The Irish Immigrant Experience: Prejudice, Freedom, and The Machine. PDF

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This essay looks at the struggles that Irish immigrants went through when coming to the US during the mid-1800s and how political machines helped them to gain political, social and religious success....

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The Irish Immigration Experience 1

The Irish Immigrant Experience: Prejudice, Freedom, and The Machine. Kaitlin Stewart Southern New Hampshire University HIS200 Historical Analysis Essay October 24, 2021

Between 1845-1852, more than one-third , or 1.5 million, of all immigrants into the United States were of Irish-descent, who sought opportunity and solitude following the Irish Potato Famine, which resulted in devastating and uninhabitable conditions. Irish potatoes were a staple crop and as they began to rot and show disease, they were no longer viable for consumption. Famine left millions of Irish to starve causing disease and death to occur shortly after. Many were poor, and depending on the fare, desperate Irish natives took to traveling ships in search for a new home. During their travels, many Irish fell ill and died as a result of poor conditions on ships, though the majority survived. The “famine Irish” immigrants, those heading to America, did not yet know the awaiting struggles they would face when arriving at various immigration ports on America’s Eastern coast. When the Irish arrived in America following The Potato Famine, despite struggles with acceptance from Americans and a challenging industrial workforce, their assimilation into society was aided by various political machines which helped them to gain political and social equality in American society. America has had a long history with nativism, “the desire to favor the interest of nativeborn or established inhabitants of a country over immigrants'' (Schrag, P., 2010). In 1817, The New York Irish Emigrant Association expressed their views of Irish immigrants in America by publishing the “Observations; A Letter addressed to a committee of a correspondent Association in Philadelphia” which states, “Irishmen, on the other hand…their time and funds are consumed in doubt and deliberation which way to turn; they are regarded as burdensome to the settled inhabitants…if their course be more fortunate; if they escape from the cities, they mix unsupported among strangers, to whom their peculiarities are often subjects of ridicule, and perhaps of dislike. Everything brings back a

painful recollection of home; and it requires years of mental struggle before they enjoy the real blessings of their lot.” (New-York Irish emigrant association, 1817. pp.4) Many Americans struggle to accept immigrant entry, even today. Upon arriving to the US in 1845, Irish immigrants were no exception to nativism and were faced with discrimination and hate from Americans due to differences in culture, religion, and language. Being the first nonProtestant group to arrive in large numbers left Americans in fear and trepidation. America’s unwavering dislike for Irish immigrants can attribute largely to their linkage to the foreign-born pope and the Catholic religion. Many Protestant groups attacked the Catholic church as they believed it was un-American. The Philadelphia Nativist Riots during the 1840’s, “a product of nativist determination to use xenophobia for political gain” (Shcrag, Z., n.d.), Irish-American homes and churches were burned, looted, and attacked due to the perceived notion that the bishop of the Catholic church, Francis Patrick Kenrick, aimed to remove the Protestant bible from schools. Protestant attacks stretched from the edge of the East coast all the way past the Schuylkill River. One of the bloodiest and most memorable riots among them, taking place in Philadelphia’s Southwark neighborhood on July 7, 1844, resulted in twenty fatalities among both Protestants and Catholics. As anti-Irish unrest progressed, anti-immigrant groups increasingly began to form across the country, and most famously, the Know Nothing Party was among them. The “Know Nothings” and KKK members were conjointly opposed to the idea that immigrants seek refuge in America, as the Irish were foreign Catholics who could never be truly Americanized or assimilate into American culture. In a paper entitled, “The American Patriot” published in 1852, American Nativists call out for supporters in opposing foreign influence and warn citizens by stating, “They [Irish] are disgorging themselves upon us at the rate of hundreds of thousands

every year! They [Irish] aim at nothing short of conquest and supremacy over us!” Irish immigrant children, however, were seen as hopeful to Americans, as they believed the children were potentially uncultured in their Irish heritage, giving a better chance to assimilate into what was perceived as truly American. The New York Herald Newspaper of 1920 showcases photos of immigrant children across one of its pages, with the subtitle reading, “...all of those pictured here are young enough - if given a chance - to absorb American ideas and adopt American ways.” (The New York Herald, 1920, pp.4) In the midst of discrimination and bigotry that surrounded the Irish immigrant’s culture and identities, the booming industrial workforce was just as troublesome and challenging. Being that Irish immigrants were forced into America by starvation, they were not prepared for the high expectations that America’s workforce demanded. The majority of immigrants were unskilled, illiterate, and spoke little to no English, making them “ill-equipped for the emerging industrial economy of America.” (Mindedge, 2020), opposed to past migrations of Irish immigrants, who were capable and expectant of American (work) culture. Many low-ranking Americans were worried they would lose jobs to the Irish who would work for lower wages, which eventually drove down wages for all workers. Employers would often threaten to replace uncooperative American workers with Irish, which was one of many factors that contributed to job discrimination against the Irish. Women worked as servants or in textile factories while men, beginning “at the bottom of the occupational ladder” (Library of Congress, n.d.), took less desirable jobs that many Americans would often avoid such as sweeping streets, and loading ships at the docks. “As anti-Irish and anti-Catholic sentiment grew, newspaper advertisements for jobs and housing routinely ended with the statement: “No Irish need apply.’” (Constitutional Rights Organization, 2010).

While the “Know Nothings” actively stood for “defending the rights and institutions of the United States against foreign and Jesuitical aggression.”, Irish immigrants were taking advantage of Democratic political machines. By doing so, these machines would aid immigrants in food supply, social services, fuel during emergencies, jobs, and paths to political success in exchange for votes. Political machines have been set in American society for many decades before the large influx of immigration into the country. Being that America’s population, particularly North-Eastern states such as Rhode Island and New York, were majority immigrant, many Protestant political machines were put in place as well, solely to defend America from “foreign influence.” Nonetheless, The Irish's involvement with Tammany Hall, a New York political machine, helped many of the Irish succeed in many aspects such as gaining positions in politics, like Mayor William R. Grace and Mayor Hugh O’Brien. Tammany eventually became dominated by Irish immigrants after the death of a notoriously corrupt boss, William M. Tweed. The Irish, then, helped many newcomers, such as the Poles, Italians, Jews, and more of their own. After Tammany's successful leadership by the Irish, it eventually became the “gold standard” for political machines everywhere. (Welch, R. 2008).

By 1860, anti-immigrant groups began to diminish and focused more on the Civil War and the abolishment of slavery, alleviating the pressure of Irish immigrant prejudice. At the same time, amid America's Great Depression era, the failure of political machines was inevitable. The Great Depression brought about government-provided services to help those in need, leaving no need for the machine. Irish immigrants, then, contributed to the war and attempted to “prove” their Americanism by enlisting in the Union Army. “Urged on by Catholic bishops such as New

York's John Hughes and Boston's John Fitzpatrick, thousands of Irish enlisted in the Union Army (Samito, 2011).” Despite the many struggles that challenged them, Irish immigrants of the late 1840s succeeded in America by virtually creating the first American Catholic Church, embracing and supporting American democracy through acquiring resources from political machines, and contributing to the war effort. Through the milestones that the Irish accomplished, they were able to prove to American natives that the Irish had earned their place in the New World, making way for economic, political, and social success moving forward, such as the 1947 presidential election of Irish-descendant, John F. Kennedy. Kennedy states, during a visit to New Ross, Ireland in 1963, “When my great grandfather left here to become a cooper in East Boston, he carried nothing with him except two things: a strong religious faith and a strong desire for liberty. I am glad to say that all of his great-grandchildren have valued that inheritance.” ( JFK Library, n.d.)

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