The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 72, July 1968 - April, 1969 Page: 452
498 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Union. "We are abstractly opposed to slavery," the Herald confessed
on one occasion. But, the editors added, "We look upon it as one of
those evils that must be left to root itself out, which it will do, as soon
as free labor becomes as cheap and reliable, and not until then." In the
meantime, rather than sowing and nurturing the seeds of discord,
northerners and southerners ought to submerge their differences and
unite under the banner of the American Party. When Democratic
opponents accused the party of harboring abolitionists, the Herald
was quick to defend the Know-Nothings: "There are still a few traitors
in the camp, who wish to supplant the glorious stars and stripes with
the black, piratical flag of Abolitionism. But they will fail, and soon
be driven forth to seek more congenial associates." According to
Newcomb and West, the Know-Nothings wished to end all discussion
of the South's peculiar institution as rapidly as possible. "This party
eschews all the old isms, and marks out a new course, with new aims
and objects, the principal one of which is to Americanize America.""o
For most Know-Nothings, Americanization of the country depended
heavily on the success of efforts to reduce the flow of immigration
and to curtail the political activities of resident aliens. But Newcomb
chose to soft-pedal this issue, perhaps because of his own foreign
birth.' The Alamo Star virtually ignored immigration, and the Herald
unenthusiastically repeated a few party slogans. In August, 1855,
for example, an editorial argued "that to prevent native Americans
from being outnumbered and overpowered by those of foreign birth,
it is necessary to limit immigration and extend the term of naturaliza-
tion. . . ." Several weeks later, Newcomb and West defended their
decision to support the American Party by alluding to the alien prob-
lem: "We consented to do this . . . because we believed the Union in
danger from the machinations and corruption of the old parties, and
that our institutions were in danger from the rapid influx of immigra-
tion, and the designs of the Papacy...."12 Although such statements
indicate that Newcomb accepted the Know-Nothing position on immi-
gration, the moderation with which he attacked the problem was
hardly typical of the Know-Nothing press in general.
'1San Antonio Herald, July io, May 22, October 30o, July io, 1855. Quotations are in
order cited.
11Newcomb's foreign birth did not disqualify him for membership in the American
Party of Texas, for the party accepted anyone who resided in Texas at the time of annex-
ation regardless of place of birth. Ernest W. Winkler (ed.) , Platforms of Political Parties
in Texas (Austin, 1916), 69.
12San Antonio Herald, August 14, September 4, 1855.452
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 72, July 1968 - April, 1969, periodical, 1969; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117146/m1/524/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.