Ch 18 Renewing the Sectional Struggle

1. Ch 18 Renewing the Sectional Struggle The 2 established parties will avoid issue of slavery Maintains unity

2. Results of Mexican War • Settlers begin to pour into California • Mexican cession • Possible split in national political parties • Renewed controversy over extension of slavery • Wilmot Proviso adds/detracts to controversy

3. Popular Sovereignty Panacea • Democrats must replace Polk- Lewis Cass • Pompous @#$-vet of War 1812senator and diplomat- Party is quiet on slavery Cass is not- He is the father of Popular Sovereignty • Pro’s and cons

4. Political Triumphs for Taylor • Taylor Fever-Whigs ride popularity into White House • Never held office-never even voted-Why him and not……Clay? • Whigs avoid major issues- keep coming back to Taylor! And popluarity • Slave owner from Louisiana

5. Free Soil Party • 1848 Presidential election was alive with controversy • Support WP • Internal improvements • Free homestead lands for settlers • Opposition to slavery in the territories

6. Election of 1848 • Race came down to personalities- not issues-both want to avoid the BIG issue • Results- New York once again is pivotal

7. California and Gold Rush • Johann Sutter-American River • Northern California floods area in 1848 by next year many more arrive- ‘49’ers • Lawlessness rampant-international issue • Issue is to resolved by bringing in California as a State-but what kind? • Compromise of 1850-URR/FSL

8. Sectional Balance and the UGRR • 1850-south-very well off-Executive in hands of southerner-Supreme Court packed- • Cotton prices high-slavery not threatened where it exists- Their fears were real though- Senate was 50/50-future addition of slaves states not likely-but they could always defeat a Constitutional Amendment • South nursing grievances-list them

9. Twilight of Senatorial Giants • Clay/Calhoun/Webster all speak-remember-California wants in-as Free Soil. • Clay-compromise-(Backed by Stephen Douglas)Calhoun-weak/near death wants restoration of rights as a minority-He is a FIRE EATER-angry and scornful of their bleak future which is set in stone by their their OWN practices • Webster-make all concession to the south-including a new FSL-branded as traitor-(most Famous speech EVER given in Senate Chamber-3 hours-God has ordained the Wilmot Proviso

10. Deadlock and Danger on Capitol Hill • William H. Seward-Senator New York • Young Guard-not aware of role of Compromise in forging our nation • God’s moral law is supreme over mortals-there is a higher law-FOREVER dooms him-known as Higher Law Seward-ruins chance at 1860 Presidency-(AL gets the nod) • Taylor vows to veto-mad about Tx. Actions and fallen under ‘spell’ Seward

11. Breaking the Congressional Logjam • Summer 1850 Taylor croaks- suspicious ? • Millard Fillmore becomes next President • VP is also Pro Tempore of Senate-heard all speeches and was convinced of compromise • Compromise passes-some fire eaters in south outraged- meet in Tenn. To discuss options- have later meeting at end of year-passions cooled-economy doing well-influx of gold from Calif

12. Balancing The Compromise Scales • Who got the better end of the deal? • North-Free states outnumber slave- • Chance of adding slave states slim-Utah and NM open to it thru PS but ‘higher law’ sealed their fate-weather and geography • Only real gain-’bloodhound bill’ was a PR disaster-read p.398-400

13. Defeat and doom for the Whigs • Democratic nominating convention-met in Baltimore-surprised many by second dark horse candidate • Franklin Pierce- describe his qualities- northerner acceptable to southern wing-platform came out for the Comp1850 FSL and all • Whigs go with Scott-miss good oppurtunity • Party split-northern whigs outraged by FSL-accept Scott but not platform-Southern whigs don’t trust Scott will enforce FSL-endorse platform denounced candidate-some 5,000 ‘finality’ voters in SC voted for Webster

14. Pierce the Expansionist • Where can we get new slave states? • With a cabinet dominated by southerners the goal becomes Central / Latin America • Nicaragua-Walker

15. Coveted Cuba:Pearl of the Antilles • Cuba-prime goal of Manifest Destiny 1850s • Slave area already-large enough to be carved into multiple states • Purchase not an option-conquest remains • 2 filibustero attempts made-both fail • 1854-American ship is seized by spain-Pierce can now have war

16. Cuba cont. • Rest of Europe occupied by Crimean War • Am.SecState instruct our Ambassadors in Eng.Sp.Fr. To prepare for war, because we will offer 120 mil. To Spain and WHEN they refuse to sell, we will declare war on the basis of proxmity to US-Cuba is a threat • Meeting was held in Ostend Belgium • “Someone” in a postion of power leaked the info. To abolitionists in US

17. Ostend Manifesto • Major scandal- First time the US is caught trying to start a war with a political agenda in mind • Abolitionists, anti-war demonstrators are very active • Pierce was forced to drop the issue-outrage in north was severe • First time in our history we could not cash in on Europes woes

18. Gadsden Purchase • Transcontinental railroad proposed • Best route is southern route –Why? • Nebraska was unorganized and all efforts to organize it were thwarted-Why?

19. Douglas’ KS/Neb.scheme • Douglas was energetic and hopeful to stop the southern route for a TC RR. • If Nebraska could be organized into a territory-Investors would be willing to risk $ • This would make a Northern route possible and make the small Illinois settlement of Chicago into the eastern terminus of TCRR

20. Southern reaction • The south would never vote for a northern terminus for a TCRR? Would They? • They would if it meant the possibility to extend slavery • Douglas’ scheme includes the revocation of the Mo. Comp.