Why is there no longer a “know-nothing” political party?
At last, a question I can actually answer by saying “I know nothing.” Short answer, because they are irrelevant to today’s society. Loooooong answer follows; The know nothings, were originally, starting about 1850, a loose organization of mostly secret groups of middle class Protestants of Northern European extraction that attempted to elect candidates from the ‘official’ parties who were sympathetic to their views. ( If a member of one of those secret groups was asked about the group or his membership, he was to answer, ” I know nothing.”) It was those views which, while they gained the know nothings initial support, also led to their demise about 1858. A contributing cause to their demise was a scandal involving, of all things, the construction of the Washington Monument, but it was primarily those original political views. The major beliefs uniting the various groups, and later, after 1854, the platform of the official “American Party” were; Severe limits on immigration, especially
