RENEWING THE SECTIONAL STRUGGLES- 1848—1854 Chapter 18.

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

• Whigs and Democrats wanted to keep lid on Slavery Controversy

Election of 1848• Polk is in ill-health from over-work and does not

run again (your book says he had chorro pg. 390).

• Democrats nominate Lewis Cass (your book says his name rhymes with jackass pg. 391). 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. Its a doctrine that stated that people should decide the status of slavery.

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? Too many

enemies.• Whig platform is silent on slavery

and generally is wishy-washy. • Taylor does not take a position on

slavery, but he is assumed safe for the southern Whigs. Why?

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.– Believe slavery destroyed the chances of white

workers

• Enough Northern Dems vote Free Soil, especially in New York, to give the election to Whigs and Taylor.

California Gold

• The discovery of Gold in California in 1848 blew the lid off the slavery issue.

• Why and How?

California Gold Rush California Gold Rush CountryCountry

California Constitution

• Citizens write a constitution and apply or statehood as non-slave state.

• This will put slave states in the minority.

• The feces hits the fan in the South.

• South rises in violent opposition to admission of California.

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? 15 slave vs. 15 free states (sectional

balance is =)

Concerns of the South

• Loss of balance in Senate

• Rest of the Mexican Cession

• Slavery in D.C. (ends slave trade but not slavery) believed this idea might spread

• Texas land claims (Made smaller)

• Biggest Concern: Run-Away Slaves and enforcement of Fugitive Slave law

Underground Railroad• Underground Railroad• Harriet Tubman

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 manumission (emancipation).

– They rested their argument on the Constitution, which protected slavery and on Congress, which provided laws for catching slaves.

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.

Most intense debate in U.S. HistoryMost intense debate in U.S. History•John C. CalhounJohn C. Calhoun•North should honor the Constitution and enforce the Fugitive Slave Law•South wanted California•threatened to secede from U.S.•U.S. should have two Presidents---one from the North and one for the South

Comp of 1850

•Daniel WebsterDaniel Webster•Secession is impractical & impossible•How would we split the land? •The military?•Compromise at all cost•Preserve the Union

•Henry ClayHenry Clay•The Great Compromiser, with

John C. Calhoun, Daniel Webster and Stephen Douglas, propose

this compromise.

Deadlock in the Senate

• The Young Guard from the North. • William Seward, Senator from New York. • Seward’s position(did not want

compromise, must obey God’s laws, “Higher Law”)

• Deadlock seemed certain as debate progressed. And if there was deadlock the south would likely secede.

Breaking The Logjam • Taylor was poised to veto the

compromise. Why? (influenced by Seward, and Texas threaten to seize Santa Fe, Texans=traitors)

• 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.

• Fire-eaters in South unhappy.– Led to Nashville convention=short lived

• Second (short lived) era of good feelings.

Terms of the Compromise

• Pro-North: – Cali. 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

Assessing the Compromise• Who got the better deal?

• The North did. California as a free state means more Senators from free states – 16 free vs. 15 slave states.

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?

ABOLITIONISTS RESPOND

Denounced by Abolitionists

Harriet Beecher Stowe’s, Uncle Tom’s

Cabin is published

Abolitionists refuse to enforce the law

Underground Railroad becomes more active

SOUTHERNERS SOUTHERNERS RESPONDRESPOND

Southerners Southerners threatened secession threatened secession

and warand warBelieved it should be Believed it should be enforced because the enforced because the Constitution protects Constitution protects property and Federal property and Federal law is over State law.law is over State law.

5th Amendment: …nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Supremacy Clause: Constitution is the law of the land

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

Election of 1852--Whigs

• Nominate Winfield Scott.• Great general, but not well liked

by people. Stuffy.• Whigs hopelessly divided. Why?

His platform was for theFugitive slave law:– North Antislavery Whigs “accept

the candidate but spit on the platform.” The South “spit on the candidate accept the platform.”

• Election turned largely on issues of personality.

• Pierce wins in a landslide.• Effective end of Whig Party.

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 declares himself president of Nicaragua and legalizes slavery

• Clayton-Bulwer Treaty

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-offer 120 Mil. For Cuba. If Spain refuses and American interest was endangered then US has the right to take Cuba.

– Consequences: The North found out, does not want slavery extended=Pierce drops the issue of territorial expansion in Cuba

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 (from Santa Anna $10 mil)• Nebraska territory.• South doesn’t want this. Why? Addition of Free

Soil states

Gadsden Purchase, 1853

Kansas-Nebraska Act

• Stephen A. Douglas proposes Kansas-Nebraska Act.

• Terms: Nebraska Territory would be divided into 2 territories. Kansas and Neb. Slavery would be settled by popular sovereignty.

• Impacts Missouri Compromise; Would have to be repealed.

The “Little Giant”

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.