Know Nothings

Know Nothings, the popular name for the Native American party which was formed in the United States shortly before 1855, gained considerable successes in that year, lost its ground hopelessly in 1856, and soon after disappeared from American politics. Its distinctive principle was that the government of America must be in the hands of Americans; naturalisation was to follow only after twenty-one years' probation, and allegiance to any foreign potentate or power—presumably including the pope—was to be a bar to selection for political office. The order was a secret one, and the popular name arose from the members professing always to 'know nothing' when questioned about it. In the state elections of 1855 the party carried most of New England, besides New York, Kentucky, and California, and gained some successes in other states. In 1856 they nominated Mr Fillmore (q.v.) for re-election to the presidency, and polled nearly 875,000 votes; but they gained the electoral votes of Maryland only, and this defeat was the death-blow of the party. Nevertheless, its radical principle, in the form of revolt against the tendency to allow political power to fall into the hands of a particular body of foreign-born citizens, occasionally reappears in American politics. In Boston, for instance, in 1889 the native-born citizens combined to snatch the city government from Irish hands; and the unsuccessful attempt to defeat the Tammany Hall nominees at New York at the same time exhibits a similar reaction at work.