19. Drifting Toward Disunion

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe ▫About fracture of slave family by master ▫Sold millions (Brits loved it)  Brits stayed out of war ▫South hated it So this is the lady who started the Civil War. -- Abraham Lincoln So this is the lady who started the Civil War. -- Abraham Lincoln

Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1852 Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1852  Sold 300,000 copies in the first year.  2 million in a decade!  Sold 300,000 copies in the first year.  2 million in a decade!

The Impending Crisis of the South Written by Hinton R. Helper Used statistics to prove non-slave-holding whites were hurt most by slavery Banned in the South

North-South Contest for Kansas Northerners pour into Kansas ▫Southerners outraged Election day 1855 – Southern “border ruffians” from Missouri flood the polls Kansas becomes a slave state Free soilers set up their own gov. in Topeka ▫Two govs in Kansas  Topeka (illegal)  Shawnee Mission (fraudulent)

Bleeding Kansas 1856, pro-slavery raiders shot up & burned part of Lawrence, Kansas

“Bleeding Kansas” Border “Ruffians” (pro-slavery Missourians)

In retaliation for the raid on Lawrence, religious zealot John Brown attacked a proslavery settlement and ordered 5 men executed with a scythe

Lecompton Constitution Kansas was ready to apply for statehood Lecompton Constitution – the people were only allowed to vote for the constitution “with slavery” or “without slavery” ▫No matter outcome, slaveholders already in the state would still be protected Angry free-soilers boycotted the polls ▫The constitution approved with slavery

President James Buchanan supported the South & the Lecompton Constitution. Stephen Douglas threw away his Southern support & called for a re-vote Democratic Party becomes divided ▫Ended the last remaining national party ▫Whigs - dead ▫Republicans – a sectional party

“Bully” Brooks & His Bludgeon Senator Charles Sumner directed a speech condemning slavery & the South at aging SC Senator Andrew Butler Congressman Preston S. Brooks takes affront and beats Sumner at his desk w/ a cane ▫Brooks becomes hero of South ▫Sumner’s “The Crime Against Kansas” speech sells many copies afterwards

Sectionalism at its worst! Sen. Charles Sumner (R-MA) Congr. Preston Brooks (D-SC)

“Old Buck” Versus “The Pathfinder” Election of 1856 ▫Democrats – James Buchanan  Untainted by Kansas-Nebraska Act  Political experience ▫Republicans – John C. Fremont  Fought in Mexican-American War ▫“Know-Nothing Party” – Millard Fillmore.  Nativists – anti-Catholic, anti-foreign, Whigs ▫The campaign was full of mudslinging  Rumors that Fremont was a Catholic, dishonest, and incabable

1856 Presidential Election √ James Buchanan John C. Frémont Millard Fillmore Democrat Republican American Party √ James Buchanan John C. Frémont Millard Fillmore Democrat Republican American Party

1856 Election Results

Dred Scott Dred Scott was a slave purchased by an army surgeon in Missouri Taken to the free state of Illinois for many years Master dies 1857, Scott sued for his freedom since he was living in a free state

Supreme Court Justice Roger B. Taney, a former slave owner, claimed that since Scott was property, not a citizen, he had no right to sue in court

Taney’s Ruling A legislature/Congress cannot outlaw slavery ▫5th Amendment – a person’s property cannot be taken without due process of law Therefore, the Missouri Compromise had been unconstitutional all along

Outcomes of Dred Scott Case Abolitionists inflamed & more flock to cause Southerners happy. On their side: ▫Supreme Court ▫President ▫Constitution North had Congress (now banned from outlawing slavery)

How Constitution Favored South Supreme Court interprets Constitution 5 th Amendment Slavery in Constitution – (three-fifths compromise) Word slavery not present, but 10 th Amendment states anything not in Constitution then left up to states

The Financial Crash of 1857 Psychologically the crash was really bad ▫Truly, wasn’t as bad as the Panic of 1837 Caused by: ▫California gold caused inflation ▫Over-growth of grain ▫Over-speculation in land and railroads The North – hard hit South – unaffected ▫Proving cotton was indeed king

Homestead Act (1860) Would provide 160 acres of land at a cheap price for settlers. Opposed by: ▫Northeast – feared they would lose their workers ▫South – scared free-soilers would fill the territories Buchanan vetoed it Americans called for a higher tariff rate ▫Was lowered to about 20% months before

An Illinois Rail-Splitter Emerges In 1858, Republican Abraham Lincoln runs against Stephen Douglas for his senate seat Abe Lincoln ▫Moving up the political ladder ▫Honest lawyer ▫Had common sense ▫Became a decent debater

The Great Debate: Lincoln Versus Douglas Lincoln challenged Douglas to seven debates ▫Most famous debate at Freeport, Illinois  Lincoln: “Mr. Douglas, if the people of a territory voted slavery down, despite the Supreme Court saying that they could not do so, which side would you support, the people or the Supreme Court?”

Lincoln-Douglas Debates A House divided against itself, cannot stand.

Freeport Doctrine Douglas’s said that no matter how the Supreme Court ruled, slavery would stay down if the people voted it down; since power was held by the people.

Results of the Debates Douglas won the Illinois race for senate ▫Moral victory for Lincoln (more votes for Abe) Douglas “won the battle but lost the war” ▫Freeport Doctrine hurt him in South & ruined 1860 election for him

John Brown Returns

John Brown attempted to incite a slave rebellion at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia Brown was hanged in 1859

Charlestown, Virginia Dec 2, 1859 “I, John Brown, am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood. I had, as I now think vainly, flattered myself that without very much bloodshed it might be done.”

John Brown: Murderer or Martyr? Brown became a martyr for the North Abolitionists were infuriated by his execution ▫Chose to forget his violent past South was happy and saw justice ▫Felt his actions were typical of the North

The Disruption of the Democrats Democrats split into Northern and Southern factions & nominate separate candidates ▫North – Stephen Douglas ▫South – John C. Breckinridge. “Know-Nothings” – John Bell of Tennessee ▫called themselves the Constitutional Union  Tried to mend fences  Their platform – simply, the Constitution.

1860 Presidential Election √ Abraham Lincoln Republican John Bell Constitutional Union Stephen A. Douglas Northern Democrat John C. Breckenridge Southern Democrat

A Rail-Splitter Splits the Union Republicans nominate Lincoln ▫not William Seward Platform: ▫Non-expansion of slavery ▫Protective tariff ▫No abridgement of rights (for immigrants) ▫Internal improvements ▫Free Homesteads

1860 Election: 3 “Outs” & 1 “Run!”

1860 Election: A Nation Coming Apart

The Electoral Upheaval of 1860 Lincoln won with only 40% of popular vote Was a Sectional Race ▫North – to Lincoln ▫South – Breckenridge ▫“Middle Ground” – Bell ▫Popular Sovereignty land – Douglas Republicans did not control Congress & South still had 5 to 4 majority in Supreme Court

The Secessionist Exodus South Carolina succeeds from Union in Dec Deep South follows in six weeks (AL, MS, FL, GA, LA, TX) ▫Created the Confederate States of America ▫Jefferson Davis as Pres. Buchanan does nothing ▫Troops needed out West

The Collapse of Compromise James Henry Crittenden proposes a compromise ▫North of 36°30’ – no slavery in territories ▫South of 36°30’ – slavery ▫Future states – popular sovereignty Lincoln opposed the compromise

Farewell to Union

Secession!

Fort Sumter: April 12, 1861