Post Mexican War and the Compromise of 1850
James K. Polk
-failed to really understand the problems associated with expansion
-cut tariffs, and vetoed internal improvements
-got the land but did not provide a way to heal the division caused by his acquisition
Ideas for the Territory
-Extend the Missouri Compromise line all the way to the West
-Squatter Sovereignty/Popular Sovereignty-let the people of the new territory decide
-all free soil
(Taylor supported popular sovereignty- naïve about ht problems it causes)
Wilmot Proviso- (Northern Democrat)
-Amendment proposed the slavery be prohibited from all territories acquired from Mexico
-Angered many Northern Democrats
-led to debate of the Missouri Compromise line
Working towards compromise
-Henry Clay steps up again and searches for a way to find compromise
-combines bills together and fails to get it through Congress
-Calhoun writes speech calling for two presidents one from the north and one from the South
-Calhoun, Clay, and Zachary Taylor (major obstacles to compromise) all die
-Millard Fillmore takes over and is more flexible
The compromise of 1850 Stephen Douglas breaks up Omnibus Bill of Henry Clay
-California is free
-No slave trade in Washington DC
-Popular Sovereignty in New Mexico territory
-Texas gives up some land to New Mexico and is compensated
-Stricter fugitive slave law
New Provision of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
1.Slaves could not testify on their behalf
2.Trial Commissioner got $5 for an acquittal and $10 for a guilty verdict
3.Federal Marshal’s subject to large fine and jail if they did not arrest a runaway slave
4.Citizens could go to jail for 6 months and $1000 fine if they assisted a runaway slave
Effects
1.many citizens in the North defied unjust law
2.increased abolitionism and caused more to become radical
3.angered the South more because law was still mostly not enforced
4.further divided the North and South
5.Some runaway slaves and free blacks were taken back to the South (infuriated many)