The Wilmot Proviso and the growth of the Free Soil Party increased the tensions between the free states and the slave states. Early in Taylor’s term as President, he encouraged the residents of the newly acquired California area to apply for statehood. The slave states did not wish to add another free state, which would upset the balance in the U.S. Senate. However, Taylor submitted the proposed California constitution to Congress. The slave states opposed the measure. Henry Clay offered a compromise which would admit California as a free state, prohibit the slave trade in DC, strengthen the fugitive slave law, and transfer the public debt of the Texan Republic to the federal government. While the compromise was being debated, Pres. Taylor died.

Taylor’s successor, Millard Fillmore, signed the Compromise of 1850 when it was passed by Congress. The nation was bitterly divided. The new Fugitive Slave Law was unacceptable to the Liberty and Free Soil men; the addition of two additional free state Senators was unacceptable to the South. Several southern states considered secession, but the movement fizzled when a secession convention in Georgia came under the control of Unionists.

The 1852 Democratic National Convention met in Baltimore in late spring. There were four major contenders: Lewis Cass, James Buchanan, William L. Marcy and Stephen A. Douglas. Cass led on the first ballot, with Buchanan a close second. During the next day additional ballots were cast; Buch

[More...]

The Wilmot Proviso and the growth of the Free Soil Party increased the tensions between the free states and the slave states. Early in Taylor’s term as President, he encouraged the residents of the newly acquired California area to apply for statehood. The slave states did not wish to add another free state, which would upset the balance in the U.S. Senate. However, Taylor submitted the proposed California constitution to Congress. The slave states opposed the measure. Henry Clay offered a compromise which would admit California as a free state, prohibit the slave trade in DC, strengthen the fugitive slave law, and transfer the public debt of the Texan Republic to the federal government. While the compromise was being debated, Pres. Taylor died.

Taylor’s successor, Millard Fillmore, signed the Compromise of 1850 when it was passed by Congress. The nation was bitterly divided. The new Fugitive Slave Law was unacceptable to the Liberty and Free Soil men; the addition of two additional free state Senators was unacceptable to the South. Several southern states considered secession, but the movement fizzled when a secession convention in Georgia came under the control of Unionists.

The 1852 Democratic National Convention met in Baltimore in late spring. There were four major contenders: Lewis Cass, James Buchanan, William L. Marcy and Stephen A. Douglas. Cass led on the first ballot, with Buchanan a close second. During the next day additional ballots were cast; Buchanan overtook Cass on the 10th ballot. It was the first time that a convention required more than ten ballots to nominate a candidate. The Democrats were badly divided; the South supported Buchanan while the North was shifting its votes to Douglas. Finally the convention turned to Franklin Pierce NH as a compromise candidate.

The Whigs were badly divided as well. Pres. Fillmore was hampered by his support of the Compromise of 1850. The northern states supported Winfield Scott (except New England, which supported Daniel Webster). Fillmore and Scott were about tied on the first ballot. As with the Democrats, ballot after ballot were taken with little change in the result. After the 48th ballot, however, it was obvious that Scott would gather the needed delegates. He finally succeeded on the 53d ballot.

The Whig Party failed to follow the lead of the Democrats in turning to a compromise candidate, and it suffered for its obtinateness. The Whig Party in several Southern states began to disintegrate; in Georgia, independent Whigs sponsored Daniel Webster for President as an alternative to Scott, the choice of the northern opponents of the Fugitive Slave Law. The Whig vote in Alabama and Georgia was cut in half.

Franklin Pierce won an impressive victory at the polls. He carried every region in the nation, receiving an electoral vote margin of 254-42. In addition, the Free Soil vote was drastically reduced. It was the last time that either the Whigs or the Free Soilers offered a ticket in a presidential election.

[Less...]