Renewing the Sectional Struggle

1. Renewing the Sectional Struggle 1848 – 1854 “The South! The South! God knows what will become of her!” --John C. Calhoun

2. Impact of the Mexican Cession • Why are politicians avoiding the question of slavery? • The Wilmot Proviso • Supported in the North • Opposed in the South • Southern senators blocked the proviso • Threatened to: • disrupt the Whigs & the Democrats • split national politics along North & South sectional lines • Political parties represented national unity • Each enjoyed support in both the North & the South

3. The Democratic Party • Polk doesn’t seek reelection in 1848 • What was his reasons? • Select General Lewis Cass • Senator & diplomat • Party was silent on the issue of slavery • Cass favored popular sovereignty – what is PS? • Popular sovereignty • Favored by politicians & public. Why? • However, could cause spread of slavery. How?

4. The Whig Party • Selected Zachary Taylor • “Hero of Buena Vista” • Never held a political office nor voted • Owned slaves • Dodged all troublesome political issues – does this help or hurt him? • Emphasized virtues of candidate

5. Free Soil Party • Candidate – Martin Van Buren • Started by antislavery men in the North • Platform – Supported: • Wilmot Proviso • Internal improvements • Free gov’t homesteads for settlers • Makeup • Industrialists unhappy with Polk’s tariff reduction • Democrats who resented Polk’s decision to settle for Oregon while insisting on all of Texas • Those who favored keeping blacks out of the territories • Why does the majority of the FSP oppose slavery in the new Western territories?

6. Election of 1848 • Attacked personalities of candidates • Free Soil Party caused a split in the vote • Taylor (W) wins

7. Gold in California • 1848 – gold was found // few got rich • “Gold fever” - many moved to CA (49ers) • Who made the most profits? • CA gov’t was not prepared for the number of people • Many newcomers were lawless men & virtueless women • Crime was a problem • Pres. Taylor secretly helped CA draft a constitution in 1849 • Excluded slavery • CA bypassed the territorial stage • CALIFORNY SONG! 392

8. Sectional Balance • Balance in Congress • 15 free states & 15 slave states • CA would upset this balance. Why is this a problem? • CA would set a precedent for the other states out of the Mexican Cession • Texas – claimed territory east of Rio Grande and up to the 42° parallel (map page 405) • Threatened to fight if territory removed to make New Mexico • Could this have started the Civil War 10 years earlier? • DC – Southerners did not like the idea of banning slavery in the nation’s capitol

9. Slavery • Fugitive Slave Act 1793 • North was to return runaway slaves • What was wrong with this Act? • Underground Railroad • Informal chain of “stations” through which “passengers” were led by “conductors” into Canada • Harriet Tubman – most famous conductor / ex-slave • By 1850, push for a new fugitive slave law • 1850 – about 1000 runaway slaves out of 4 million • How do most slaves become free?

10. Underground Railroad

11. “Immortal Trio” of the South • Problems arise when CA applies for statehood • Henry Clay – “Great Pacificator” • North & South should compromise • More feasible fugitive-slave act • John C. Calhoun – “Great Nullifier” • Leave slavery alone • Return runaway slaves • Give South minority rights • Restore political balance • Elect 2 presidents- one from the North & one from the South; both with veto power • Could this work?

12. Daniel Webster • Urged all reasonable concessions to the South • Fugitive-slave law • Seventh of March speech (1850) – helped turn the tide of the North toward compromise

13. Deadlock on Capitol Hill • Northerners in Congress • More interested in purging & purifying the Union than patching & preserving it • William H. Seward • Strong antislaveryite • Against any concessions by the North • Believed that slavery was morally wrong- “higher law” than the Constitution • Pres. Taylor • Bent on vetoing any compromise by congress • Aroused by the threats of Texas to seize Santa Fe

14. Compromise in the Air • 1850 – Pres. Taylor dies in office – bad cherries • Vice Pres. Millard Fillmore takes office • Gladly signed compromises proposed by Congress • “Fire-eaters” of the South wanted no compromise • the term Fire-Eaters refers to a group of extremist pro-slavery politicians from the South who urged the separation of southern states into a new nation, which became known as the Confederate States of America. • Southern extremists met & took strong positions on slavery & opposed compromise • Proved to be a dud • South does compromise with the North • Second Era of Good Feelings • Short lived

15. Concessions to North CA admitted as a free state Territory disputed by Texas & New Mexico to be given to New Mexico Abolition of slave trade in DC- NOT SLAVERY Concessions to South Remainder of Mexican cession formed into the territories of New Mexico & Utah; slavery decided by popular sovereignty Texas - $10 million from gov’t as compensation More stringent Fugitive Slave Law Which side gets the best deal? Make an argument! Compromise of 1850

16. Fugitive Slave Law 1850 • “The Bloodhound Bill” • Strong opposition in the North • Fleeing slaves could not testify in their own behalf & were denied a jury trial • Commissioners who handled cases were paid double if slave was returned • Several states passed “personal liberty laws” that hampered enforcement • Angered the South that the North would not enforce the law • Will this new law make Northerners more or less appreciative of the South and slavery altogether? Why?

17. Election of 1852 • Democrat – Franklin Pierce (dark-horse candidate) • Prosouthern northerner – accepted by the slave wing • Platform – finality of the Compromise of 1850 including Fugitive Slave Act • Whigs – Winfield Scott (war hero) • Endorsed the Fugitive Slave Act • Whigs were split • Antislavery Whigs of the North – liked Scott but deplored his platform • Southern Whigs – liked the platform but not the candidate • Georgia Whigs – voted in vain for Webster who died 2 weeks earlier • Pierce won the election in a landslide

18. Defeat & Doom for the Whigs • Scott was stabbed in the back by this party • particularly the South • Election of 1852 • Marked the end of the Whig Party within a few years • Won only 2 presidential elections (1840 & 1848) • End of national parties • Marked the rise of purely sectional political alignments • Choked to death trying to swallow the distasteful Fugitive Slave Law • Clay & Webster both died during election

19. President Pierce • Cabinet contained aggressive Southerners • Jefferson Davis – Sec of War • Why is he known as the “fainting general”? • Ready to acquire more slave territory • Manifest Destiny - stimulated by Mexican War • Interest in Central America • Especially Panama & Nicaragua • Possible canal route • Compromise of 1850 seemed to have closed off the Mexican Cession to slavery • Forced to look for slave land elsewhere

20. Nicaragua • William Walker – “gray-eyed man of destiny” • Supported by the South • Took control of Nicaragua with his buddies & installed himself as president in 1856 • Promptly legalized slavery • Overthrown by a coalition of Central American countries • Pres. Pierce withdrew diplomatic recognition • Walker was killed in by a Honduran firing squad1860

21. Clayton – Bulwer Treaty • British were also interested in Nicaragua • Possible canal • Challenge to the Monroe Doctrine • Raised the possibility of armed conflict • Clayton – Bulwer Treaty – 1850 • Neither American nor Britain would fortify or secure exclusive control over any future isthmian waterway • Necessary to halt the British – will hinder the US in the future

22. Asian Trade • America had become a Pacific Power • Wanted trade with Far East • Already had contacts with China • Japan • Had been isolated for over 200 years • 1853 - ready to open -mainly because of the Russian menace • Commander Matthew C. Perry • Persuaded the Japanese to sign treaty in 1854 • Commercial foot in the door

23. Cuba: The Pearl of the Antilles • Sugar-rich island • prime objective of Manifest Destiny • 1850s – coveted by the South - most desirable slave territory available • Would restore political balance • Polk had offered $100 million • Offer refused by Spain • 1850 –1851- Two filibustering expeditions • Both efforts were repelled

24. Problems with Cuba • 1854 – Spanish seized American streamer Black Warrior • European powers were entering the Crimean War • US plots to take Cuba • American ministers from Spain, England, & France met in Ostend, Belgium to make secret plans • Ostend Manifesto - 1854 • Offer $120 million • If refused, US would be justified in taking the island • Word got out – Pres Pierce was forced to drop plans • North wanted Canada/ South wanted Cuba • Neither was accomplished

25. Pacific Railroad Promoters • Transportation problems • Oregon & CA were separated from the remainder of the states • Solution: transcontinental railroad • North & South wanted railroad for economic reasons

26. Gadsden Purchase map p. 415 • 1853 – Sec of War – J. Davis had James Gadsden (SC) appointed minister to Mexico • Gadsden offered Mexico $10 million for land • Size of SC • Purchase allowed South the claim the railroad • Smaller mountains & track completely through organized territory • North – Nebraska should be organized

27. Kansas-Nebraska Act • 1854 – Stephen A. Douglas • Supportive of the West • Proposed the K-N Act • Nebraska Territory would be split • Nebraska territory & Kansas territory • Slavery decided based on popular sovereignty • Kansas – probably slave/ Nebraska – probably free • Violation of the Compromise of 1820 • No slavery above 36°30’ line excluding Missouri

28. Results of the Kansas-Nebraska Act • One of the most momentous measures ever passed by Congress • Repeal of the compromises of 1820 & 1850 • Made future compromises impossible • North refused to enforce Fugitive Slave Act • Shattered the Democratic Party • Birth of the Republican Party as a purely sectional party • Middle West/ antislavery • Disgruntled Whigs, Democrats, Free-Soilers, Know-Nothings, & other foes of the Kansas-Nebraska Act