Resurgence of Nativism: 1850–55

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.

Epilogue

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.

Know Nothingism at Its Peak: 1854–55

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.

The Know Nothings in Louisiana

This book examines the Know Nothing party in Louisiana. In the early 1850s, the Whig party disintegrated. Several third party movements appeared in the country. Know Nothings seemed to have a strong chance of replacing the Whig party and by 1854 the Know Nothings appeared throughout the United States. This book examines Louisiana because one feature of the Know Nothings, or American party as it was sometimes called, was its anti-foreign and anti-Catholic prejudice. Louisiana, particularly, South Louisiana had a large Roman Catholic population. The book seeks to address whether this feature hurt the party. The book also examines how northern Know Nothings, many of whom were anti-slavery, affected the party’s success in the South. Additionally, early studies of the Know Nothing party in Louisiana argue the party was made up of old Whigs and that traditionally, the party was seen as consisting of older, large slaveholding planters or town businessmen and lawyers connected to the slave-holding interests. This book concludes that Know Nothingism was unique in Louisiana; who actually were Know Nothings does not meet the traditional historical view for the state and the book concludes that the anti-Roman Catholic feature did not preclude South Louisiana slave-holding Catholics from belonging to the party. Louisiana Know Nothings did have difficulty because of the anti-Catholic feature, but it did not prevent Catholics from belonging. Northern Know Nothings’ abolitionism did cause problems for Louisiana Know Nothings, but the election outcomes in the 1850s demonstrated that Union and conservatism was strong in the state.