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Compromises over Slavery
Why did political compromise fail to solve the issue of slavery in the United States?
National Unity or Sectionalism?
John C. Calhoun: "The South asks for justice, simple justice, and less she ought not to take. She has no compromise to offer but the Constitution and no concession or surrender to make.”
Daniel Webster: "I wish to speak today, not as a Massachusetts man, not as a northern man, but as an American.... I speak today for the preservation of the Union. Hear me for my cause.”
Henry Clay: "I know no South, no North, no East, no West to which I owe any allegiance."
US Constitution
At the Constitutional Convention, what compromises did the framers make regarding slavery?
3/5 Compromise
Slave Trade Compromise
Missouri Compromise
Missouri Compromise (1820)
Tallmadge Amendment: Further slavery would be prohibited in MO Existing slaves would be freed at 25
Henry Clay found a solution MO admitted as a slave state ME admitted as a free state No slavery in Louisiana Territory north of 36˚
30’ parallel
Compromise of 1850
Compromise of 1850
Question of slavery in Mexican Cession Wilmot Proviso- no slavery in Mexican Cession Extension of Missouri Compromise (36 30’) Slavery cannot be excluded from new territories Popular Sovereignty – citizens of territories
should decide for themselves whether or not to have slavery
CA applied for statehood after Gold Rush—state constitution excluded slavery!
Southern “fire-eaters” threatened secession
Compromise of 1850
Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay helped orchestrate the Compromise of 1850
California free state Popular sovereignty would determine legality of
slavery in territories of Utah and New Mexico Disputed territory b/w Texas and NM awarded to
NM Slave trade (not slavery!) abolished in D.C. New, more stringent Fugitive Slave Law
Kansas Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
After Gadsden Purchase, Illinois Democratic senator Stephen Douglas wanted transcontinental RR for Chicago
Needed Nebraska territory and Southern support Introduced bill to organize Nebraska territory:
Kansas-Nebraska Act Question of slavery would be decided by popular
sovereignty Repealed Missouri Compromise
Realigned party politics
Realignment of the Party System
Since 1830s, party system (Whigs & Dems) had limited sectionalism
Sectional, rather than national, parties emerged in mid-1850s Whig party died by 1856; Democrats became Southern
dominated party Know-Nothings (American Party) emerged as an anti-
Catholic, anti-immigrant (nativist) party Republican Party emerged after K-N Act
Comprised of northern Whigs, Free-Soilers, northern Democrats
Opposed extension of slavery – wanted to keep western territories free
Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) Douglas defeated Lincoln for senate seat in Illinois