...men of the older American strains (all, of course, descendants of immigrants) felt that some united action was called for, and out of this feeling came the Native American. In Philadelphia a weak attempt to organize some such party was made at a meeting in Germantown in 1837, which demanded the repeal of the naturalization laws. The nativistic idea was greatly strengthened by the attacks of Roman Catholics in some sections upon the pub lic free school idea. The opposition varied in different places. In some it was against any schools which were "Godless" schools, that is, schools not under church management. In some, including New York, it was opposition to the reading of the bible in the public schools. In Philadelphia there was a similar opposition but modified by the statement that it was the King James trans lation that was objected to.
In 1843 and 1844 several ward associationswere organized of the Native American party, whose program called for a twenty-one year residence as a prerequisite to naturalization ; that "Native Americans only should be appointed to office to legislate, administer or execute the laws of the country"; and "that the bible, without note or comment, is not sectarian; that it is the foun tain of morality and all good government, and should be used in our public schools as a reading book."
On May 3, 1844, a meeting was held to organize a Native American Association in one of the wards of Kensington, a region largely inhabited by Irish and other foreign-born people. The meeting was to be held in a vacant lot at the corner of Second and Master streets. A band of men of the neighborhood armed with clubs attacked those assembled and dispersed them, but the Native Americans rallied and passed resolutions denouncing the outrage. They agreed to meet there again on Monday, May 6, and were again assaulted and driven off, taking refuge in the Nanny Goat market, which had been used as a fortress by the weavers in the riots of the previous year. An Irish fire company, from their house near by, fired shots into the market, which caused some of the Native Americans to make their escape, while others stood their ground and responded to the fusillade with stones and bricks. Reinforcements came to each side and the bat tle shifted to other ground. George Shifler, a boy who was carrying a United States flag for the Native Americans, was mortally wounded, and there were eleven others wounded during the day. In another encounter during the evening two men were killed at Second and Thompson Streets. George Shaffer's tragic death, and the circumstances surrounding it, made him a popular hero, and he was buried with honors. His name became a rallying cry for the Native Americans, and was used in the oratory of the party's campaigners with telling effect.
On the day following these encounters a meeting was held in the afternoon in the State House yard, in response to handbills which invited every man to come "prepared to defend himself." The resolutions passed at that meeting declared that the actions of the Irish on the preced ing day furnished sure evidence that the Native American view of naturalization was correct and that "foreigners in the short space of five years are incapable of entering into the spirit of our institutions." and the meeting also emphasized its belief in the retention of bible reading in the public schools.
After the passage of these resolutions some persons suggested that those present should march to Second and Master Streets in Kensington, where the previous disturbance had occurred, and the Shifler boy had been killed. A large procession mobilized in Chestnut Street, whence the march was taken up for Kensington and it was arranged that the American flag should be hoisted on the spot where Shifler had fallen. When the persons assigned to that duty arrived at the place they were fired at from the Irish hose house. The crowd, infuriated over this attack themselves became attackers. They descended upon the hose house, broke it open and burned it.
The flames spread to other buildings nearby and in the fighting that ensued some persons were killed and several wounded. One Irishman who was caught by the mob narrowly escaped being hanged to a lamp-post, but the fire was not checked until about thirty buildings, including its Nanny Goat Market, were burned. More would have been destroyed at that time if the militia had not arrived to protect the firemen, who had been prevented from using their hose until the soldiers arrived. The authorities acted unwisely in withdrawing the troops from Kensington, for the next day several more home there were sacked and burned. The Irish people of the neighborhood, in large numbers packed up what they could carry or get conveyance for, and fled. But the mob gathered numbers and momentum, set fire to St. Michael's Church, destroying it and several other buildings. The arrival of the First Brigade, under command of Brigadier General George Cadwalader, with whom were Major General Robert Patterson and Morton McMichael, sheriff of the county, protected Kensington, but other parts of the city were left unguarded. Mobs destroyed St. Augustine's Church on Fourth Street, near Vine Street, which was burned to the ground, and several other adjoining structures, including the Catholic school, and a large library belonging to the Augustinian fathers. All that was saved was a few of the books which were thrown out into the street. They were trampled on by the mob and consider ably damaged, but some time after the fire were returned to the fathers. Many of the troops camped at Kensington were then ordered to town to protect Catholic property. Following the outrages outside militia regiments were brought to the city, comprising a full division under com mand of Major General Robert Patterson, who made his headquarters in the Girard Bank. Citizens formed themselves into companies for patrol and guard duty, and quiet was restored for about two months.
A presentment by the Grand Jury made soon after these occurrences was favorable to the Native Americans, charging that the beginning of the disturbances was caused by "the efforts of a portion of the community to exclude the bible from the public schools," such efforts leading to the formation of a party of those opposed to such exclusion, which, while holding a peaceful meet ing was fired upon by "a band of lawless, irresponsible men, some of whom had resided in the country only a short time," and recited that citizens had been killed, and that retaliatory measures had led to further disturbance. Prominent members of the Catholic laity of Philadelphia held a meeting of which Hon. Archibald Randall, judge of the United States District Court, was chairman, denied that Catholics began the disturbances, and said that the Catholics had not attempted to take the bible out of the public schools, but had only sought to procure the use of the Catholic version of the Scriptures for children of Catholic parents.
The net result of the dispute was to add greatly to the strength of the Native American party, and the leaders of the party, as an exhibit of strength, resolved upon a parade for the Fourth of July. It was a very imposing procession, in which fifty ward and township associations participated, with a gorgeous display of banners, flags, floats and devices. About four thousand five hundred people were in line and there were over fifty thousand spectators. As a political pageant it made a record that was not surpassed for fifty years in Philadelphia.
There was no disturbance, although some Catholics had anticipated that there would be, and though the Fourth of July passed quietly, they seemed to dread that there would soon be more trouble with the "Church-Burners." as they called the Native American partisans.
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