Steven H. Newton Department of History, Political Science and Philosophy Delaware State University

1. Free Land, Free Labor—Free Men?Coming to Grips with the Difference Between Abolitionism and Anti-Slavery in America, 1820-1860 Steven H. Newton Department of History, Political Science and Philosophy Delaware State University Prepared for the American Institute for History Education

2. We remember the Abolitionists… Icons of Abolitionism * David Walker * Wm. Ll. Garrison * Frederick Douglass *The Grimke sisters

3. And yet there are some Abolitionists we don’t seem to recall…. Who is this man and why does he appear so rarely in our textbooks?

4. Comparing Abolitionism to the Civil Rights Movement—A Common Strategy …which unfortunately founders because the parallel is forced rather than natural… * Differences in location * Differences in participation * Differences in tactics * Differences in outcomes

5. A far more useful approach is to view the criticisms and defenses of slavery as a dialogue that developed over time… For each change in the Northern critique of slavery there was a corresponding modification in the Southern defense of the institution.

6. Prior to 1829 the argument is framed (on a national basis) in terms of economic and political power…. Changes in balance of political power between North and South since the Constitutional Convention Population shifts Economic changes Tariff issues Southern losses in House of Representatives

7. ELECTION OF 1820 Key events from the pre-1829 period: ELECTION OF 1824 National Bank Internal Improvements Missouri Compromise (1820) Election of 1824 Tariff of Abominations Election 0f 1828 SC Exposition and Protest

8. From 1829 through the late 1840s the critical development is the emergence of evangelical abolitionism…. Walker’s Appeal Garrison’s Liberator American Anti-slavery society

9. Key components of evangelical abolitionism: Develops out of New England evangelical tradition: Moral critique on Christian grounds Emphasis on non-violence “moral ‘suasion” Disregard for politics/economics Elite leadership cadre

10. The Southern response to evangelical abolitionism…. From defending slavery as a “necessary evil,” advocates modify their arguments to considering it a “positive good” mandated by political philosophy and the Christian religion * John C. Calhoun * George Fitzhugh

11. From the mid-1840’s to 1860 the Abolitionist movement loses ground to what Eric Foner characterizes as the “Free Labor” Ideology Abolitionism versus anti-slavery (Abolitionism as a political failure!?) Resurgence of politics and economics in anti-slavery thought Tripartite ideology: free land (soil), free labor, and free men

12. Free land (free soil) Traditional agrarian/economic assumption that the well-being of the American economy is dependent upon a virtually infinite supply of available (“free”) land for future expansion, increased production, and population growth Conscious double entendre with the word “Free”

13. Free labor Definition of labor equates with entrepreneurial capitalism and not with wage-earning Lincoln’s concept of “no permanent wage-earning class” Boot-strapping and character Physical labor, when the means to an end, is ennobling

14. Free men Slavery is the anti-thesis of free labor Slavery provides slave-holders with unfair advantages while it degenerates their character Slavery in the territories threatens America’s economic future Slavery is therefore evil because it damages the larger American society It is not, therefore, necessary to believe in racial equality to become committed to anti-slavery

15. Ultimately, the Republican Party becomes the beneficiary of this “Free Labor” ideology as fragments of other failed political parties migrate toward it “Free Soilers” “Conscience” Whigs “Know-nothings” Increasingly disaffected anti-slavery Democrats Leading the Republican Party to become the first purely regional party with national clout

16. With the advent of “Free Labor” ideology, Anti-slavery is able to achieve what Abolitionism never could…. Electoral victory….

17. And the Bonus Round…. Who is this man and why does he appear so rarely in our textbooks?