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Slavery and National Politics

This article examines the impact of slavery on national politics during the period of 1844-1861, including the issues surrounding slavery in the territories, the 1848 election, and the Compromise of 1850. It also discusses the sectional voting patterns and the growing tensions between the North and the South.

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Slavery and National Politics

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  1. Slavery and National Politics Issues and Consequences, 1844-1861

  2. Slavery In The Territories • Big issue—delayed Tx. Annexation—but trumped by “Manifest Destiny” in 1840s. • “Logic” of 2d Party System kept this issue at bay, but Mexican War reopened the issue. • View of Mexican War • Wilmot Proviso • Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

  3. Slave or Free, Who Decides • Wilmot Proviso • Common Property Argument—J. C. Calhoun • Extension of Mo. Comp. Line—Polk • Popular Sovereignty—Lewis Cass • Supreme Court decides—John Clayton

  4. Wilmot, Calhoun, Polk, Cass, Clayton

  5. 1848 Election • Slavery intrudes: Barnburners and Hunkers among NY. Democrats; Conscience and Cotton Whigs in Mass; Freesoilers emerge out of Dems., Whigs, and Liberty Party, Yancey bolts from Dem. Convention. • Van Buren and Liberty party took enough votes to cost the Democrats the electoral vote in New York and the Whigs the electoral vote in Ohio. • Zachary Taylor Won.

  6. Taylor, Cass, Van Buren, Yancey

  7. Toward an Armistice • Slavery in the west; slavery in D. C. More sectional voting patterns. • Territorial Governments have to be organized; Gold Rush allows Ca. to petition for statehood—issue can’t be avoided. • Henry S. Foote (Ms.) pulled revolver on Thomas Hart Benton (Mo) on 4/17/50 • Open talk of secession/Nashville Convention planned.

  8. Henry S. Foote (1804-1880); Thomas Hart Benton (1782-1858)

  9. Last Hurrah for “Harry of the West” Omnibus Proposal, Jan. 29. 1850 • Ca. admitted as Free State • New Mex. Territory organized with no restriction on slavery • “Little” Texas • U. S. assumes Tx’s. natl. debt. • No slavery in D. C. • Slave trade in D. C. • Congressional self-denying ordinance in interstate slave trade • Stronger Fugitive slave law

  10. “Big Texas”

  11. Speechifying and Dying • Calhoun’s Address, March 4, 1850 • Webster’s “7th of March” Address • Seward’s “Higher Law” Address, March 11, 1850 • Calhound died March 31, 1850 • Bill fashioned out of Omnibus by Committee of 13 died on July 31, 1850. • Zachary Taylor died July 9, 1850

  12. Valedictory of “The Great Triumvirate”

  13. Seward, Whittier, and Millard (not Mallard) Fillmore

  14. A “Compromise” or an “Armistice” • Fillmore support’s Douglas’ crafting of 5 separate bills with specific voting majorities “engineered” to insure passage. • Surprising results: California was a free state with pro-Southern senators; Utah got a slave code but had only 20 slaves in 1860; Fugitive Slave Act exacerbated northern opinion against the “slave power.” • Nashville Convention fizzled and “fire eater” southerners don’t prevail at the polls in state level elections.

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