1854 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

The Whig Party met in convention at the Boston Music Hall in mid-August. Continuing the theme of their 1853 campaign, they promoted themselves as the party of reform, proposing a half-dozen constitutional amendments culled from the failed 1853 constitution. They passed resolutions denouncing the Kansas-Nebraska Act and calling for restoration of the Missouri Compromise, a ban on further extension of slavery into the territories, and repeal of the Fugitive Slave Act. The platform also attempted to appeal to nativists by excoriating the Franklin Pierce administration for appointing foreigners "to the exclusion of native citizens of highest reputation and lofty patriotism."[7] Governor Washburn was re-nominated.

Despite the rapid decay of the party's rank-and-file, Whig leadership remained ignorant of the strength of the Know-Nothing movement. The Boston Advertiser confidently trumpeted, "We do not recollect a time at this season of the year when the prospects were fairer for a successful result of the Autumnal election. If a judicious course is pursued by the Whig party, they are sure of an honorable triumph."[8]

In 1853 and 1854, the Free Soil Party in several states had joined with anti-slavery Democrats and Whigs to form a new Republican Party. In July, the Massachusetts Free Soil Party attempted to do likewise with an abortive "People's Convention," but the proposal failed to attract Whig or Democratic support. Whigs, confident in their dominance over Beacon Hill, counter-proposed that anti-slavery activists should simply join the Whigs. Behind closed doors, most were joining the Know-Nothings.[9]

The new Republican Party, formed from a small die-hard remnant of the Free Soil Party,[8] held their founding convention on Worcester Common on September 7. A highlight of the convention was the speech of Charles Sumner.[10] One speaker referred to the coming campaign as one that would pit "Slavery, Romanism, and Rum [against] Freedom, Protestantism, and Temperance."[8]

A platform was adopted opposing the acquisition of Cuba or any other territory without a free vote of its residents, denouncing the Boston Municipal Government for the arrest of Anthony Burns, and pledging "to make the question of freedom paramount to all other political questions." The platform proposed the repeal of the Fugitive Slave Act and the prohibition of slavery in Kansas, Nebraska, the District of Columbia, and all future territories and states.[10]

All of the candidates were considered free-soilers, except Samuel Hoar,[10] though he had founded the Free Soil Party.

• Nathaniel Prentiss Banks, U.S. Representative from Waltham
• Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas
• Samuel Hoar, former U.S. Representative from Concord
• Stephen C. Phillips, former U.S. Representative and Mayor of Salem
• Henry Wilson, former President of the Massachusetts Senate and Free Soil candidate for governor in 1853

Wilson's nomination exposed fissures between the free-soil elite and the rank-and-file, many of which had already fully entered the Know-Nothing movement. Though Wilson remained a forceful campaigner for the antislavery cause, his association with Know-Nothings was known by this time. Upon Wilson's nomination, Judge Charles Allen took the floor to launch a blistering attack against Wilson and the Know-Nothing movement, with which he was associated. Allen introduced a movement to revoke the nomination, which failed.[8]

A Democrat, Increase Sumner of Great Barrington, was nominated for lieutenant governor.[10]

The Democratic Party held their convention in Lowell on September 26. Isaac Adams was elected president with 297 out of 553 votes.[11] Perennial nominee Henry Bishop was re-nominated by acclamation, despite his letter declining.[11]

A state party platform was passed endorsing the national Democratic platform of 1852, the Pierce administration,[8] the principle of democratic self-government, and a recent act of Congress "changing the superintendence of our National armories from the military to the civil." The platform also included a plank emphasizing the freedom of religion.[11]

At the Free Soil convention in Springfield on October 17, the party voted to disband and endorse the Republican ticket.

The Know-Nothing movement coalesced into the Native American Party and held their first convention at Tremont Temple in Boston on October 18. Henry J. Gardner served as president.[12]

More than 1,500 delegates were in attendance. Political rivals and the press were barred from the proceedings, but some informants were planted among the delegates.[13] Despite the party's populist roots and membership, the proceedings were dominated by professional politicians.[13]

Gardner, who was a leading candidate, reassured delegates that he was "an antislavery man, and... a temperance man of fifteen years standing." With no access to the proceedings, men more familiar with Gardner were unable to inform the delegates that he enjoyed brandy and had a long record as a "proslavery, Fugitive Slave Law, Webster Whig."[13]

• Simon Brown, publisher of the New England Farmer
• Nahum F. Bryant
• Henry J. Gardner, businessman and member of the Boston Common Council
• Eli Thayer, founder of the Oread Institute and Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company
• Marshall Pinckney Wilder, merchant, amateur horticulturalist, and former President of the Massachusetts Senate
• Henry Wilson, former President of the Massachusetts Senate and Republican and Free Soil candidate for governor
• Ephraim M. Wright, Secretary of the Commonwealth

After the contentious first ballot, Henry Wilson withdrew his name from consideration. A motion was passed disqualifying any person who had joined the party within the prior month, effectively eliminating front-runner Marshall Wilder as well.[12] There was some accusation that the Boston Whig Party had inordinate influence at the convention.[12]

After balloting was concluded, the party secretary was instructed to misinform the Boston newspapers as to which candidates had been nominated.[12] Some in the movement, especially early adopters, were aggrieved that the party had given choice nominations to "political stock-jobbers and curbstone brokers." Nevertheless, the slate remained secret until late October.[13]

• Henry W. Bishop, candidate for governor in 1852 and 1853 (Democratic)
• Bradford L. Wales, candidate for governor in 1853 (Democratic-Hunker)
• Charles Allen, judge and former U.S. Representative from Boston (Independent Free Soil)
• Henry Wilson, former president of the Massachusetts Senate and candidate for governor in 1853 (Free Soil Republican[14])
• Henry J. Gardner, member of the Boston City Council (American)
• Emory Washburn, incumbent governor (Whig)

With the American Party ticket being withheld from the press until a week before the election, most of the campaign was largely conducted on their terms: behind closed doors and at the local level.[13]

By the time the slate became public, most acknowledged that the American Party had a strong chance of victory. Gardner was especially confident, telling one Whig newspaperman, "You had better not abuse me as you are abusing me in the Atlas. I shall be elected by a very large majority."[13] Some Whigs held out hope that his nomination would sink the movement.[13]

One public issue in the brief campaign was the Fugitive Slave Act. Allen and Wilson both strongly opposed it and Allen charged Gardner with having supported it, which he denied. Gardner advocated for the repeal or modification of the law and said that he had, in the past, favored a fusion between the Whig and Free Soil parties.[15]

A few days before the election, Wilson wrote the Republican state committee asking to have his name removed from the ticket. With no time to reprint ballots, his withdrawal obliterated what was left of an independent antislavery party in the state. In his memoirs, Wilson credits his withdrawal to a belief that only the American Party could upend the elite establishment. (In reality, Wilson had been a member of the movement since March.) The accusation of opportunism would hound Wilson into his January 1855 campaign for U.S. Senate.[16]

1854 Massachusetts gubernatorial election[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Know Nothing	Henry J. Gardner	81,503	62.58%	N/A
	Whig	Emory Washburn (incumbent)	27,279	20.94%	25.00
	Democratic	Henry W. Bishop	13,742	10.55%	16.67
	Republican	Henry Wilson (withdrew)	6,483	4.98%	17.53
	Ind. Free Soil	Charles Allen	477	0.37%	N/A
	Ind. Democratic	Bradford L. Wales	477	0.37%	3.88
	Write-in		288	0.22%	0.13
Total votes			130,249	100.00%
	Know Nothing gain from Whig		Swing

Election day was held amidst a deluge. Despite the rain, the Know-Nothings celebrated their victory with fireworks and cannons on Boston Common. Gardner addressed the crowd, "Whatever may be the result elsewhere in the state—of which I know nothing [laughter]—we can proudly say that in Boston our principles—and they are American principles—are triumph."[18]

The Know-Nothings won a historic victory. Gardner's margin was the largest ever by percentage and raw vote. He carried every city and all but twenty towns. The victory swept all regions of the state and erased old sectarian political boundaries.[18] Every state constitutional officer, the entire congressional delegation, all forty state senators, and all but three of the 379 representatives were endorsed by the American Party.[18]

The Whig and Free Soil establishment was deeply shocked by the result. Charles Francis Adams Sr., who had expected a Know-Nothing victory, wrote, "There has been no revolution so complete since the organization of government." Edward Everett thought the election was "the most astonishing result ever witnessed in our politics" and wrote to Robert C. Winthrop, "What a political overturn!" Winthrop himself voiced grief for "poor old Massachusetts."[18]

• Mulkern, John (1990). "Dark-Lantern Politics and the Know-Nothing Triumph". The Know-Nothing Party in Massachusetts: The Rise and Fall of a People's Movement. Boston: Northeastern University Press. pp. 61–86.