The Sectional Struggle

1. The Sectional Struggle

2. A. Mexican American War Fallout • 13,000 lives lost – mostly from disease • Training ground for most Civil War Generals • Ugly turning point in Latin/US relations • National territory increased by 1/3rd • Surge in Manifest Destiny belief • Slavery issue aroused with a vengeance • North feared a southern “slavocracy” with new land acquisition • Rep. David Wilmot introduced amendment in 1846 to prohibit slavery in ANY territory wrested from Mexico. • South rejected “Wilmot Proviso” in Senate

3. B. Election of 1848 • Polk done after one term – • Democrats nominate Lewis Cass – advocate of popular sovereignty. • Whigs choose military hero Zachary Taylor. • Never held civil office nor voted • Large slave owner in LA. • Free Soil Party forms because they do not trust either. • Pro Wilmot Proviso • Federal aid for internal improvements • “Conscious Whigs” who opposed slavery on moral grounds • People upset that Polk did not push for all of Oregon. • Trotted out Martin Van Buren • Taylor (163-127-0) with Free Soilers spoiling election for Cass. Zach Taylor Lewis Cass

4. C. Gold Rush! • Gold discovered at Sutter’s Mill, CA in 1848 • “Gold fever” encouraged massive settlement • Some “struck it rich, most didn’t) • Many lawless men followed gold trail – crime and vigilante justice increase. • Burst in industries supporting miners (launderers) • California population grew so fast that they applied for statehood in 1849 with slaveryEXCLUDED.

5. D. Southern Reaction • CA admitted as free would upset 15-15 state balance in the Senate. • Potential slave territory running short • Rumblings from NM and UT to be admitted as free • CA admitted as free would set a precedent for the rest of the Mexican Cession • Worried about northern demands to end slavery in Washington D.C. • Most alarming was rate of runaway slaves • Assisted by Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad • Demanded a new, more stringent fugitive slave law.

6. E. “Great Triumvirate” Takes Stage • “Fire eaters” of South threatened to secede in 1849 if CA admitted as free. • Debates rage in Congress on how to prevent this • Calhoun (South) – called for two Presidents, one from North and South – died in 1850 from TB before debate settled, • Clay (West) – urged North to make concessions (like Fugitive Slave Law) to appease South. • Webster (North/East) – gave famed “Seventh of March Speech” – helped turn North towards tide of compromise and strengthened Union sentiment. • Free Soilers and abolitionists assailed Webster as a traitor • Unfair assessment Calhoun Clay Webster

7. F. Changing of the Guard • William Seward (NY) – strong anti-slaveryite who argued that God’s “higher law” trumped man-made Constitution. • Taylor also not willing to give concessions to South • Dies suddenly of intestinal ailment • Millard Fillmore becomes President • Impressed with arguments for conciliation • signs compromise after 7 months of debate Seward Fillmore

8. G. Compromise of 1850 • CA admitted to Union as free state • Territories of NM and UT open to “popular sovereignty” – ppl would decide for themselves by vote whether to be slave or free. • Texas $10 million debt assumed by US to give up part of territory to NM. • Slave trade (but not slavery itself) abolished in D.C. • New Fugitive Slave Law (see next slide)

9. H. Fugitive Slave Law • Runaway slaves denied ability to testify or get jury trial. • Judges given $5 is runaways were freed; $10 if they were not. • People aiding the escape of a slave liable to heavy fines and jail sentences. • Northern Reaction • Many moderates driven to anti-slavery camp • Underground Railroad stepped up its activity • Some states refused to enforce it or lend jail space to federal officials • South further angered by North’s unwillingness to enforce it

10. I. War in 1850? • South would have been ready and willing. • Luckily for the North, it did not • Extra 10 yrs added population and wealth to the North • Delay also added moral strength to Union cause • Could be argued that time bought from Compromise of 1850 helped win war for the North.

11. J. Election of 1852 • Democrats chose unknown, enemy-less war general Franklin Pierce. • Pro-southern northerner • Endorsed Compromise of 1850 • Whigs chose General Winfield Scott • Only won with military heroes in the past (1840, 1848) – why not try again • Pompous, devisive character • Whig party split over Fugitive Slave Law • Pierce wins easily in E.C. • Whig Party irreparably split – Webster and Clay die in 1852 and Whig Party goes with them.

12. K. The South Looks South • Attempt by slave owner William Walker to seize Baja California and Nicaragua to create new slave states failed. • Ostend Manifesto • Secret deal devised to offer $120 million for sugar-rich Cuba; if Spain refused, may be grounds for war. • Northern anti-slavery forces got wind of plan and went bananas – Pierce dropped plan.

13. L. Connecting East and West • Newly acquired CA 8,000 away from DC. • Transcontinental travel dangerous and tine-consuming – Railroad became the answer • Rockies a road block and Northern Plains unorganized territory. • Southern route would be easiest • James Gadsden, minister to Mexico offered $10 million for southern NM and AZ in 1854 • Santa Anna, in need of $ as always, accepted • Northerners outraged with Gadsden Purchase, as they thought RR should run further North. • Southern Pacific Railroad finished in 1882

14. M. Kansas- Nebraska Act • Stephen A. Douglas • Senator from Illinois who owned real estate in Chicago and would greatly benefit from Transcontinental RR terminus there • Pushed for northern RR to rival southern RR through Gadsden Purchase. • Needed to organize Nebraska Territory before this could happen.

15. Popular Sovereignty Doctrine • Douglas proposed carving TWO states out of NE Territory and opening up slavery issue to popular sovereignty • Kansas – just west of slave state MO so presumably would be slave. • Nebraska – just west of free IA and would presumably be free. • Directly violated Missouri Compromise that mandated all states north of 36’30” be free. • Southern states all for it – President Pierce threw his support behind it too. • North held MO Compromise as sacred and again, went nuts • Douglas rammed bill through Congress in 1854

17. Impact of Kansas-Nebraska Act • Greased slippery slope to Civil War. • North unwilling to compromise any further with “Nebrascals” • Fugitive Slave Law, which had been weakly enforced in North, now a dead letter. • Democratic Party shattered – won Presidency in 1856 (Buchanan) who would be the last Dem for 28 years. • Gave birth to new Republican Party • rose up in opposition to the gains of slavery • Disgruntled Whigs, Dems, Free Soilers and other opponents to KN Act. • Became a major second party almost overnight and would win Presidency in 6 short years.