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From Compromise to Secession, 1850-1861

This chapter explores the conflict over the status of territories in the United States from 1850 to 1861. It covers the Free-Soil Movement, compromise efforts, popular sovereignty, and the impact of the Fugitive Slave Act. The Compromise of 1850 and the publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin are also discussed.

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From Compromise to Secession, 1850-1861

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  1. From Compromise to Secession, 1850-1861 Chapter 14

  2. Conflict over Status of Territories • Free- Soil Movement • Did not demand end of slavery • Keep land in west a land of opportunity for whites only so that the would not have to compete with labor of slaves or free blacks • “free soil, free labor, and free men” • Advocated free homesteads • Public land grants to small farmers • Advocated internal improvements • Southern Position • Any restriction a violation of rights • Saw abolitionists and free-soilers intent as the destruction of slavery • Moderates wanted extension of Missouri Compromise • Popular Sovereignty • Lewis Cass, Michigan • “Squatter” sovereignty • Election of 1848 • Cass – Democrat nominee • Zachary Taylor- Whig Nominee • Martin Van Buren- Free-Soil

  3. http://en.wikivisual.com/images/8/81/ElectoralCollege1848-Large.pnghttp://en.wikivisual.com/images/8/81/ElectoralCollege1848-Large.png

  4. Compromise of 1850 • Ralph Waldo Emerson’s prediction: • “American victory in Mexico would be like swallowing arsenic” • Balance of free/slave states • End of Mexican War 15 states each • New territory • Gold rush of 1849 and influx of 100,000 into California created need for law and order in west • Zachary Taylor • Elected President, 1848 • Strategy: • Prompted California to bypass the territorial stage, draw up constitution, and apply as free state • Wanted New Mexico to do the same • Thought it was practical solution • Response • Angered Southerners in both parties • Nine states agreed to send delegates to a convention in Nashville, June 1850

  5. Compromise • Henry Clay • Proposed: • Admission of California as a free state • Division of the remainder of the Mexican cession into two territories, New Mexico and Utah with restrictions on slavery • Settlement of Texas-New Mexico boundary dispute on terms favorable to New Mexico • Texas, an agreement that the federal government would assume the considerable public debt of Texas • Continuance of slavery in District of Columbia but the abolition of the slave trade • More effective fugitive slave law • “Omnibus” Bill • Debates: Clay, Webster, Calhoun

  6. Compromise “voices” • Clay • Conciliator • Warned of southern secession • Believed slavery would be checked by nature • Calhoun • Believed North’s growing power created imbalance • Against compromise- wanted South to have equal rights • Webster • “7th of March” Speech • Argued for Compromise to save Union • Argued against North and prohibition of slavery • “trying to reenact the will of God” • Other characters • William Seward • Whig, anti-slavery • Argued higher law than Constitution • Fire-Eaters • At Southern Convention • Reckless, extreme • Wanted “Southern rights”

  7. Taylor Dies • Fillmore steps in July 9, 1850 • Appointed Daniel Webster secretary of state • Stephen Douglas takes over for Clay • Chopped into parts • Included popular sovereignty in New Mexico and Utah • Passed by Summer 1850 • Assessing the Compromise • Each section gained and lost • North • California Free State • New Mexico and Utah future free states • Texas- New Mexico border settlement • Abolition of slave trade in D.C. • South • Fugitive slave law

  8. Enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act • Law: • Denied alleged fugitives the right of trial by jury • Not allowed to testify on their behalf • Permitted return to slavery on testimony of claimant • Paid $10 if ruled for the slaveholder, only $5 for the slave • Federal marshals allowed to “hunt” fugitives in North • Outrage: • Abolitionists • Anthony Burns incident • “The Funeral of Liberty” • Vigilance communities • “Personal-liberty” laws • Underground Railroad

  9. Uncle Tom’s Cabin • Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1852 • Daughter of Lyman Beecher • Reaction to Fugitive Slave Act • Story • Targeted slavery • How slavery tears apart family • Reaction • Sold 300,000 copies in 1852 • Enthralled working-class • Consequences • Impact cannot be measured • Northern attitude toward slavery in North “never quite the same”

  10. Other Literature • Impending Crisis of the South • 1857, Hinton R. Helper • Attacked slavery by using statistics to prove its negative impact on southern economy • Southern Reaction • Counterarguments • Slavery “good” • Wage slaves of the North • Effects • In North, slavery became a moral issue • Growing number of southerners convinced North’s goal was to destroy institution of slavery and way of life

  11. Election of 1852 • Problems: • Fugitive Slave Act fragmented Whig party • Nominees: • Whigs: General Winfield Scott • Mexican War Hero • Virginia, but supported by “free-soil” Whigs • Focused on improving roads and harbors • Democrats: Franklin Pierce • dark-horse candidate • No one really opposed him • Compromise of 1850 and Popular Sovereignty • Supported Fugitive Slave Law • Results: • Pierce sweeps to victory

  12. Collapse of Second Party System, 1853- 1856 • Kansas- Nebraska Act • Shattered second party system • Originally a bill by Stephen Douglas to organize Nebraska territory • Wanted to promote settlement in Mid-West, railroad • Needed to make concessions for southerners to vote for his bill • Apply popular sovereignty • Superseded Missouri Compromise, voided it • Set off protest • Passed the Senate, but barely the House of Rep. • Surge of Free Soil • United Northerners who agreed on nothing else • Believed slavery impeded white progress • Labor loses its dignity • Kansas-Nebraska Act last straw

  13. Extremists and Violence • Bleeding Kansas • Majority of population anti-slavery farmers • Slaveholders from neighboring state of Missouri set up homesteads as means of winning control of the territory for the South • Response: New England Emigrant Aid Company • Northern Abolitionists and Free-Soilers • Paid for transportation of antislavery settlers to Kansas • Fighting broke out • Proslavery Missourians • “border ruffians” • Created pro-slavery legislation in Lecompton, Kansas • Anti-slavery Missourians • Refused to recognize Lecompton legislation • Created new one in Topeka • Response • Attack of Free-soil town Lawrence, Kansas • Caning of Senator Sumner

  14. New Parties • Know-Nothing Party • Nativists hostile to immigrants • “I know nothing” • Drew support away from Whigs • Opposed Catholics • Won few local and state elections • Lost influence when sectional influence became center • Republican Party • Founded 1854, Wisconsin as reaction to Kansas-Nebraska Act • Coalition of Free-Soilers and anti-slavery Whigs and Democrats • Platform • Repeal of Kansas-Nebraska Act and Fugitive State Law • Prohibit slavery in new teritories • Abolitionists eventually joined • Grew rapidly in North, became 2nd largest party • Success only alienated and threatened South

  15. Election of 1856 • Nominees • Republicans • John C. Fremont, senator from California • No expansion of slavery, free homesteads, probusiness protective tariff • Made strong showing • South not needed to win election • Foreshadowed emergence of powerful political party that would win all but four elections between 1860- 1932 • Know-Northings • Millard Fillmore • Won 20% of popular vote • Democrats • James Buchanan • Won majority of both popular and electoral vote

  16. Constitutional Issues • Lecompton Constitution • Buchanan’s challenge whether to accept • Asked Congress to accept it, admit Kansas as a slave state • Rejected, mainly by Republicans led by Stephen Douglas • Dred Scott v. Sandford 1857 • Dred Scott • Slave, taken to free territory and returned to Missiouri • Sued for freedom • Decision • Chief Justice Roger Taney • No right to sue in Federal court, Africans not U.S. Citizens • Congress had no power to deprive a person of property without due process of law • Missouri Compromise Unconstitutional

  17. Lincoln-Douglas Debates • Campaign for senator of Illinois • Douglas • Seeking re-election • Popular • “Little Giant” • Angered South by not supporting Dred Scott decision enough • “Freeport Doctrine” • Slavery could not exist in a community if the local citizens did not pass and enforce laws (slave codes) for maintaining it • Lincoln • Successful trial lawyer • Former member of Illinois legislature • Publically unknown • Morality of slavery, though not yet an abolitionist • “House-divided” speech • Results • Douglas wins campaign • Lost ground in party by alienating Democrats • Lincoln emerged a national figure and contender for Republican party

  18. Road to Secession • Sectional divisions • South alarmed at Republicans success • Antislavery platform • Economic program • Favored Northern industrialists at expense of the South • Higher tariffs, hurt South’s dependence on cotton • John Brown’s Raid • Harper’s Ferry 1859 • Attacked Federal Arsenal • Wanted to inspire a slave revolt • Federal troops called in • Robert E. Lee • Tried for Treason, convicted, and hanged in Virginia • Consequences • Condemned in the North by moderates • Southern whites had final proof of North’s true intentions • Later became humanitarian martyr • Election of 1860 • Breakup of Democratic Party • Democratic convention last hope for compromise • Held in Charleston, SC • Stephen Douglas leading candidate, blocked by Buchanan • Deadlock led to walkout • Remaining delegates nominated Douglas • Platform: popular sovereignty and enforcement of FSL • Southern Democrats nominated John C. Breckinridge • Platform: unrestricted extension of slavery and annexation of Cuba • Nominations • Republicans: Lincoln • Platform: appealed to economic self-interest of North and West and exclusion of slavery from territories • Constitutional-Union Party • Former Know-Nothings and Whigs • John Bell, Tennessee • Enforce laws and preserve Union • Results • Lincoln Wins

  19. Secession of the Deep South • Lincoln’s Election • December 1860, a special convention needed for disunion in SC • Within 6 weeks, six states followed • FL, GA, AL, Miss, LA, TX • February 1861 • Representatives of seven states of Deep South • Created Confederate States of America • Created Constitution • Placed limits on governments power to impose tariffs and restrict slavery • Elected President Jefferson Davis, Alexander Stephens Vice President • Crittenden Compromise • Buchanan lame-duck president for 5 months • Did nothing to prevent secession • Congress had last-ditch effort • Proposed by John Crittenden • Guaranteed slavery south of 36’30 • Lincoln would not accept, it violated the Republican position

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