The one chance
for a party which had positive ideas and which wished not to be
sectional was the definite abandonment of existing issues and the
discovery of some new issue not connected with sectional feeling.
Now, it happened that a variety of causes, social and religious,
had brought about bad blood between native and foreigner, in some
of the great cities, and upon the issue involved in this
condition the failing spirit of the Whigs fastened. A secret
society which had been formed to oppose the naturalization of
foreigners quickly became a recognized political party. As the
members of the Society answered all questions with "I do not
know," they came to be called "Know-Nothings," though they called
themselves "Americans." In those states where the Whigs had been
strongest --Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania--this last
attempt to apply their former temper, though not their
principles, had for a moment some success; but it could not
escape the fierce division which was forced on the country by
Douglas. As a result, it rapidly split into factions, one of
which merged with the enemies of Douglas, while the other was
lost among his supporters.
What would the great dying Whig party leave behind it? This was
the really momentous question in 1854.
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