Figure 1.--k |
|
Throught the 19th century, slavery grew in importance as an issue in American national elections. The Free-Soil Party evolved out of the rivalry between factions in the Whig and Democratic parties. Because of the importance of the Southern slave states, neither national party wanted to come out strongly against slavery. The most important northern state was New York. Two of the most important factions in New York were the Barnburners (opposed to slavery) and the Hunkers (neutral or supportive of slavery). Former President Martin Van Buren was denied the Democratic Party (1844). Instead Southern slave interests helped manage the nomination of pro-slavery James K. Polk. The Whigs nominated Henry Clay who senseing popular opinion changed his position on Texas annexation. Even so he alienated the South. James G. Birney headed the third party Liberty ticket and managed to take enough votes from Clay, particularly in New York State-to enable Polk, who swept the South, to carry the 1844 election. Polk procecuted the Mexixan War and won huge territories in the southwest. President Van Buren, increasingly vocal about slavery, along with other anti-slavery Democrats decided to form a new party. The Free Soil Party was formed after the Mexican War (1846-48) to oppose the extension of slavery into the new territories annexed from Mexico. The Whig Party had opposed the Mexican War. Anti-slavery Whig, Democratic, along with abolitionist Liberty Party members met in Buffalo, New York to found the Free Soil Party (August 1848). Many anti-slavery northern Democrats (like the Barnburners, were attracted to the Party. The Party opposed the extension of slavery into the western territories. Slavery had been closed to most of Louisana Territory as a result of the Missouri Compromise, but the southwestern territories acquired from Mexico reopened the issue. The slogan of the party became "free soil, free speech, free labour, and free men". While slavery was the central issue, the Party also promote internal improvements, moderate tariffs, and a homestead act. Former President Martin Van Buren headed the Party ticket (1848). He received 10 per cent of the vote, taking enough Denocratic votes to ensure the election of Whig candidate General Zachary Taylor. The Party had by 1852 elected 12 congressmen. Their presidential candidate, New Hampshire abolitionist John P. Hale, however, won only 5 percent of the popular vote (1852). This could be because many Free Soilers concluded that the slavery issue had been settled by the Compromise of 1850. It soon became obvious,however, that the Compromise had not settled the issue. After the formation of the Republican Party (1854), most Free Soilers joined the Republicans.
Throught the 19th century, slavery grew in importance as an issue in American national elections. Slavery was not a an important issue in the early-19th century. And during the Jacksonian Era, abolitionists were political outsiders wich commonly generated derision if not violence. This changed markedly in the 1850s, especially after Conggress passed the Kansas \-Nebraska Act wich repealed the Missouri Compromise (1854).
The Liberty Party was founded by abolitionists convinced that the movement needed to take a more active political role. The political showing of the Liberty Party, however, demonstrated that abolitionism and Black civil rights were not a winning political formula. That said, major events in the 1840s began to affect public opinion in the North. The 1844 election showed that anti-slavery sentiment was growing in the North.
Several major issues affected this sentiment. A congressional "gag rule" blocked anti-slavery petitions. Texas statehood was a major issue as it potentially affected the slave-free state balance in the Senate. The Mexican War proved to be contentious and the acquisition of the Southwest created territories that the Southern States wanted to organize as new slave states.
Abolitionists were still a small minority, but the political debate on the issues had the unanticipated consequence of making opposition to slavery more resptable in the North.
The Free-Soil Party evolved out of the political realignment which began with the formation of the Liberty Party (1840). The rivalry between factions in the Whig and Democratic parties. Because of the importance of the Southern slave states, neither national party wanted to come out strongly against slavery. The most important northern state was New York. Two of the most important factions in New York were the Barnburners (opposed to slavery) and the Hunkers (neutral or supportive of slavery). Former President Martin Van Buren was denied the Democratic Party (1844). Instead Southern slave interests helped manage the nomination of pro-slavery James K. Polk. The Whigs nominated Henry Clay who senseing popular opinion changed his position on Texas annexation. Even so he alienated the South. James G. Birney headed the third party Liberty ticket and managed to take enough votes from Clay, particularly in New York State-to enable Polk, who swept the South, to carry the 1844 election. Polk procecuted the Mexixan War and won huge territories in the southwest. President Van Buren, increasingly vocal about slavery, along with other anti-slavery Democrats decided to form a new party.
The Free Soil Party was formed after the Mexican War (1846-48) to oppose the extension of slavery into the new territories annexed from Mexico. The Whig Party had opposed the Mexican War. Anti-slavery Whig, Democratic, along with abolitionist Liberty Party members met in Buffalo, New York to found the Free Soil Party (August 1848). Many anti-slavery northern Democrats (like the Barnburners, were attracted to the Party. The Party opposed the extension of slavery into the western territories. Slavery had been closed to most of Louisana Territory as a result of the Missouri Compromise, but the southwestern territories acquired from Mexico reopened the issue. A Liberty party faction led by Salmon P. Chase, Gamaliel Bailey, and Henry B. Stanton pursued a policy of cooperation with more moderate political factions that opposed the extension of slavery into the new South-western territories. This began a series of complicatefd political shifts and intra-party struggles that would eventually lead to the formation of the Republican Party. The immediate impact was that the Liberty party merged with anti-extensionist Whigs and the smaller number of Democrats to create the Free Soil party. Anti-slavery Whig, Democratic, along with abolitionist Liberty Party members met in Buffalo, New York to found the Free Soil Party (August 1848).
This new Party presented a more moderate platform than that which the Liberal Party had advovated. The Free Soilers while criticizing slavery, did not advovate immediate abolition. They also did not strong push black civil rights. These compromises made the Free Soilers a more potent political force. While they were criticized by the Garrisonians and the Liberty Leaguers, moderate political abolitionists made considerable headway with northern voters. The slogan of the party became "free soil, free speech, free labour, and free men". While slavery was the central issue, the Party also promote internal improvements, moderate tariffs, and a homestead act.
The 1848 Free Soil ticket of former president Martin Van Buren and Charles Francis Adams polled an impressive 290,000 votes--10 percent of the vote.. It was a clear indication that abolitionist sentiment was growing in the North. The Free Soilers materially affected the outvome of the election. They took enough Denocratic votes to ensure the election of Whig candidate General Zachary Taylor.
The Party had by 1852 elected 12 congressmen. Their presidential candidate, New Hampshire abolitionist John P. Hale, however, won only 5 percent of the popular vote (1852). This could be because many Free Soilers concluded that the slavery issue had been settled by the Compromise of 1850.
It soon became obvious,however, that the Compromise of 1850 had not settled the issue. After the formation of the Republican Party (1854), most Free Soilers joined the Republicans. The Free Soil Part would be the nucleus for the future Republican Party.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main U.S. individual political party page]
[Return to the Main U.S. abolitionist movement page]
[Return to the Main U.S. history page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Children]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Essays]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[ Boys' Clothing Home]