Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-07

in the electoral college In the canvass
Of 1856 the republican party Of the present day
was fully arrayed and contained in its ranks all
the elements Of opposition to slavery, and at
their convention nominated John C. Fremont,
whose election was defeated by the organization,
then on its last legs, known as the know moth
ings, but on this occasion fighting under the
name Of the American party. In Pennsylvania
this organization drew from the republicans
enough votes to secure the election of Mr. Buch-
anan and to defeat Gen. Fremont.
THE KNOW NOTHING ExcfrIMESr.
The know nothing or native American party
was organized in the city Of New York in 1874,
and signalized its strength BY the election of
James Harper mayor OF that city. II spread
with wonderful rapidity and in the fall election
four native Americans were elected to Con-
gress from New York and two from Philadel-
phia- In 1929 native Americanism had q
sudden and widespread revival caused by the
sudden and great influx Of foreigners, caused
the revolutionary tendencies which pervaded
Europe in i84S. The reaction took the form
Of opposition to the Catholic religion and be.
came a secret order, with ritual and the usual
mystery that surrounds such associations In
1854 the know nothings' established an indie
pendent political party, and changed the name
to the American party, and in 1850 at the
state elections of that year they carried the
Island, Connecticut, New York, California and
ticket in MARYLAND and Texas and
only lost Virginia by the extraordinary
canvass made by Gen. Henry A Wise. who de-
states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama
were saved from the rule of that party by small
majorities.. In this city the contests for mayor
and city officers were very bitter, and personal
alterations were frequent, and the result Of
lowed by the riot in 1857, which resulted in
several deaths.
The know nothings' or American party
held national convention at Philadelphia on
the 22d of February, 1856, whore every state was
represented except South Carolina. Vermont
and Maine. They nominsted for the presi-
dency Willard Fillmore, and Andrew jackson
Donaldson of Tennessee for Vice President.
In that election the ticket received 874, 534
votes, but carried only one state, Maryland.
CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES.
In the Thirty-ffth Congress Qs57-s) there
were five know nothing Senators and from
sixteen to twenty Representatives. In the
Thirty-sixth Congress there were four Sena-
tors from Maryland and Kentucky, and in the
House OF Representatives there were from
Kentucky, five members; Tennessee, seven
members; Maryland, three members; Virginia,
one member; North Carolina four members;
Georgia, two members. and from Louisiana,
one member--in all ttwenty-three members of
Congress-
manifest. The wings. many of whom could
not forget their lifelong antagonism to the
democratic party, found in this organization
mode Of still fighting its old enemy. On
May 9, 1860, this element, as the ''constitu-
tionai union party" held a convention at Bal.
timore. 1t had abandoned it's original secrecy
and the oaths of know nottingham, but sus-
tanned its opposition to the laws of naturaliza-
ton, and insisted upon twenty-one years in
stead Of five years as the requisite time
required to become citizen Of the United
States. The nominations of John Bell
of Tennessee as President and Edward Ever
EFT of Massachusetts for Vice President were
made by the convention, and the ticket re-
ceived 5o9, 5S1 votes and carried three states,
tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia
The war between the states soon followed the
election Of Lincoln. and the party after all its
changes Of name and principles, went out Of
existence. There was for o time an end to
third parties. The war and all the dread con-
sequences forbade any divergence from the
all-important, au-absorbing question of saving
the Union. The campaigns Of 1864 and 1858
were fought by the respective parties upon the
same issues almost, only difference in apply
ing them. In 1872 the liberal republicans met
at Cincinnati and nominated Horace Greeley
for President and B. Gratz Brown for Vice
President. The democratic party adopted the
| same ticket and was very badly defeated in the
presidential contest Of that year. A number Of
democrats, who called themselves straightouts,
met at Louisville and nominated Charles
O'Conor for President and John Quincy Adams
for Vice President. Notwithstanding their de-
clensions they we're Endorsed by labor organi-
cation and received 29, 900 votes.
THE PBoHIBrrIoNIsrs AND aRrENBAcxERa
The prohibitionists made their appearance
as political organization, nominating James
Black a. their candidate for the presidency,
and received something over 5000 votes The
free traders also put Mr.. William Groesbeck OF
Ohio in nomination as their candidate The
vote was 30 small as to be Insignificant. The
centennial year (lS76) witnessed the organizes
ton Of the greenback party, which assumed
| Importance from its inception. 1t opposed re-
sumption Of specie payments and favored ar
| almost unlimited issue Of greenbacks, BIASED
| on the resources Of the country" as their plat
form expressed it The venerable Peter Coope,
was nominated as its candidate for the presi
dency and Samuel F. Carey OF Ohio for Vict
President The votes of Sl.737 Of the people
were cast for this ticket Tho same ticket il
1880 was again in the field with James B
Weaver Of Iowa as its candidate, but received
only $500 votes. In 1884 the greenback OF
national party, under the leadership Of Gen
Benjamin F. Butler, received 176, 600 votes.
The prohibition party had obtained great &C
eessions to its ranks, and under the leadershi,
of John p. st. John of Kansas, cast over l50 00l
votes, and in 1888, under the leadership Of Gin
ton B. Fisk Of New Jersey, obtained nearl,
the field at this election, an American and so
cialistic ticket and some other odds and ends
but they made but little impression in the can
vass. The rise Of the Farmers Alliance ha
been a sudden and seemingly important part
from its inception 1t has elected members O
Congress from several states, deposed Senator
and elected others, and was considered q 20
tent factor in the recent elections and its in
huence in the coming presidential canvass wa
thought to be important beyond all precedent
Its career thus far has been conservative
though necessarily proscriptive.
NEW YORK A DEMOCRATIC NECESSITY.
The election Of Mr.. Flower in New York an
! Mr.. Boies in Iowa project into the comm
presidential canvass the names Of Mr.. Flowe
and Mr.. Boies as not remote possibilities to b
. discussed in the selection Of candidates for th
democratic nomination at the next nation,
convention Of that party. The necessity {
carrying New York by the democratic party
the ensuing presidential election il apparent b
q reference to the estimate sent The STA
} some weeks ago, and as Mr.. Flower has demon
strated his ability to carry that state it plact
} him in the foreground as q possible pres
dental candidate. How prominent can
I judged by reference to the figures submitte
|. in that estimate, where gave the democrat
party 100 votes. The democratic represent,
: tives from Indiana at Washington claim thu
!, state for the democratic, and, therefore,
: vote and the vote OF Iowa would still leave Il
democratic candidate eight votes short of Il
226 necessary to q choice in the electoral CO
- lege.
MARIA AVN ruv ppvsynr~rv