American Party. Hostility

to the political influence of foreigners showed itself in the formation of small and local naiivist parties in New York and Philadelphia in 1835 and 1844. About 1852, when the old parties, Democratic and Whig, were obviously in a state of di olution or re-formation, and when immigration had taken on large proportions, nativism revived. A secret, oath-bound fraternity, with numerous lodges, and with conventions which made nominations secretly, attained sudden importance. From the profe ions of ignoranc? with which its members met all questioning, they were called ‘‘ Know-nothings.” In 1854 the Know-nothings carried Ma achusetts and Delaware; in 1855, most of New England, New York, Maryland, Kentucky and California, and polled a large vote in the South, mainly from former Whigs. Their platform demanded more severe natura.ization laws and the selection of none but natives for office. In national convention at Philadelphia in February, 1856, they nominated ex-President Millard Fill more for the Presidency, and A. J. Do nelson, of Tenne ee, for Vice-President. But the slavery i ue thrust all others aside, and the ticket received but 874,534 votes in a total of over 4,000,000, and but eight electoral votes, those of Maryland. The party soon died out, though the Constitutional Union party of 1860 was in a way its succe or. Recently the American Protective League and other similar organizations have revived the nativist program.