Federal riot
The Federal riot refers to a significant event that occurred on February 10, 1799, at Saint Mary's Church in Philadelphia, rooted in the political tensions of the time, particularly surrounding the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. These laws aimed to restrict the rights of immigrants and suppress dissent against the federal government, creating a divide between established Federalists, who included affluent Anglo-American and Irish Catholic members, and the burgeoning Jeffersonian Republicans, largely composed of newer immigrants facing discrimination. During a Sunday service, a group of Irish immigrant Republicans attempted to gather signatures for petitions protesting the acts, leading to violent confrontations with churchgoers.
The aftermath of the riot highlighted growing tensions between these two groups and demonstrated the complexities of early American identity politics. Notably, the accused instigators were acquitted, signaling a shift in public sentiment and intergroup dynamics. The incident not only marked a pivotal moment in the political landscape of the time but also foreshadowed ongoing struggles between established populations and immigrant groups in U.S. history, making it a key event in understanding the evolution of American social relations.
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Federal riot
A riot at Saint Mary’s Church in Philadelphia on February 10, 1799, was the direct result of the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. These four laws—the Naturalization Act, the Alien Act, the Alien Enemies Act, and the Sedition Act—had been passed in June and July and sought collectively to limit the rights of immigrants and to silence criticism of the new US government. Two main political factions dominated at the time, the conservative Federalists and the Jeffersonian Republicans. Federalists were mainly the wealthy and established, and Catholics as well as Protestants were among this group. Saint Mary’s Church, considered one of the most venerable and well-respected Catholic congregations in the United States, counted many of these Federalists among its members and included both established Anglo-Americans and Irish Americans. Republicans were made up largely of immigrants, including many new Irish immigrants, and these less affluent and newer Americans felt the impact of the Alien and Sedition Acts most sharply. They circulated petitions protesting the acts and gathered signatures throughout Philadelphia without incident. They intended to present the petitions to Congress.
Four of these immigrant Republicans—James Reynolds, Samuel Cummings, Robert Moore, and William Duane—posted fliers protesting the Alien and Sedition Acts at Saint Mary’s, again requesting signatures from the Irish members of the congregation. Following the February 10, 1799, Sunday service at Saint Mary’s, a violent confrontation took place between these men and members of the congregation. The four were tried on February 21, 1799, for causing the riot. Saint Mary’s Father Leonard Neale, who had accused the men, strongly condemned the actions of the Republicans, while Father Matthew Carr testified that it was a long-honored tradition in Ireland to post notices and seek support for petitions following church services. The jury delivered a verdict of “not guilty” to the charge of causing a riot.
The riot signified a turning point in the early history of intergroup relations in the United States. Although the short-range effect of this conflict was to weaken the Federalist hold within Saint Mary’s congregation, the “Irish riot” became a symbol of conflict between an established, dominant group and an incoming immigrant population. Such conflicts would characterize much of US history.
Bibliography
McGee, Thomas D'Arcy. A History of the Irish Settlers in North America from the Earliest Period to the Census of 1850. Boston: American Celt, 1851. Print.
Schwartz, Michael. The Persistent Prejudice: Anti-Catholicism in America. Huntington: Our Sunday Visitor, 1984. Print.
Wood, John. The Suppressed History of the Administration of John Adams, from 1797 to 1801. Philadelphia: Walker, 1846. Print.