SOCIAL PROBLEMS OF RECENT IMMIGRATION 
43 
United States against the immigration of undesirable 
persons of whatever kind. Even the energetic action 
of those promoting the so-called “Native American” 
or “Know Nothing” movements, from 1835 to i860, 
resulted in no protective legislation. Indeed, these 
movements were largely based on opposition to the 
immigration of Catholics rather than to that of persons 
undesirable for other reasons. In 1836 the Secretary 
of State was requested to collect information respec 
ting the immigration of foreign paupers and criminals. 
In 1838 the Committee on the Judiciary of the House 
of Representatives was instructed to consider the ex 
pediency of providing by law against the introduction 
into the United States of vagabonds and paupers de 
ported from foreign countries. Moreover, a bill, pre 
sented on the recommendation of the Committee, pro 
posed a fine of $1,000, or imprisonment for from one 
to three years, for any master who took on board his 
vessel, with the intention of transporting to the United 
States, any alien passenger, who was an idiot, lunatic, 
one afflicted with any incurable disease, or one con 
victed of an infamous crime. The bill, however, was 
not considered. The early “Native American” move 
ment had been local, confined to New York City at 
first, afterward spreading to Philadelphia, but in 1852 
the secret oath-bound organization that took the name 
of the American Party, the members of which were 
popularly called the Know Nothings, came into nation 
al politics, and for a few years exerted not a little 
power, carrying nine State elections in 1855. Later, in 
something of a reaction against this “Know Nothing” 
movement, which finally proposed only the exclusion 
of foreign paupers and criminals, there was a definite 
effort made to encourage immigration.