Drifting Toward Disunion: The Rise of Anti-Slavery Sentiment and Its Consequences (1854-1861)

1. Drifting Toward Disunion 1854 - 1861

2. Stowe • 1852 – Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin which showed the cruelty of slavery • Helped start the war • “So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war.” – Lincoln • South believed it as an “unfair” indictment • Countless readers • Stowe had never witnessed slavery first hand in the Deep South

3. Hinton R. Helper • 1857 – Wrote The Impending Crisis of the South • Nonaristocratic white from NC • Attempted to prove that nonslaveholding whites were the ones who suffered the most from slavery • Book was banned in the South • Distributed by the Republicans in campaign literature

4. The Contest for Kansas • Popular sovereignty was not working • New England Emigrant Aid Company sent 2,000 Free-Soilers into Kansas • Pro-slavery “Border Ruffians” crossed the border from Missouri • Southerners had agreed with the Kansas-Nebraska Act believing that Kansas would be slave & Nebraska would be free • Few slaves were brought to Kansas

5. Kansas Election • 1855 – “Border Ruffians” poured in from Missouri to vote early & often • Slave supporters triumphed • Set up their gov’t at Shawnee Mission • Free-Soilers set up their gov’t in Topeka • One gov’t based on fraud, the other on illegality • 1856 – Problems begin • A gang of proslavery raiders shot up & burned part of the free-soil town of Lawrence • Prelude to a bloodier tragedy

6. John Brown & Civil War in Kansas • John Brown – obsessively dedicated to the abolitionist movement • “Old Brown” led a band of his followers to Pottawatomie Creek – May 1856 • Hacked to pieces 5 surprised men – proslaveryites • Brought retaliation from the proslavery forces • “Bleeding Kansas” • Civil War in Kansas – 1856 • Continued until it merged with the Civil War 1861-1865

7. Kansas Applies for Statehood • 1857 – Kansas applies for statehood • Lecompton Constitution • Vote for or against constitution as a whole, but not for the constitution either “with slavery” or “with no slavery” • If they voted against slavery, one of the remaining provisions would protect the owners of slaves already in Kansas • Supported by President/ opposed by Douglas • Divided the Democratic Party • Many free-soilers boycotted the polls • Slaveryites approved the constitution with slavery

8. Problems in the US Senate • Senator Charles Sumner - Massachusetts • leading abolitionist • Disliked by other senators • Gave a speech, “The Crime against Kansas,” condemning slavery • Referred insultingly to SC & Senator Andrew Butler from SC • Congressman Preston Brooks–SC • Resented the insults to his state & senator

9. Sumner-Brooks Clash • May 22, 1856 • Brooks beat Sumner over the head with his cane until it broke • No one interfered • House of Rep. could not get enough votes to expel Brooks • He resigned • Later reelected • Sumner – reelected • couldn’t serve for 3½ years

10. Results of Sumner-Brooks • Increased support for Republican Party • South was angry because Sumner’s speech was applauded in the North • Emotion was displacing thought

11. Election of 1856 • Democrats – James Buchanan • Penn lawyer & former minister to London • Platform - popular sovereignty • Republicans – John C. Frémont • Platform – against extension of slavery into the territories • Know-Nothing Party – Millard Fillmore • Nativists – antiforeign & anti-Catholic

12. Electoral Fruits of 1856 • Buchanan won election • Why were the Republicans defeated? • Violent threats of southerners that the election of a sectional “Black Republican” would be a declaration of war on them, forcing them to secede • Many northerners that depended on the South for their financial gain, voted for Buchanan

13. The Dred Scott Bombshell • March 6, 1857 – Supreme Court ruled • The Case • Dred Scott, a slave, had lived with his master for 5 years in free territory • Sued for his freedom • Basis – because of his long residence on free soil

14. The Ruling • Scott was a slave & not a citizen. Therefore, he could not sue in federal court • Chief Justice Taney went further: • Slaves were property & could be taken to any territory (5th Amendment) • Can not deprive people of property without due process • Ruled that Compromise of 1820 was unconstitutional • Congress had no power to ban slavery from the territories

15. Reactions to the Ruling • Republicans were infuriated • Ruling was opinion, not a decision • Southerners were inflamed by all of the defiance by the North • Applauded by pro-slavery southerners

16. Financial Crash of 1857 • Causes of the crash: • CA gold helped to inflate the currency • Too much grain production • Frenzied speculation in land & railroads • Over 5,000 businesses failed within 1 year

17. Effects of the Crash • North was hardest hit • South was well off - proof that cotton was king • North demanded free farms of 160 acres from the public domain • Land should be given as a reward instead of sold • Opposed by: • Eastern industrialists – would cause workers to move out West • South – slavery would not flourish/ free farmers would fill up the territories • Homestead Act 1860 – vetoed by Buchanan

18. Push for higher tariff rates • Tariff of 1857 – reduced duties by 20% • Lowest point since War of 1812 • Many blamed low tariff for problems • Push to increase tariff for protection • Gave the Republicans 2 surefire economic issues for the election of 1860 • Protection for the unprotected • Farms for the farmless

19. Douglas & Lincoln • Senator Douglas’s term was up & Lincoln decided to run for his seat • Lincoln • Lawyer – “Honest Abe” • Served 1 term in Congress 1847-1849 • After the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, he emerged as one of the foremost politicians & orators of the Northwest. • Why is that?

20. The Great Debate • Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of debates • Debate in Freeport, Ill • Most famous • Lincoln asked the following: • “Suppose the people of a territory should vote down slavery? The Supreme Court in the Dred Scott decision had decreed that they could not. Who would prevail, the Court or the people?” • (Freeport Question) • What was the response?

21. Douglas’s Response • Freeport Doctrine • “No matter how the Supreme Court ruled, slavery would stay down if the people voted it down.” • Territorial legislatures could keep slavery out despite Supreme Court’s decision. • Douglas defeated Lincoln • Senators were chosen by state legislatures at this time. • Lincoln emerges as a possible presidential candidate • Douglas’s opposition to the Lecompton Constitution & defiance of the Supreme Court at Freeport, hurt his chances of being president • Review – what is LeCompton Const?

22. John Brown • Involved in “Bleeding Kansas” • His scheme: • Invade the South secretly with a handful of followers • Call on slaves to rise up • Furnish slaves with weapons • Establish a black state as a sanctuary

23. Raid at Harper’s Ferry • October 1859 • John Brown & his followers seized the federal arsenal in Virginia • Killed 7 innocent people and injured several others • Slaves did not rise up. Why? • John Brown & his followers were captured by the Marines under the command of Robert E. Lee • Brown was convicted of murder & treason • Was put to death

24. In the South: Viewed as a murder & an apostle of treason How could the South remain in the Union while a “murderous gang of abolitionists” were financing armed bands to “Brown” them. Believed that the abolitionists views were shared by all Northerners In the North: Many openly deplored the raid Abolitionists & other free-soilers were upset about Brown’s execution Effects of Harpers Ferry

25. John Brown: Murder or Martyr? Crazy or Sane?

26. Democratic National Convention • Met in Charleston, SC • Stephen Douglas was the leading candidate • Regarded by southerners as a traitor because of his stand on the Lecompton Constitution & Freeport Doctrine • Delegates from the cotton states walked out • Remaining delegates could not decide and convention fell apart

27. Democrats try again in Baltimore • Northerners were still set on Douglas • Cotton states walked out • Remaining democrats select Douglas • Platform: • Popular sovereignty • Against obstruction of the Fugitive Slave Law

28. Southern Democrats • Southerners organized a rival convention in Baltimore • Selected John C. Breckinridge • Platform: • Extension of slavery into the territories • Annexation of slave-populated Cuba • Where else will they want to annex?

29. Minor Party • Constitutional Union Party • “Do Nothing” / “Old Gentlemen’s Party” • Made up of former Whigs & Know-Nothings • Nominated John Bell from Tennessee • Compromise candidate to prevent breakup of the union at any cost

30. Republican Party • Gathered in Chicago • William H. Seward was the best candidate • Too many enemies • Abraham Lincoln was selected • Fewer enemies • Platform: • Nonextension of slavery – (Free-soilers) • Protective tariff – (Industrialists) • No abridgement of rights – (immigrants) • Pacific Railroad – (Northwest) • Internal improvements at federal expense – (West) • Free homesteads from the public domain – (farmers) • Who are they leaving out?

31. Election of 1860 • Lincoln’s victory- Result of: • Split in the Democratic Party • Formation of a third party • Divided the southern vote & gave Lincoln 40% of the vote • all in the north

32. Electoral Upheaval of 1860 • Lincoln was a minority president • He was a sectional president • Not allowed on the ballot in 10 southern states • The election was virtually 2 elections • One in the North & one in the South • Gave SC a reason to secede • Douglas campaigned for himself • very unusual

33. Election of 1860 • Was the South really that bad off after the election? Politically? Economically?

34. The South & Secession • South still had political advantages • 5-4 Supreme Court majority • Democratic control of Congress • 15 slave states could block any constitutional amendment to abolish slavery (requires 2/3 vote) • December 1860 – SC seceded from the union, followed by 10 other southern states over the next 6 months

35. First capital Montgomery, Alabama President Jefferson Davis from Mississippi South Carolina Alabama Mississippi Florida Georgia Louisiana Texas Virginia Tennessee Arkansas North Carolina The Confederate States of America

36. The Crisis • Deepened by the “lame duck” interlude • Period between Lincoln’s election & when he took office • Pres. Buchanan believed that the southern states could not legally secede but he could find no authority in the Constitution for stopping them with guns • Wanted to hold on to any hope of reconciliation

37. The Collapse of Compromise • Senator James Henry Crittenden of KY • Proposed the Crittenden Amendments (Designed to appease the South) • Slavery in the territories - prohibited north of 36°30’ • South of the line – slavery would be protected • Future states – north or south of the line, could come into the union with or without slavery, as they should choose • Slavery would be protected in southern territories regardless of popular sovereignty • Rejected by Lincoln – would result in war against every people, tribe, & state owning land

38. Reasons for Secession • Lack of political balance • Upset with the success of the Republican Party • Weary of free-soil criticism, abolitionist nagging, & northern interference • Underground Railroad & Harpers Ferry ********* All reasons related to slavery*********

39. Farewell to Union • Most southerners supported secession • Believed that the Yankees would not fight • Why? • View as a way to end their vassalage to the North • Could now establish their own banks & shipping/ trade industry with Europe • Impulse of nationalism • Principles of self-determination • Few if any southerners believed they were doing anything wrong • The states voluntarily entered the Union & they could voluntarily leave the Union. Do you think they were right?