The
Catholic vote had generally been cast for the Democrats, and
was supposed to be largely influenced by the Catholic clergy.
It was thought that this influence had a good deal to do with
defeating Mr. Clay in 1844. A movement of this kind swept
over the country after the Presidential election of 1852.
It had nearly spent its force by 1856. It made little headway
at the South, except in two or three States. There was a
struggle with it in Virginia, where it was defeated by the
superhuman energy of Henry A. Wise. The party organized for
the purpose of excluding men of foreign birth from any share
in the Government, sometimes called the American Party, was
generally called the Know-Nothing Party, a name which came
from the answer each member was expected to make to any inquiry
from an outsider, "I know nothing about it."
This party swept Massachusetts in the autumn of 1854. It
elected in that year Governor, Lieutenant Governor, all the
officers of the State Government, every member of both Houses
of the Legislature, except two from the town of Northampton,
and every member of Congress.
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