The Irish Draft Riots
Repost
**I posted this on website previously here:
But I am locked out of that account, so hopefully this post does not get flagged.
Around the time of the Civil War, there was a mass migration of Irish to the Northern States. Large scale opposition to, not just Irish immigration, but to all forms of migration developed. For example, as an article from the New-York Daily Tribune points out, many Northern states had completely banned black Americans from entering their states. The article also goes further and disputes the idea that newly freed blacks will migrate North. They state that freed slaves will prefer to stay “in land of their birth,” and that the demand for agricultural workers will be just as great after abolition. The author also likens these arguments to an offshoot of Pro-Slavery sympathy.[1]
An article published by The New York Herald on August 10th, 1863, discusses the Irish draft riots and the social relationship of immigrants. After the riots, many Southern newspapers such as the Richmond Whig went one to label the riots as a sign of what awaits the North as “the just retribution.” The New York Herald also disputes the claims made by the Richmond Whig that there exists large-scale antagonism between German and Irish immigrants. The New York Herald states, “The Irish and Germans are both alike useful and industrious citizens, and there is abundant room for all.” The Germans are labeled as descended from an “agricultural” people, while the Irish have been categorized as a mercantile and trading people like the Phoenicians. Around this time there were also many skilled Irish mechanics living in New York city and would often compete with the Germans. The author goes one to state that the draft riot was unique, and it will certainly not happen again.[2]
Another article published by the New-York Daily Tribune was about the subject of anti-Irish-Catholic prejudice in the city of New York. This paper was published on July 23, 1863. The article goes on to state that the argument against equality used by the Pro-Slavery Democrats has been turned against the Irish mob. They state that many of the atrocities that the Democratic politicians were expected from former slaves never occurred, but those atrocities have been committed by the Irish. An excerpt from the author states “If it becomes necessary, argues that journal, for a republic to guard itself against the unconditional admission of brutish races to full citizenship, without previously educating them, the rule certainly applies with greater force to the Irish Catholics than the American negroes.” I believe this quote showcases much of the resentment that the city felt towards Irish Immigrants, which was especially strong after the draft riots. Interestingly, the author feels that these events could be used to discredit a Republican form of government and be used by European powers as an argument against democracy.[3]
Citations and Sources:
[1] Source 1 -- New York Daily Tribune, April 16, 1863