1854 – A broadsheet promoting the American Party (the Know Nothings) that includes its American Principles and the American Party Platform

Item Details

Cincinnati, Ohio, The Dollar Weekly Times, 1854, Unbound

Very good

This two-page broadsheet promoting the American Party was printed in 1854 by The Dollar Weekly Times, the party’s newspaper headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, to promote its anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic agenda. It is printed as a faux lettersheet and was sent to an unnamed supporter.  The party’s “American Principles” and “American Platform" are printed at the top. It is pen-dated, “Nov. 8^th – 1854,” with printed script below.  No mailing envelope.  In nice shape.

The American Party viewed the immigrants, especially Irish and German Catholics, as a threat to American self-government because of their ‘allegiance’ to the Pope. It supported restricting immigration, increasing the naturalization residency requirement to twenty-one years of age, and barring the foreign-born from holding public office.  It emerged from the Order of the Star-Spangled Banner, a secret oath-bound organization whose members would answer all questions about it by stating that they “knew nothing.”

The text of the broadsheet reads in part:

“In view of the great and important question involved in the late elections in this and our United States, we cannot fail to congratulate you as a member of the great American Party, upon the triumphant result. No, say important, because the issue that tends to the overthrowal of party demagogues . . . must be of the greatest consequence to all true lovers of our Republic. It cannot be denied that this great result was entirely the working of an American spirit beating in American bosoms, and rising under the yoke that had been forced upon it, placed the shackles that had bound it beneath its feet. . .. We must look to the stability of our party – the interest must not . . . be allowed to release for this great election of 1856 when we shall be called to elect an American President to preside over the American People. . .. This is the character of the Dollar Weekly Times. It was the Primer in the movement, and has followed it step by step, urging the necessity of action. . .. It should receive patronage of every one who had enlisted himself in this great cause . . . in regard to the common enemy. . ..  Should you feel like casting your aid to the furtherance of this great cause and believe with us that such aid can be rendered through the general circulation of sucH a paper as the Dollar Weekly Times, we shall be happy to hear from you. . ..”

Although the American Party was soundly defeated in the 1852 presidential election, it captured an impressive number of votes and continued to make progress during the off-year elections of 1854 and began to focus on the next presidential election.

Probably the only extant example, as there are no records of other 1854 broadsides or campaign material. Only three 1855 broadsides are recorded; the Rare Book Hub shows two were sold in 2011, and OCLC shows one held by an institution. Even broadsides and campaign material for the 1856 election are quite scarce. Reportedly, a much earlier broadside from 1847 is held by the Filson Historical Society.

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