confederacy, in which the slaveholding appearance in national politics in 1840, when States have never sought more than a presidential ticket was nominated by a equality, and in which they will not be party then formed favoring the abolition of content to remain with less." On objec- slavery; it had a very slight following tion being made, followed by debate, the which was increased ten-fold at the elecSenate refused to receive the protest, or tion of 1844 when the same party again permit it to be entered on the Journal. put a ticket in the field with James G. The bill went to the House of Representa- Birney of Michigan, as its candidate for tives, was readily passed, and promptly the Presidency; who received 62,140 votes. approved by the President. Thus was The efforts of the leaders of that faction virtually accomplished the abrogation of were continued, and persisted in to such the Missouri compromise line; and the ex- an extent, that when in 1848 it nominated tension or non-extension of slavery was a ticket with Gerritt Smith for President, then made to form a foundation for future against the Democratic candidate, Martin political parties. Van Buren, the former received 296,232 The year 1850 was prolific with disunion votes. In the presidential contest of 1852 movements in the Southern States. The the abolition party again nominated a Senators who had joined with Mr. Calhoun ticket, with John P. Hale as its candidate in the address to the people, in 1849, for President, and polled 157,926 votes. united with their adherents in establishing This large following was increased from at Washington a newspaper entitled "The time to time, until uniting with a new Southern Press," devoted to the agitation party then formed, called the Republican of the slavery question; to presenting the party, which latter adopted a platform enadvantages of disunion, and the organi- dorsing the views and sentiments of the zation of a confederacy of Southern abolitionists, the great and decisive battle States to be called the "United States for the principles involved, was fought in South." Its constant aim was to influence the ensuing presidential contest of 1856; the South against the North, and advoca- when the candidate of the Republican ted concert of action by the States of the party, John C. Fremont, supported by the former section. It was aided in its efforts entire abolition party, polled 1,341,812, by newspapers published in the South, votes. The first national platform of the more especially in South Carolina and Abolition party, upon which it went into Mississippi. A disunion convention was the contest of 1840, favored the abolition actually held, in Nashville, Tennessee, and of slavery in the District of Columbia and invited the assembly of a Southern Con- Territories; the inter-state slave trade, gress. Two States, South Carolina and and a general opposition to slavery to the Mississippi responded to the appeal; full extent of constitutional power. passed laws to carry it into effect, and the former went so far as to elect its quota of Representatives to the proposed new Southern Congress. These occurrences are referred to as showing the spirit that prevailed, and the extraordinary and unjustifiable means used by the leaders to mislead and exasperate the people. The assembling of a Southern "Congress" was a turning point in the progress of disunion. Georgia refused to join; and her weight as a great Southern State was sufficient to cause the failure of the scheme. But the seeds of discord were sown, and had taken root, only to spring up at a future time when circumstances should be more favorable to the accomplishment of the object.

Following the discussion of the subject of slavery, in the Senate and House of Representatives, brought about by the presentation of petitions and memorials, and the passage of the resolutions in 1836 rejecting such petitions, the question was again raised by the presentation in the House, by Mr. Slade of Vermont, on the 20th December 1837, of two memorials praying the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, and moving that they be referred to a select committee. Great excitement prevailed in the chamber, and of the many attempts by the Southern members an adjournment was had. The next day a resolution was offered that thereafter all such petitions and memorials touching the Although the Congress of the United abolition of slavery should, when preStates had in 1790 and again in 1836 sented, be laid on the table; which resoluformally declared the policy of the govern- tion was adopted by a large vote. During ment to be non-interference with the States the 24th Congress, the Senate pursued the in respect to the matter of slavery within course of laying on the table the motion to the limits of the respective States, the sub- receive all abolition petitions; and both ject continued to be agitated in conse- Houses during the 25th Congress continued quence of petitions to Congress to abolish the same course of conduct; when finally slavery in the District of Columbia, which on the 25th of January 1840, the House was under the exclusive control of the fed-adopted by a vote of 114 to 108, an amenderal government; and of movements ment to the rules, called the 21st Rule, throughout the United States to limit, and which provided:-"that no petition, mefinally abolish it. The subject first made its morial or resolution, or other paper, pray

ing the abolition of slavery in the District The first political parties in the United of Columbia, or any state or territory, or States, from the establishment of the fedethe slave-trade between the States or ter- ral government and for many years afterritories of the United States, in which it wards, were denominated Federalists and now exists, shall be received by this Democrats, or Democratic Republicans. House, or entertained in any way what- The former was an anti-alien party. The ever." This rule was afterwards, on the latter was made up to a large extent of 3d of December, 1814, rescinded by the naturalized foreigners; refugees from EngHouse, on motion of Mr. J. Quincy Adams, land, Ireland and Scotland, driven from by a vote of 108 to 80; and a motion to home for hostility to the government or for re-instate it, on the 1st of December 1845, attachment to France. Naturally, aliens was rejected by a vote of 8 to 121. sought alliance with the Democratic party, Within five years afterwards-on the 17th which favored the war against Great September 1850,-the Congress of the Britain. The early party contests were United States enacted a law, which was ap-based on the naturalization laws; the first proved by the President, abolishing slavery of which, approved March 26, 1790, rein the District of Columbia. quired only two years' residence in this

On the 25th of February, 1850, there country; a few years afterwards the time was presented in the House of Representa- was extended to five years; and in 1798 tives, two petitions from citizens of Penn- the Federalists taking advantage of the sylvania and Delaware, setting forth that war fever against France, and then being slavery, and the constitution which per- in power, extended the time to fourteen mits it, violates the Divine law; is incon-years. (See Alien and Sedition Laws of sistent with republican principles; that 1798). Jefferson's election and Demoits existence has brought evil upon the cratic victory of 1800, brought the period country; and that no union can exist with back to five years in 1802, and re-inforced States which tolerate that institution; and the Democratic party. The city of New asking that some plan be devised for the York, especially, from time to time became immediate, peaceful dissolution of the filled with foreigners; thus naturalized; Union. The House refused to receive and brought into the Democratic ranks; and consider the petitions; as did also the crowded out native Federalists from conSenate when the same petitions were pre-trol of the city government, and to meet sented the same month. this condition of affairs, the first attempt The presidential election of 1852 was the at a Native American organization was last campaign in which the Whig party made. Beginning in 1835; ending in appeared in National politics. It nomi- failure in election of Mayor in 1837, it was nated a ticket with General Winfield Scott revived in April, 1844, when the Native as its candidate for President. His oppo- American organization carried New York nent on the Democratic ticket was General city for its Mayoralty candidate by a good Franklin Pierce. A third ticket was placed majority. The success of the movement in the field by the Abolition party, with there, caused it to spread to New Jersey John P. Hale as its candidate for Presi- and Pennsylvania. In Philadelphia, it was dent. The platform and declaration of desperately opposed by the Democratic, principles of the Whig party was in sub- Irish and Roman Catholic element, and so stance a ratification and endorsement of furiously, that it resulted in riots, in which the several measures embraced in Mr. two Romish Churches were burned and Clay's compromise resolutions of the pre-destroyed. The adherents of the Amerivious session of Congress, before referred can organization were not confined to to; and the policy of a revenue for the economical administration of the government, to be derived mainly from duties on imports, and by these means to afford protection to American industry. The main plank of the platform of the Abolition party (or Independent Democrats, as they were called) was for the non-extension and gradual extinction of slavery. The Democratic party equally adhered to the compromise measure. The election resulted in the choice of Franklin Pierce, by a popular vote of 1,601,474, and 254 electoral votes, against a popular aggregate vote of 1,542,403 (of which the abolitionists polled 157,926) and 42 electoral votes, for the Whig and Abolition candidates. Mr. Pierce was duly inaugurated as President, March 4, 1853.

Federalists or Whigs, but largely of native Democrats; and the Whigs openly voted with Democratic Natives in order to secure their vote for Henry Clay for the Presidency; but when in November, 1844, New York and Philadelphia both gave Native majorities, and so sapped the Whig vote, that both places gave majorities for the Democratic Presidential electors, the Whigs drew off. In 1845, at the April election in New York, the natives were defeated, and the new party disappeared there. As a result of the autumn election of 1844, the 29th Congress, which organized in December, 1845, had six Native Representatives; four from New York and two from Pennsylvania. In the 30th Congress, Pennsylvania had one. Thereafter for some years, with the exception of a

small vote in Pennsylvania and New York, Nativism disappeared. An able writer of that day-Hon. A. H. H. Stuart, of Virginia-published under the nom-de-plume of Madison" several letters in vindication of the American party (revived in 1852,) in which he said: "The vital principle of the American party is Americanism-developing itself in a deep-rooted attachment to our own country-its constitution, its union, and its laws to American men, and American measures, and American interests-or, in other words, a fervent patriotismwhich, rejecting the transcendental philanthropy of abolitionists, and that kindred batch of wild enthusiasts, who would seek to embroil us with foreign countries, in righting the wrongs of Ireland, or Hungary, or Cuba-would guard with vestal vigilance American institutions and Ameriran interests against the baneful effects of foreign influence.”

amendment was not agreed to; and the bill finally passed without it, on the 25th May, 1854.

the repeal of the Missouri Compromise. The bill was tabled in the Senate; to be revived at the following session. In the Senate it was amended, on motion of Mr. Douglas, to read: "That so much of the 8th section of an act approved March 6, 1820, (the Missouri compromise) * * * which, being inconsistent with the principles of non-intervention by Congress with slavery in the States and Territories, as recognized by the legislature of 1850, commonly called the Compromise measures, is hereby declared inoperative and void; it being the true intent and meaning of this act not to legislate slavery into any Territory or State, nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States." It was further amended, on motion of Senator Clayton, to prohibit About 1852, when the question of slavery" alien suffrage." In the House this in the territories, and its extension or its abolition in the States, was agitated and causing sectional differences in the country, many Whigs and Democrats forsook their parties, and took sides on the questions of the day. This was aggravated by the large number of alien naturalized citizens constantly added to the ranks of voters, who took sides with the Democrats and against the Whigs. Nativism then re-appeared, but in a new form-that of a secret fraternity. Its real name and objects were not revealed-even to its members, until they reached a high degree in the order; and the answer of members on being questioned on these subjects was, "I don't know"-which gave it the popular name, by which it is yet known, of "Knownothing." Its moving causes were the growing power and designs of the Roman Catholic Church in America; the sudden influx of aliens; and the greed and incapacity of naturalized citizens for office. Its cardinal principle was: "Americans must rule America"; and its countersign was the order of General Washington on a critical occasion during the war: "Put none but Americans on guard to-night." Its early nominations were not made public, but were made by select committees and conventions of delegates. At first these nominations were confined to selections of the best Whig or best Democrat on the respective tickets; and the choice not being made known, but quietly voted for by all the members of the order, the effect was only visible after election, and threw all calculation into chaos. For a while it was really the arbiter of elections.

On February 8, 1853, a bill passed the House of Representatives providing a territorial government for Nebraska, embracing all of what is now Kansas and Nebraska. It was silent on the subject of

So far as Nebraska was concerned, no excitement of any kind marked the initiation of her territorial existence. The persons who emigrated there seemed to regard the pursuits of business as of more interest than the discussion of slavery. Kansas was less fortunate. Her territory became at once the battle-field of a fierce political conflict between the advocates of slavery, and the free soil men from the North who went there to resist the establishment of that institution in the territory. Differences arose between the Legislature and the Governor, brought about by antagonisms between the Proslavery party and the Free State party; and the condition of affairs in Kansas assumed so frightful a mien in January, 1856, that the President sent a special message to Congress on the subject, January 24, 1856; followed by a Proclamation, February 11, 1856, "warning all unlawful combinations (in the territory) to retire peaceably to their respective abodes, or he would use the power of the local militia, and the available forces of the United States to disperse them."

Several applications were made to Congress for several successive years, for the admission of Kansas as a state in the Union; upon the basis of three separate and distinct constitutions, all differing as to the main questions at issue between the contending factions. The name of Kansas was for some years synonymous with all that is lawless and anarchical. Elections became mere farces, and the officers thus fraudulently placed in power, used their authority only for their own or their party's interest. The party opposed to slavery at length triumphed ; a constitution

excluding slavery was adopted in 1859, | cise of its local and reserved sovereignty,

and Kansas was admitted into the Union January 29, 1861.

may place foreigners or other persons on a footing with its own citizens, as to political rights and privileges to be enjoyed within its own dominion. But State regu

persons on whom such rights are conferred citizens of the United States or entitle them to the privileges and immunities of citizens in another State. See 5 Wheaton, (U. S. Supreme Court Reports), page 49.

Under the fugitive slave law, which was passed by Congress at the session of 1850, as one of the Compromise measures, intro-lations of this character do not make the duced by Mr. Clay, a long and exciting litigation occurred to test the validity and constitutionality of the act, and the several laws on which it depended. The suit was instituted by Dred Scott, a negro slave, in the Circuit Court of the United States for The Court said in The Dred Scott case, the District of Missouri, in April Term, above referred to, that:-"The right of 1854, against John F. A. Sanford, his property in a slave is distinctly and exalleged owner, for trespass vi et armis, in pressly affirmed in the Constitution. The holding the plaintiff and his wife and right to traffic in it like the ordinary article daughters in slavery in said District of of merchandise and property was guarMissouri, where by law slavery was pro-antied to the citizens of the United States, hibited; they having been previously law-in every State that might desire it for fully held in slavery by a former owner- twenty years, and the government in exDr. Emerson-in the State of Illinois, press terms is pledged to protect it in all from whence they were taken by him to future time if the slave escapes from his Missouri, and sold to the defendent, San- owner. This is done in plain words-too ford. The case went up on appeal to the plain to be misunderstood, and no word Supreme Court of the United States, and can be found in the Constitution which was clearly and elaborately argued. The gives Congress a greater power over slave majority opinion, delivered by Chief Jus- property, or which entitles property of tice Taney, as also the dissenting opinions, that kind to less protection than the propare reported in full in Howard's U. S. erty of any other description. The only Supreme Court Reports, Volume 19, page power conferred is the power coupled with 393. In respect to the territories the Con- the duty of guarding and protecting the stitution grants to Congress the power "to owner in his rights. Upon these consideramake all needful rules and regulations tions, it is the opinion of the Court that concerning the territory and other property the Act of Congress which prohibited a belonging to the United States." The citizen from holding and owning property Court was of opinion that the clause of of this kind in the territory of the United the Constitution applies only to the terri-States north of the line therein mentioned, tory within the original States at the time is not warranted by the Constitution_and the Constitution was adopted, and that it did not apply to future territory acquired by treaty or conquest from foreign nations. They were also of opinion that the power of Congress over such future territorial acquisitions was not unlimited, that the citizens of the States migrating to a territory were not to be regarded as colonists, subject to absolute power in Congress, but as citizens of the United States, with all the rights of citizenship guarantied by the Constitution, and that no legislation was constitutional which attempted to deprive a citizen of his property on his becoming a resident of a territory. This question in the case arose under the act of Congress prohibiting slavery in the territory of upper Louisiana, (acquired from France, afterwards the State), and of which the territory of Missouri was formed. Any obscurity as to what constitutes citizenship, will be removed by attending to the distinction between local rights of citizenship of the United States according to the Constitution. Citizenship at large in the sense of the Constitution can be conferred on a foreigner only by the naturalization laws of Congress. But each State, in the exer.

is therefore void; and that neither Dred Scott himself, nor any of his family were made free by being carried into this territory; even if they had been carried there by the owner with the intention of becoming a permanent resident." The abolition of slavery by the 13th amendment to the Constitution of the United States ratified and adopted December 18, 1865, has put an end to these discussions formerly so numerous.

As early as 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska controversy on the territorial government bill, resulted in a division of the Whig party in the North. Those not sufficiently opposed to slavery to enter the new Republican party, then in its incipiency, allied themselves with the Know-Nothing order, which now accepting the name of American party established a separate and independent political existence. The party had no hold in the West; it was entirely Middle State at this time, and polled a large vote in Massachusetts, Delaware and New York. In the State elections of 1855 the American party made a stride Southward. In 1855, the absence of naturalized citizens was universal in the South, and even so late as 1881 the proportion of

foreign-born population in the Southern any territory thereof, to frame their conStates, with the exception of Florida, stitution and laws, and to regulate their Louisiana, and Texas was under two per domestic and social affairs in their own cent. At the early date-1855-the na- mode, subject only to the provisions of the tivist feeling among the Whigs of that Federal Constitution, with the privilege of section, made it easy to transfer them to admission into the Union, whenever they the American party, which thus secured in have the requisite population for one repboth the Eastern and Southern States, the resentative in Congress.-Provided always, election of Governor and Legislature in that none but those who are citizens of the the States of New Hampshire, Massachu- United States, under the Constitution and setts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New laws thereof, and who have a fixed resiYork, California and Kentucky; and also dence in any such territory, ought to par elected part of its State ticket in Mary- ticipate in the formation of the Constituland, and Texas; and only lost the States tion, or in the enactment of laws for said, of Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisi- Territory or State. ana, and Texas, by small majorities against

it.

8th. An enforcement of the principle that no State or Territory ought to admit others than citizens of the United States to the right of suffrage, or of holding political office.

The order began preparations for a campaign as a National party, in 1856. It aimed to introduce opposition to aliens and Roman Catholicism as a national question. 9th. A change in the laws of naturaliOn the 21st of February, 1856, the Nation-zation, making a continued residence of al Council held a session at Philadelphia, and proceeded to formulate a declaration of principles, and make a platform, which were as follows:

"An humble acknowledgement to the Supreme Being, for his protecting care vouchsafed to our fathers in their successful Revolutionary struggle, and hitherto manifested to us, their descendants, in the preservation of the liberties, the independence, and the union of these States.

2d. The perpetuation of the Federal Union, as the palladium of our civil and religious liberties, and the only sure Bulwark of American independence.

3d. Americans must rule America, and to this end, native-born citizens should be selected for all state, federal, and municipal offices or government employment, in preference to all others; nevertheless,

4th. Persons born of American parents residing temporarily abroad, should be entitled to all the rights of native-born citizens; but,

5th. No person shall be selected for political station (whether of native or foreign birth), who recognizes any allegiance or obligation, of any description, to any foreign prince, potentate, or power, or who refuses to recognize the Federal and State constitutions (each within its sphere) as paramount to all other laws, as rules of political action.

6th. The unqualified recognition and maintenance of the reserved rights of the several States, and the cultivation of harmony and fraternal good will, between the citizens of the several States, and to this end, non-interference by congress with questions appertaining solely to the individual States, and non-intervention by each State with the affairs of any other State.

7th. The recognition of the right of the native-born and naturalized citizens of the United States, permanently residing in

twenty-one years, of all not hereinbefore provided for, an indispensable requisite for citizenship hereafter, and excluding all paupers, and persons convicted of crime, from landing upon our shores; but no interference with the vested rights of foreigners.

10th. Opposition to any union between Church and State; no interference with religious faith, or worship, and no test oaths for office.

11th. Free and thorough investigation into any and all alleged abuses of public functionaries, and a strict economy in public expenditures.

12th. The maintenance and enforcement of all laws constitutionally enacted, until said laws shall be repealed, or shall be declared null and void by competent judicial authority.

The American Ritual, or Constitution, rules, regulations, and ordinances of the Order were as follows:

ART. 1st. This organization shall be known by the name and title of THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, and its jurisdiction and power shall extend to all the states, districts, and territories of the United States of North America.

ART. 2d. The object of this organization shall be to protect every American citizen in the legal and proper exercise of all his civil and religious rights and privileges; to resist the insidious policy of the Church of Rome, and all other foreign influence against our republican institutions in all lawful ways; to place in all offices of honor trust, or profit, in the gift of the people, or by appointment, none but native-born Protestant citizens, and to protect, preserve,