Sectionalism The Comes Apart at the Seams Sectional Issues Missouri Compromise

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  Missouri admitted as a slave state & Maine admitted as a free state to maintain the political balance in the Senate.
  
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  Any states created out of Louisiana Purchase north of 36-30 to be free states
  

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  Promoted gradual, voluntary manumission
  
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  American Colonization Society
  

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  James Madison & Henry Clay were former presidents of society
  
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  Local branches in every state
  
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  Churches & state legislatures provided money to buy and transport slaves [approximately 6,000 from 1821-67] to Liberia which had been purchased by ACS in 1820’s
  

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  William Lloyd Garrison
  
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  David Walker
  
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  John Brown
  

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  The Wilmot Proviso, introduced by Representative David Wilmot, proposed to ban slavery from any territory acquired from Mexico as a result of the Mexican-American War
  
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  Passed by the House twice, it was rejected by the Senate
  
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  Expressed Northern Abolitionist position against extending slavery into any new territories
  

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  Discovery of gold in California 9 days before the signing of the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo led to the formation of a state government in November, 1849 and a demand for immediate admission to the Union as a free state
  
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  This action precipitated a heated and sometimes bitter debate between Northern and Southern forces in Congress
  
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  Settlement of the debate was referred to as the Compromise of 1850
  

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  Was a package of 5 bills that provided:
  

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  California was admitted as a free state [California Admission Act – Sept. 9,1850]
  
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  The principle of popular sovereignty was applied to remainder of Mexican Cession
  
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  Northern boundary of Texas fixed at 36-30’ and Texas compensated $10 million for territory ceded to U.S. Government
  
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  The slave trade was abolished in D.C.
  
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  A new and stronger fugitive slave law.
  

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  Required that all persons charged with executing the law must enforce the act and cooperate with slave catchers
  
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  Abolished the previous “safe” harbor of the northern states
  
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  Forced many escaped slaves to flee to Canada
  
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  Intensified the abolitionist movement by forcing many in the North to take a stand in opposition to slavery
  
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  Led Harriet Beecher Stowe to write Uncle Tom’s Cabin
  

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  Originally serialized in the National Era
  
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  300,000 copies sold first year – more than 1 million by 1860
  
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  Convinced thousands in north that slavery was an evil
  

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  Introduced by Sen. Stephen A. Douglas
  
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  To promote western migration & building railroad to the west coast
  
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  The Louisiana Territory between 37N & 49N was to be organized into two territories, Kansas and Nebraska
  
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  The Missouri Compromise ban on slavery was repealed and replaced with the concept of “popular sovereignty”
  
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  Bitter and protracted sectional debate in Congress
  
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  Bill finally passed by Senate 37-14 and the House on May 22, 1854, 113-100
  
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  President Pierce signed the bill into law
  
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  Rancor over the act caused a split in and eventual dissolution of the Whig Party
  
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  Led to the formation of the Republican Party
  
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  Led to civil strife in Kansas
  

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  The issue of Slavery and Abolition led to the formation of new political parties in the West:
  
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  Liberty Party [1840 & 1844] wanted immediate abolition of slavery
  
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  Free Soil Party [1848] was opposed to extending slavery into new territories
  
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  The Know-Nothing Party [1849] opposed to Catholics and immigrants
  
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  Republican Party [1854] opposed to extending slavery into new territories
  

“Bleeding Kansas,” 1856

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  Northerners wanting to win Kansas as a free state created aid societies such as the New England Emigrant Aid Society to offset efforts from Missouri
  
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  Border Ruffians” from Missouri were bent on securing Kansas for slave block
  
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  The situation spawned rival governments and constitutions
  

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  Lecompton Constitution = pro-slavery
  
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  Topeka Constitution = free state
  

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  Brutality occurred on the floor of Congress when Preston Brooks (SC) beat Charles Sumner (Mass) with a
  

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  Free state settlers armed themselves with “Beecher’s Bibles”
  
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  Border Ruffians sacked Lawrence, Kansas
  
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  John Brown retaliated by attacking and killing 5 proslavery men at Pottawatomie Creek
  
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  The four month civil war killed 200 people
  

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  The new Republican Party ran John C. Fremont of California fame for President
  
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  He ran on a platform of excluding slavery from new territories
  
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  Many Northerners could not bring themselves to vote for him
  
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  Democrats won 174-114 electoral votes
  

“The Impending Crisis”

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  A book by Hinton R. Helper, a non-slave owning southerner
  
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  Argued that slavery had ruined the South economically
  
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  Further inflamed sectional feelings
  
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  Abolitionists used book to bolster their cause
  
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  Was almost as influential as Uncle Tom’s Cabin
  

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  The Case = Scott a slave from Missouri had lived for a time in Illinois. On his master’s death, abolitionists, on his behalf, sued for his freedom on grounds that his living in Illinois had made him a free man
  
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  Missouri court ruled against him
  
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  Sold to J.F.A. Sanford of New York to get the case into Supreme Court
  

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  The Chief Justice Roger B. Taney (Md) and 4 of the 7 members of the Court had been appointed by Jackson and were from the South.
  
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  The Court ruled that:
  

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  Scott had no case as he was not a citizen – the Constitution did not consider Negroes citizens.
  
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  Scott was still a slave – living in Illinois had not made him free because his stay did not affect Missouri law.
  
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  The Court, in effect, stated that Congress could not bar slavery from the territories.
  
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  The South was jubilant over the ruling – they had won the slavery argument.
  
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  The Northern Abolitionists were forced to rethink their position.
  

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  Abraham Lincoln opposed Senator Stephen A. Douglas for the senate seat
  
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  Lincoln-Douglas Debates
  

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  Lincoln talked about slavery being regarded as an evil that had to be dealt with
  
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  Freeport Debate and the Freeport Doctrine
  

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  Lincoln lost the election
  

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  At Freeport, Lincoln asked Douglas if popular sovereignty was possible after the Dred Scott decision
  
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  Douglas answered, “The people of a territory could keep slavery out by refusing to enact black codes or other laws necessary for its survival”
  
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  Northern abolitionists and Democrats were pleased with this position and they reelected him
  
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  Southern Democrats denounced it as it promised them less than Dred Scott
  
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  Doomed Douglas’s chances of winning the Presidency
  

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  Brown led an assault on the Federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry to get arms to arm the southern slaves
  
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  Lacking support the “revolt” was quickly ended and Brown & his 22 followers were captured (17 were killed) by U.S. Marines under Robert E. Lee
  
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  Brown was tried for treason and hanged on Dec. 2, 1859
  
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  Brown became a martyr to the Northern Abolitionists
  
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  Southerners viewed the raid as proof that the Republicans were bent on freeing the slaves
  
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  Sidelight: Brown’s widow and family moved to Red Bluff, California. Citizens built her a house that still stands on Main Street.
  

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  Skilled agriculturist
  
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  Believed increasing northern industrialism threatened the South. Began to advocate secession in 1840’s.
  
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  1855, turned over his plantations to his sons and daughters, in order to devote himself full-time to the cause of secession. Became “fire eater”
  
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  Became an “honorary cadet” at VMI so he could attend John Brown’s hanging.
  

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  Sent 15 of Brown’s spears to Southern legislators saying "Sample of the favors designed for us by our Northern brethren."
  
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  Manipulated split in Democratic party to ensure Republican victory and Southern Secession
  
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  Wrote anti-northern novel to counter Uncle Tom’s Cabin and advocate secession
  

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  The older party cohesion had broken down
  

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  Pro-Douglas Democrats forced a “Freeport Doctrine” Plank into party platform and nominated Douglas
  
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  Southern Democrats left the convention and later nominated John C. Breckinridge (Kentucky) on a platform endorsing the “Dred Scott Doctrine”
  

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  Republican Party platform crafted for broad appeal:
  

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  Restrict slavery to those states where it currently existed
  
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  Pass a homestead act
  
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  Provide government support for a Pacific railroad
  

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  The Constitutional Union Party was formed from old Whigs and Know-Nothings to attempt to preserve the Union by compromise.
  
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  Nominated John Bell (Tennessee)
  

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  Two separate contests
  

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  Lincoln versus Douglas in the North
  

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  Republicans = northern enforcement against slavery
  
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  Northern Democrats = continuing compromise on slavery
  

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  Breckinridge versus Bell in the South
  

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  Southern Democrats = states rights even at cost of secession
  
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  Constitutional Union the “Bell Ringers” = preserve the Union
  

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  Virtually no interchange between northern campaigns and southern campaigns
  

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  Lincoln won 180 electoral votes (only 47% of popular vote
  
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  Douglas won 12 electoral votes
  
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  Breckinridge won 72 electoral votes
  
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  Bell won 39 electoral votes
  

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  The south saw the handwriting on the wall
  

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  Northern vote =192 electoral votes
  
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  Southern vote = 111 electoral votes
  

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  The South believed that the North was going to control the future of the country and, therefore, their destiny