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RENEWING THE SECTIONAL STRUGGLES- 1848—1854

RENEWING THE SECTIONAL STRUGGLES- 1848—1854. Chapter 18. The Popular Sovereignty Panacea. Mexican American War set the stage for Slavery Controversy Threatened to divide the union Issue: What to do with new territory? Wilmot Proviso What it said What happened to it

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RENEWING THE SECTIONAL STRUGGLES- 1848—1854

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  1. RENEWING THE SECTIONAL STRUGGLES- 1848—1854 Chapter 18

  2. The Popular Sovereignty Panacea • Mexican American War set the stage for Slavery Controversy • Threatened to divide the union • Issue: What to do with new territory? • Wilmot Proviso • What it said • What happened to it • Whigs and Democrats wanted to keep lid on Slavery Controversy

  3. Election of 1848 • Polk is in ill-health from over-work and does not run again. • Democrats nominate Lewis Cass. Not very warm or easy for the electorate to like. • Democratic platform is silent on slavery, but Cass is the reputed father of “popular sovereignty. • What is Popular Sovereignty? • Popular Sovereignty is very popular with the people.

  4. Election of 1848 • Whigs nominated Zachary Taylor, hero of the Mexican-American war. (Va.-born, slave-owner). • Taylor had never even held office • Why Clay not nominated. • Whig platform is silent of slavery and generally is wishy-washy. • Taylor does not take a position on slavery, but he is assumed safe for the southern Whigs. Why?

  5. Free Soil Party Splits the Vote • Northern Whigs unhappy with Taylor because he’s a slave owner. • Free Soil Party. • Agreed with the Wilmot Proviso and stood against slavery. This is primary issue. • Supported free government homesteads for settlers in Western territories. • Types of people in party? • Enough Northern Dems vote Free Soil, especially in New York, to give the election to Whigs and Taylor.

  6. California Gold • The discovery of Gold in California in 1848 blew the lid off the slavery issue. • Why and How? California Gold Rush Country

  7. California Constitution • Citizens write a constitution and apply or statehood as non-slave state. • This will put slave states in the minority. • South rises in violent opposition to admission of California.

  8. Why Was South So Concerned? • South had the presidency, majority of the cabinet, and majority of the Supreme Court. • The cotton economy was good and seemingly held the north and Europe in an economic bind. • South not concerned about the immediate outright abolition of slavery. • Why?

  9. Concerns of the South • Loss of balance in Senate • Rest of the Mexican Cession • Slavery in D.C. • Texas land claims • Biggest Concern: Run-Away Slaves and enforcement of Fugitive Slave law

  10. Underground Railroad • Underground Railroad • Harriet Tubman

  11. Stay Focused

  12. Fugitive Slave Law • South demanded a harsher fugitive slave law. • Why? • Only losing about 1000 slave a year out of population of 2 Million. • More slaves are freed by self-purchase and manumision.

  13. Twilight Of The Senatorial Giants • 1850 all these issues come to a head. • Southern fire-eaters threaten cession • Crisis was looming. • Three Senatorial Giants tackle the issue in the Senate. Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and Daniel Webster. • Webster and Clay urge compromise and reasonable concession to south. • Calhoun argues for Const. Amendments to protect the South.

  14. Deadlock in the Senate • The Young Guard from the North. • William Seward, Senator from New York. • Seward’s position. • Deadlock seemed certain as debate progressed. And if there was deadlock the south would likely secede.

  15. Breaking The Logjam • Taylor was poised to veto the compromise. Why? • 1850 President Taylor suddenly died; Vice President Millard Fillmore took the presidency. • Fillmore supports the compromise • Clay, Webster and Stephen Douglas work hard to get Compromise supported in North, and it generally is. • Fire-eaters in South unhappy. • Nashville convention • Second (short lived) era of good feelings.

  16. Terms of the Compromise • Pro-North: • Cal. admitted as a free state; • Terr. in dispute between TX and NM goes to NM, so more likely to go free • abolition of slave-trade (but not slavery) in Wash. DC. • Pro-South: • NM and Utah slavery issue to be decided by popular sovereignty; • more stringent Fugitive Slave Law. • $3.10 Million to Texas

  17. Stay Focused

  18. Accessing the Compromise • Who got the better deal?

  19. Backfiring Slave Law • Reaction in North to Fugitive Slave Law. • Provisions: • Slaves not allowed to testify and denied a jury trial. • Commissioner who handled the case got twice as much if the slave was returned. • Northerners who aided slaves to freedom subject to heavy fines and jail. • Northerners could be ordered to assist in capture of run-aways • How does the law backfire against the South?

  20. Election of 1852 • Dems. Hopelessly divided. • Nominate Franklin Pierce, a pro-southern, northerner. Compromise candidate. • Weak and indecisive. • Scant public record, and thus not much to offend either part of party • Platform for Compromise of 1850 and Fugitive Slave Law

  21. Election of 1852--Whigs • Nominate Winfield Scott. • Great general, but not well liked by people. Stuffy. • Whigs hopelessly divided. Why? • Election turned largely on issues of personality. • Pierce wins in a landslide. • Effective end of Whig Party.

  22. President Pierce The Expansionist • Pierce cabinet full of southerners • Jefferson Davis is Sec. of War • South needs more slave states • Can’t find in US, so start looking over southern border • Fueled by ideas of Manifest Destiny. • Nicaragua--William Walker • Clayton-Bulwer Treaty

  23. Coveted Cuba • The South saw Cuba as the most desirable slave territory available. • Right off our Southern shore and perfect for a slave economy. • Already had lots of slaves there. • Carved into several states it would restore the north-south balance • Pierce offers Spain 100 Mil. to buy. Spain refuses. • Pierce and cabinet plot to seize it. • Ostend Manifesto • Consequences

  24. The Gadsden Purchase • Nation desperately needs a trans-continental RR to tie California to nation. • Both North and South want the route. • Why? • Southern Route is easier. • Gadsden Purchase. • Nebraska territory. • South doesn’t want this. Why?

  25. Gadsden Purchase, 1853

  26. Kansas-Nebraska Act • Stephen A. Douglas proposes Kansas-Nebraska Act. • Terms. • Assumptions about Kansas • Impact on Missouri Compromise • Abolitionist Reaction • Reaction of moderates The “Little Giant”

  27. Kansas and Nebraska, 1854 • One of the most momentous measures to pass Congress. • Led to open warfare in Kansas and the unofficial opening of the Civil War.

  28. End of Chapter

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