Download Sectionalism Compromise of 1850 1. The Issue: Status of slavery in

Sectionalism
Compromise of 1850
1. The Issue: Status of slavery in California and in the rest of the newly
acquired territory.
a) Henry Clay, the "Great Compromiser," proposed a plan.
b) Clay was assisted by Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois and
was supported by Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts.
c) In defending the Compromise of 1850, Webster declared that he
spoke "not as a Northern man, but as an American."
2. Provisions of the Compromise.
a) California admitted as a free state.
b) The rest of the Mexican Cession divided into the territories of
New Mexico and Utah and to follow the principle of popular, or
squatter, sovereignty. This principle permitted the territorial
inhabitants themselves to decide whether or not they wanted
slavery.
c) Federal Govt. assumed $10 million of Texas’ debts.
d) Texas revoked its border claim to the source of the Rio Grande
River (a strip of land, most of which was assigned to New Mexico).
e) Slave trade, but not slavery, was prohibited in the District of
Columbia.
f) A strict fugitive slave law was adopted to make it easier for
Southerners to recover runaway slaves found in the North.
Further growth of Antislavery sentiments in the North
1. The Fugitive Slave Law (1850).
a) Authorized federal commissioners to try suspected runaways
without allowing them to testify and without a jury. The
commissioner received a double fee if he ruled the suspect a
runaway slave rather than a free black.
b) Law required all US citizens to assist in the capture of escapees.
c) To prevent the enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Law, many
Northern state legislatures passed "personal liberty laws." These
laws prohibited state officials from cooperating in the capture of
runaway slaves.
2. Harriet Beecher Stowe.
a) Wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852). A dramatic portrayal of black
suffering in the South, swayed Northern sympathies.
Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)
1. Stephen A. Douglas, Senator from Illinois, secured passage of a bill
that organized the remaining territory within the Louisiana Purchase for
settlement prior to admission to the Union. Provisions:
a) Repeal of Missouri Compromise.
b) Divided the remaining land of the Louisiana Purchase into the
territories of Kansas and Nebraska.
c) Authorized the people in these territories to determine the status
of slavery according to the principle of popular sovereignty.
2. "Bleeding Kansas"
a) Slave owners (especially from Missouri) and abolitionists (chiefly
from New England) tried to gain control of the territory. These
proslavery and antislavery men, resorting to armed violence,
began a small-scale civil war.
b) Missouri "border ruffians" attacked free-soil settlements.
Abolitionist bands (notably one led by John Brown) raided
proslavery centers.
Young American Movement and Ostend Manifesto (1854)
1. Group within Democrats push for expansion within Central
American (William Walker/Nicaragua) and Cuba using Manifest
Destiny as justification.
2. Pierce administration engages in secret negotiations with Spain
and threatens to “wrest” Cuba by force if necessary. When
document becomes public, Piece administration repudiates.
Formation of the Republican Party (1854)
1. Northern antislavery men were shocked by the passage of the
Kansas-Nebraska Act.
2. Displeased by the wavering stand on slavery by both the Whig and
Democratic parties, antislavery political leaders created the presentday Republican Party.
3. They pledged to:
a) Oppose the extension of slavery into new territory.
b) Repeal the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Presidential Election of 1856
1. The Republicans nominated John Fremont, an opponent of slavery.
2. The Democrats, seeking to evade the slavery issue, nominated a
Pennsylvanian with Southern sympathies, James Buchanan.
3. Fremont carried 11 Northern states, Buchanan triumphed in 5 other
Northern states as well as in the South and won the election.
Fighting in Congress (1856)
1. In an anti-slavery speech entitled “The Crime against Kansas,”
Sen. Charles Sumner of Mass. has singled out for attack, Sen.
Andrew Butler of SC. Charged Butler with choosing “the harlot,
slavery” as his mistress.
2. Bully Brooks. Preston Brooks (Butler's nephew and a Congressman
from SC) beat Sumner with his cane.
Lecompton Constitution (1857)
1. Two territorial centers of government. Free soil govt. in Topeka
and pro-slavery government in LeCompton.
2. This dispute resulted in Free-soilers boycotting an 1857 election
for a convention to write a state constitution.
3. The resulting convention had a pro-slavery majority and drafted
a constitution (the LeCompton constitution) that permitted
slavery.
4. President Buchanan endorsed the LeCompton constitution.
5. Stephen Douglas opposed the LeCompton constitution on the
grounds that the circumstances of its development violated the
principles of popular sovereignty.
The Dred Scott decision (1857)
1. Issues:
a. Was a black person a citizen and eligible to sue?
b. Had residence in a free state made Scott free?
c. Could Congress prohibit slavery in a territory?
2. Roger Taney, chief justice, answers no for the court.
3. Reactions to decision.
a. Accusation of slave power conspiracy--could slavery be
extended to free states?
b. Republican party consolidates power.
c. Lincoln warns that slaveholders close to making slavery a
national institution.
Lincoln-Douglas debates (1858)
1. Lincoln (House Divided Speech).
a. Republican candidate for U.S. Senator in Illinois.
b. Lincoln argues against slavery, points out gulf between his
free-soil position and Douglas' popular sovereignty.
2. Douglas argues for popular sovereignty.
a. Free-soil position an "invitation to secession."
b. Alienates northerners (who don't like popular sovereignty)
and southerners (who don't believe he will defend
southerners' right to slaves.)
c. Levels the charge of Black Republicanism – the accusation
that the Republicans wanted social equality with blacks (see
the political cartoon further in the notes).
3. Douglas wins election, but Lincoln wins attention throughout the
North.
John Brown's Raid (1859)
1. Brown and his followers planned a slave insurrection in western
Virginia.
2. Brown secretly gains financial support from six wealthy northern
abolitionists.
3. Seized federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, however, quickly
captured, tried, and hanged.
4. Impact of Brown’s Raid.
a. Northern abolitionists (Emerson and Thoreau) viewed him as
a martyr, taking action against the evil of slavery.
b. Southerners generally viewed Brown as a madman,
symbolizing the fanatical hatred of the North. They are also
shocked at the mourning over his death.
c. Moderates (Lincoln) condemned Brown's action, while
admiring his commitment to countering slavery.
Election of 1860 and Its Aftermath
1. Democrats split into northern and southern factions, nominate
two candidates (North - Douglas and South - Breckenridge). This
split give Lincoln the ability to win the election.
2. Constitutional Union Party, composed of former Whigs, nominate
John Bell in an attempt to preserve Union. Strong only in Virginia
and upper South.
3. Republicans nominated Lincolnas a moderate compromise
candidate. Platform: No extension of slavery, preservation of the
union, support for transcontinental railroad, higher tariffs.
4. Results:
a. Bell wins three states (Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee.)
b. Breckenridge carried the South.
c. Lincoln carried the Northern states and won the electoral
vote, though earning less than 40% of all votes cast.
d. On December 20, 1860, South Carolina seceded from the
Union.
Figures left to right clockwise: John C. Breckinridge dances with James Buchanan. Dred Scott seated
plays the violin. Lincoln dances with African American woman. John Bell dances with Native American.
Stephen Douglas dances with a sovereign in rags.
Presidential election results map. Red denotes states won by Lincoln/Hamlin, green denotes those
won by Breckinridge/Lane, orange denotes those won by Bell/Everett, and blue denotes those won
by Douglas/Johnson. Numbers indicate the number of electoral votes allotted to each state.
5. Crittenden Compromise
a. Proposed by John Crittenden of Kentucky on Dec. 18 as a
last ditch attempt.
b. Southerners would agree to this if Republicans would.
Republicans refused after several months of debate.
c. Key components of the proposal:
 Slavery would be prohibited in any territory of the United
States "now held, or hereafter acquired," north of
latitude 36 degrees, 30 minutes line. In territories south
of this line, slavery of the African race was "hereby
recognized" and could not be interfered with by
Congress. Missouri Compromise line to California.
 States would be admitted to the Union from any territory
with or without slavery as their constitutions provided.
 Congress could not prohibit or interfere with the
interstate slave trade.
 Congress would provide full compensation to owners of
rescued fugitive slaves.
 No future amendment of the Constitution could change
these amendments or authorize or empower Congress to
interfere with slavery within any slave state.
Secession
1. South Carolina secedes on Dec. 20.
2. Lower Southern states secede by Feb. 1, 1861.
3. Unionists.
a. Conditional--wait and see.
b. Unconditional--remain with Union no matter what.
4. Confederate government formed, early February 1861.
State
Date of Secession
South Carolina Dec. 20, 1860
Mississippi
Jan. 9, 1861
Florida
Jan. 10, 1861
Alabama
Jan. 11, 1861
Georgia
Jan. 19, 1861
Louisiana
Jan. 26, 1861
Texas
Feb. 1, 1861
Fort Sumter April 12
Virginia
April 17, 1861
Arkansas
May 6, 1861
North Carolina May 20, 1861
Tennessee
June 8, 1861
The Civil War Begins
1. Southern States seize federal arsenals and forts.
2. Lincoln’s first crisis is Fort Sumter (April 12). Union garrison
surrenders and is evacuated.
3. Lincoln responds to attack with call for 75,000 soldiers to police
civil unrest in South (April 15).