The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-20
THE NATIVE AMERICANS.
Their Rise and Progress, and It. snPsrary
successes.

| The recent successes at local elections o. the ma
tive Americans, under their new name of Know
Nothings, has caused much inquiry with reg Gd =
their past history and probable future prosp ectf
We hSye given several articles in the HERALD Ol
tins subject showing the history and effects of tht
peculiar element in osr pcltics, tending to prove
that party organized on the plan principles Of
the native Americans appealing to the prejudioes
OF nativity, religion, race, must necessarily be
brief in its continuance, and only be eyived by
tue arrogance end folly of naturaized citiznns, In
st'gated by American dsmagogues seeking o1lie, o.
imbued with elgieus or other fanaticism.
| For the further Information Of the readers Of <the
HERAhD, we have Selen the trouble to compile N d
now present variety Of polsical statistics with ON
own reeolections OF facts, relative TO the nativA
Americans as an organized PARTY, showing thoir
votes and operations 1T the successive elections i
which they havo pa-ti>ip~..a = Pvlssso.a
citation, from their first organization in this pity
in 1885, to the election of Presidens Taylor In l848.
As we stated in o former article, the native
American party originated q distinct political
association in this city in the year 1885. 1t Ia true
that on former occasions there had been jealousy
existing between the naturaaizcd citizens and the
native voters Of the party opposed to tho prevailing
democracy-particuary in elections for Aldermen
of the city, and Representatives to Congress and
the Legislature. The Irish adopted citizens were
almost uniformly of the democracy attached to
Tammany Hall, and although few of their leaders
such as the late Thomas Adds Emmett, William
Sampson Doctor Macnevin, and Dennis H. Doyle
were friends of De Witt Clinton; the Irish voters,
led by Aldermen Mcqueen, John Lozier, Shivers
\ Parker, and other prominent democrats of the
bucktal or Tammany Hall school, supported the
fiokafa ad of Hall M OnnOQ6A
De Witt Clinton and his political friends. 1t is
very common mistake to suppose that the Irish
voters generally supported De Witt Clinton at eles
tons-the returns of votes in those times, from the
Sixth ward particularly, show the contrary to have
been the truth
In the times of General Jackson's presidency.
when the Irish nearly unanimously supported the
Jackson democratic tickets, attempts were made 70
excite the feelings Of American voters aganst them;
but the attempt to create q separate organization
considered too hazardous an experiment for the
anti Jackson minority party to make, and 1t was
reserved for mechanic of that party in this city -
try the experiment in 1885. Under his auspices .
Native american Association was formed, the prfn-
cipal object of which declared to be the exclu.
sion Of persons of foreign birth from Office. small
sheet called The Natiue american was published
by this association and copy of this paper printed
in 1886, we have recently examined. 1t contains an
address from the association to the people Of tho
United States setting forth the objects and designs
ofthe Native American Association, and showing the
abuses which had grown up under the naturaliza-
tion laws, and the appointments of foreigners TO
ofice-appealng to Americans of both political
parties to take measures to correct these abuses.
| In the autum of 1885, the wings of this city hav-
ing been disastrously defeated at the State election
of the year previous, willing to withdraw from
the political field, at the election for members Of
the Leg gislature, and for q member of Congress to
supply vacancy. The democratic party were divi-
ded on the question respecting the chartering Of
new banks, and the radicals, or ocofocos made dis
tinct nominations for Congress and Assembly. The
native American association seized the opportunity
to bring forward tickets for Congress and Assembly,
composed of wings and seceders from Tammany
Hall. James Monroe, who had been Alderman Of
the Third ward, was their candidate for Congress,
and Frederick A. Tallmadge, Clarkson Crolius Jr.,
Anson Willis, and others, were on their Assembly
ticket. The result OF the election was unsatisfac-
tory to the wings and native Americans, as their
united vote polled fell far below the whig vote Of
the previous year, when Seward, the whig candi-
date for Governor received ,692 votes in the city
The vote for Congress in 1885 was as follows -
\ Chas g. Ferris, radical l0c0fOco. 1854
/ JAS Monroe, native. ..........,....... $500
A successful organization of native Americans
took place at the same election in Brooklyn, by
which member Of the party, John Dikeman, Esq,
was elected to the Assembly from Kings county
He had acted with the democratic party, and owed
his election to union of the whigs and native
Americans in his favor thus causing his election to
the Assembly over the regular democratic candi-
date Thus the first person elected to Office by the
native American party was democrat Of the old
school. II may be here remarked that IL was the
early policy of the founders of the Native American
Association to take their candidates for Office alter
nately from both the whig and democratic parties.
But as their principal leaders were wings, it be-
came their evident intention to play into the hands
of the whig party, and the wings insisting upon
their adoption Of all their candidates by the natives
finally led to the destruction of the original Native
American Association after the State election Of
1888.
In April 1886, at the charter election, the whigs
refused to cooperate with the native Americans in
the support of candidate for Mayor of New York.
The wings having nominated Seth Geer, the natives,
through the chairman Of their association, brought
forward Professor Samuel F. B. Morse, one Of tho
inventors of the magnetic telegraph, as their candi
date. Professor Morse had not been knowa in our
potcs but he was said to be democrat in his
feelings and he was known to be decidedly opposed
to the Roman Catholics, and was author Of work
attempting to show the intrigues of the Austrian
government to promote the propagation OF the
Roman Catholic religion in the United States. He
made but q poor run for the mayoralty. The follow
ino was the result of the vote for Mayor
r. W. Lawrence. (dem3 1s,10l
Seth Ceer. (wbig) )..................... $3.50
Alex. Ming. Jr. lradical) 2,7l2
! g r r. Morse. (native) e)................ 1,490
Scattering ...................... IS
Total. 26,377
| In the Common Council the natives succeeded In
securing some influence at this election, having,