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
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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.
Election of 1848
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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?
Free Soil Party Splits the Vote


Northern Whigs unhappy with Taylor because
he’s a slave owner.
Free Soil Party.

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
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.
California Gold

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The discovery of Gold in
California in 1848 blew
the lid off the slavery
issue.
Why and How?
California Gold Rush Country
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.

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?
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

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
manumision.
Twilight Of The Senatorial Giants

1850 all these issues
come to a head.

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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.
Deadlock in the Senate

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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.
Breaking The Logjam

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Taylor was poised to veto the
compromise.
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.
Second (short lived) era of good
feelings.
Terms of the Compromise

Pro-North:
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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:

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NM and Utah slavery issue to be decided by popular
sovereignty;
more stringent Fugitive Slave Law.
$3.10 Million to Texas
Accessing the Compromise

Who got the better deal?
Backfiring Slave Law

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Reaction in North to Fugitive Slave Law.
Provisions:
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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?
Election of 1852
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Dems. Hopelessly divided.
Nominate Franklin Pierce, a
pro-southern, northerner.
Compromise candidate.

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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
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Nominate Winfield Scott.
Great general, but not well
liked by people. Stuffy.
Whigs hopelessly divided.
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.
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 northsouth balance


Pierce offers Spain 100 Mil. to buy. Spain
refuses.
Pierce and cabinet plot to seize it.

Ostend Manifesto
The Gadsden Purchase
Nation desperately needs a transcontinental 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.

Gadsden Purchase, 1853
Kansas-Nebraska Act
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The “Little Giant”
Stephen A. Douglas proposes
Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Terms.
Assumptions about Kansas
Impact on Missouri
Compromise
Abolitionist Reaction
Reaction of moderates
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.
