Red Shirted, Hair lipped, Beer Drinking Foreigners: The Great Anti Immigrant Riots of Chicago and Cincinnati and the tumult of 1855

Transcription

1 Red Shirted, Hair lipped, Beer Drinking Foreigners: The Great Anti Immigrant Riots of Chicago and Cincinnati and the tumult of 1855 Lee W. Eysturlid, PhD and NBCT

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4 Goals for Session: Review of: German Immigration Nativism Cincinnati Riot: Causes Event Chicago Riot: Causes Event

5 The Three Anti- to remember: These can be fluid Anti-Catholic Fear of foreign allegiance, English carry-over Anti-Immigrant Fear of customs, but also competition for work/wages Anti-Alcohol (Temperance) Fear of alcoholism and affect on family/community

6 The ideal American young man, as labelled in Know-nothing flyer as CITIZEN.

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10 Ante-bellum Independent Militia Companies

11 German (Volunteer) Militia Companies By 1836, Cincinnati had its first German militia: the German Lafayette Guards under a Captain Heinrich Rodter. Legal/encouraged under Militia Act of Must pay for themselves. Growth of militia units possibly, in part, a reaction to Nativist threats? In 1850s Nativist candidates target these, with state laws disbanding or limiting them (Not in Ohio). Foreign Militias

12 German (and Irish) Militias: Guards, Jaegers, and artillery!

13 Militias in Cincinnati By 1852 there were 5 German companies. The Turner Jaegers described as a small company of young men with fine physiques and flashing uniforms. The five companies organized into a regiment, but total strength was about 230. Also have an artillery unit, and possess two cannon (and shot and powder). The militias can be seen as an extension of the Turner and Freeman organizations.

14 Militias in Chicago Also popular in city and states, but not as numerous (coming later). Picture shows the Irish Montgomery Grays in review before the Court House. Have independent foot and an artillery unit (all will deploy immediately after the riot), but do not fight.

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16 German Immigration, two parts, two effects

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18 Germans in America, First Wave General mix, Lutheran and Catholic. Mostly farmers in own communities, start of the use Dutch for Deutsch. Use of term in both riots. Numbers still small enough to have little effect. No real unifying leadership. Arrival of larger numbers in 1820s and 1830s that are Catholics start to change things, and more so

19 Second Wave: the Achtundvierzigers

20 The 48ers (or 50ers ): Our hair-lipped Germans and red republicans. (Friedrich Hecker)

21 German Kultur: The Turnerverein and the Freimännervereine

22 Turners and the Freemen Turners: Development and education of Youth (Mostly male) Use of gymnastics In uniform, regimented, in own halls. In German (often in your face about it.) Freemen: Carry over of radical politics of 1848 revolts.

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24 Turner Halls (Cinci: Over-the_Rhine )

25 Turner Politics: Cincinnati and Louisville, 1854 Openning meeting, Cincinnati, 1854: Open with the dedication of a Red Banner Declare Against: Nativism Temperance Reading the Bible in school Slavery Louisville Platform of 1854: All of the above and for the full suffrage for African-Americans and women.

26 Cincinnati Riot, April 2-4, 1855

27 Weihnacht: Anti-Catholic Riot of 1853 Visit by Cardinal Bedini seen by the radical 48er leaders of the Germans and the Know-Nothings as enemy #1. German s use mob vs Papal legate Gaetano Bedini.

28 The Causes German Know-nothing alliance based strictly on reaction to reaction to Catholics (called clericalism ). Germans had been Democrats, but also angry about the Party s willingness to tolerate Catholics and Slavery. (Kansas-Nebraska Act = extentionism) Overwhelming Know-Nothing victories (tied to Whigs) in 1854 lead to anti-immigrant over-reach. Had been quite for elections. Nomination of Know-Nothing candidate for Mayor of Cincinnati for 1855 James Pap Taylor (Dollar Times) forfeits German vote. Democrats assert for German rights, Know-Nothing electoral defeat was becoming obvious.

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32 The Event The Know-Nothings, sensing defeat, bring over 300+ Know-Nothing Bullies from Kentucky to protect ballot stations from tampering. Claims fly of tampering, mob destroys ballot box (1300 ballots) in 11 th ward. March by mob to 13 th Ward stopped by Turner Jaeger. (there is a cannon firing infuriates mob.) The German section, Over the Rhine (Miami Canal) bridges are fortified, armed like a fortress, and defended. To destroy Turner and Freeman s Halls. April 3 rd, 10pm mob assault bridges, repelled with musket fire. At least 2 dead. April 4 th calm returns.

33 Chicago Lager Riot, April 20, 1855

34 A Few details for Chicago Chicago between : Population overall grows from 28,000 to 109,000. Germans from roughly 5,000 to 22,000 (Irish at 20,000). First lager-saloon in 1855 Lager till then all down the lake from Milwaukee. Mayoral terms are one year. (Essentially no campaigning, electoral slate released few days ahead.)

35 Causes: Distinct anti-catholic (and generally anti-irish), but not anti-german tone. Especially from the Chicago Tribune and the paper the Free West. Temperance movement based on success of Maine Laws (full prohibition) started in Go after consumption on Sundays and foreign access. Germans, angry with Democrats for support of Kansas-Nebraska act (Slavery) don t vote for, leading to general success of Know-Nothing and Temperance alliance. New Know-Nothing/Nativist and Temperance and Reformist alliance, gives Boone the win in November, 1854 elections. With victory Boone fulfills promise: enforce Sunday closure laws and increase alcohol license from $50 to $300 a year.

36 1855: George Schneider, Editor: Ta gliche Illinois Staats- Zeitung & Mayor Boone (MD), Know-Nothing

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40 Street in front of Court House

41 Clark Street Bridge (German Postcard)

42 Event: Germans organize in reaction, 600+ meet at North Side Market Hall to create a legal fund under a local brewer (John Huck). Also shocked of news from Cincinnati! 13 th Ward Alderman La Rue (German ward) calls on them to go and protest at the Courthouse on the 20 th. But don t start a riot. Predicts 10,000 turn out. Justice Henry L. Rucker not in, crowd of 100 disperse, but next day, April 21 st crowd of 500+, with a fife and drum show up, visit saloons, then mob Courtroom. When ordered out have a street brawl: police vs Germans. Initially driven off, return later with more men, armed shoot for the bronze stars. Some of crowd cut off by temporary turning of the Clark Street Bridge. Final melee sees one police hurt (losses arm) and one protester (German) dead. By 5pm all over as mayor had summoned the militia (Montgomery Guards).

43 Allen Pinkerton and Police

44 Outcomes and Conclusions: We tend to underestimate just how violent this era is, and the complexity of political alliances and issues. High Water Mark for all three issues: The Know-nothings in both cities will never again have success, and are replaced quickly by Republicans (really appeals to Germans). Temperance (not really an issue in Cincinnati) is dead for the time. Anti-Catholicism remains an issue, but less so for Germans. Germans now an important and organized part of politics in both cities. German 48ers had really changed things. Militias a critical issue for defense in Cincinnati, and as a law and order issue in Chicago. All sucked into Civil War. Violence (in Louisville too) points for need/preference for police. All quickly overwhelmed by coming sectional crisis. And?

45 Bibliography Baughin, William A., Bullets and Ballots: The Election Day Riots of The Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio Bulletin, (October, 1963) Cincinnati Daily Enquirer, April 5 th, Ford, Henry A., History of Cincinnati, Ohio. (LA Williams and Company, Publ., Cleveland, 1881). Hogan, John F and Brady, Judy, The Great Chicago Beer Riot: How Lager Struck a Blow for Liberty. (The History Press, Charleston, SC, 2015). Renner, Richard W., In a Perfect Ferment: Chicago, the Know-Nothings, and the Riot for Lager Beer. Chicago History. Vol 5, Number 3, Fall 1976.