEMENT IN LOUISIANA. The Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1977 History, United States Xerox University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. THE KNOW NOTHING MOVEMENT IN LOUISIANA A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of History by Marius Michael Carriere, Jr. B.A., University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1965 M.A., Stephen F. Austin State University, 1957 May, 1977 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. EXAMINATION AND THESIS REPORT Candidate: Marius Michael Carriere, Jr. Major Field: H is to ry Title of Thesis: THE KNOW NOTHING MOVEMENT IN LOUISIANA Approved: Vi (\ hd Major Professor andi jbhairi jChairmai Dean of the Graduate ^School EXAMINING COMMITTEE: 'UaaJ-U JL £*__ C s y Date of Examination: ____________________________ March 25, 1977 ________ ________________________ Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Inumerable individuals assisted this study. I am particularly indebted to Dr. Patrick O'Connor of the Louisiana State University Political Science Department who assisted me with the computer programs, The staff of the Louisiana State University Library Archives cooperated with me throughout my research. However, two individuals deserve a special recog­ nition. The direction and advice by Dr. William J. Cooper, Jr. gave me the inspiration which enabled me to complete this study. Finally, I am appreciative for the under­ standing and the patience of my wife Mimi, who hardly ever complained about the time I spent on this study. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................... ii ABSTRACT ................................... iv INTRODUCTION ........................................ 1 Chapter I. EARLY POLITICAL NATIVISM IN LOUISIANA: 1832-184S ............... .................... 8 II. RESURGENCE OF NATIVISM: 1850-1855 50 III. KNOW NOTHINGISM AT ITS PEAK: 1854-1855 .... 90 IV. THE DECLINE OF KNOW NOTHINGISM: 1856-1857 ...................................... 153 V. NATIVISM STRUGGLES: 1858-1860 224 EPILOGUE.............................................. 268 BIBLIOGRAPHICAL E S S A Y ............................... 270 APPENDIX A . ...................................... 292 APPENDIX B .......................................... 310 APPENDIX C ..... ............................... 312 APPENDIX D .......................................... 315 APPENDIX E ................................. 319 VITA ................................................ 336 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT During the 1850s the American or Know Nothing party appeared on the American political scene. Although most of the political strength of the Know Nothing party was cen­ tered in the northeastern United States, that party also had a following in the South. The Know Nothing party in Louisiana received its greatest support in the New Orleans area, but throughout the state the American party found enthusiastic followers. The American party evolved from the death of the Whig party, a growing fear of continued foreign immigration, and a desire of conservative and Union men to preserve the Union. In Louisiana, many former Whigs joined the Know Nothing movement. Rather than join the Democratic party which the Whigs had opposed fcr years or remain politically isolated, a large number of Whigs flocked to the new party. Because the Whig party had had a history of supporting nativistic causes in the 1830s and 1840s, these former Whigs had no difficulty in accepting the anti-foreign stance of the American party. In addition, the new party embraced the issue of the preservation of the Union which had always been a popular issue with the Whig party and an iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. issue which helps explain why some former Democrats also supported the party. The greatest success of the Know Nothing party came early in its existence in Louisiana. In the 1854 New Orleans Municipal Election, the American party achieved its first significant victory in the state. Following the New Orleans election, the Americans in 1855 won several local elections in the rural parishes of Louisiana. These successes in 1854 and 1855 were particularly encouraging to the Know Nothings because the gubernatorial election of * 1855 was rapidly approaching. Although the American party lost the gubernatorial election, the Democratic margin of victory had been thin. Democratic charges that the Know Nothings proscribed Roman Catholics and that the American party was anti-republican had not resulted in a one-sided victory for the Democrats. Americans looked forward to the 1860 presidential election. Despite attempts by the American party to allay the fears of those who believed that the party was pro­ scriptive, the Americans continued to suffer election defeats in 1856 and 1857. While the Democratic majority was not overwhelming in the presidential election of 1856, fewer parishes supported the American party than before. Then, the state election of 1857 was disastrous for the Know Nothings. After the 1857 defeat no American sought an elective state office on the American party ticket, v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The strength of the party remained only in New Orleans. However, even in New Orleans the party lacked unity. Americans in that city even appealed to German voters, and former Know Nothings disenchanted with the continuing vio­ lence of the American party, launched Independent movements to challenge American dominance. By 1859, the American party failed to oppose the Democrats in the gubernatorial election of that year. In the 1860 presidential election the majority of the former Americans supported either of the two Uhion and conservative candidates, Stephen A. Douglas or John Bell. Know Nothingism ended as a Union movement as opposed to the nativistic movement