Years Before Secession Buchanan s Issues, Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Democratic Party Split, Election of Lincoln Buchanan s Presidency Three major events 1. Dred Scott Decision 2. Troubles in Kansas Lecompton Constitution 3. Financial panic (1857) that led to a depression How he dealt with these events has characterized his presidency in the history books. ISSUE 1: Dred Scott Case Dred Scott was sold to an army surgeon Traveled to many states and territories Married Harriet Robinson in 1842, had two children Scott s master died in 1843 The surgeon s wife hired him out to an officer 1
Dred Scott Decision Harriet convinced her husband to file suit in Missouri for his freedom State jury decided in his favor Supreme court ruled against him Taney ruled that Scott lacked legal standing because he lacked citizenship The Issue Challenges popular sovereignty First time judicial review was used since Marbury v. Madison (refusal to honor a presidential appointment) If congress could not exclude slavery from a territory, then nor could territorial government established by congress. Furthermore, congress had to protect slaveholders rights ISSUE 2: Lecompton Constitution Second attempt at a constitution for Kansas The question was Constitution with slavery? or Constitution with no slavery? Pro-slavery advocates were the minority but anti-slavery voters boycotted the vote Constitution with no slavery actually meant no slaves could come in to Kansas, difficult to enforce Federal legislator turned it down, but not before it tore apart the Democratic Party 2
ISSUE 3: Panic of 1857 Reduction in foreign demand for grain Overly rapid railroad construction Manufacturing grew faster than markets Weakness and confusion of the banknote system Ohio life Insurance and Trust Company Business troubles, like everything else, were drawn into the sectional conflict Democratic Tariff of 1857 blamed South did better than the North, reinforcing the strength of cotton and the slave-labor system Revival of 1857-1859 Different than other awakenings Focused on discreet prayer (non-denominational) Started in the Wall Street financial district in NYC Focus of prayer meetings was personal spiritual renewal, not social transformation Stephen A. Douglas The democratic party was the last thing keeping the Union together After the Dred Scott decision, Kansas, and the weakening economy, Stephen A. Douglas is the only one who has some support from both northerners and southerners Kansas-Nebraska Act made him a southern sympathizer (popular sovereignty written into) But his opposition to the Lecompton Constitution pinned him against the South His senate seat was up for vote in 1858 3
Abraham Lincoln Lincoln did not believe blacks and whites could coexist as equals not an abolitionist He thought the institution would die a natural death His justification for not supporting slavery in the new territories was based on the reasoning the African slave trade was no longer legal Hate the sin but not the sinner Lincoln-Douglas Debates August 21 to October 15, 1858 Turned the senate seat battle into one for the future of the country Contrasting characters Douglas has an indifference toward the moral question of slavery Douglas won in a close race, but Lincoln becomes a contender for the Republican presidential nomination (1860) At the same time, political tensions were shifting northern support from the Democrats to Republicans Violence on the floor of the House reinforced the belief that the issue over slavery could only be solved through fighting John Brown s Raid Since the Pottawatomie Massacre in 1856, Brown had been fundraising in the East He was driven as if he were on a crusade October 16, 1859, Brown and about 20 men crossed the Potomac to raid Harpers Ferry The plan was to arm the slaves in the area They held the fire-engine house 10 men died, 6 were hanged, 5 escaped Pro-slavery southerners equated the violence to Republican party and rumors spread 4
Prospect of a Smash Up (1860) Democrats Divide Douglas reaffirmed the platform of noninterference with slavery Southerners demanded government protection in the territories (Buchanan) Southerners believe the Democrats should have gone further to say slavery is good Delegates from the South decided to leave instead of voting (split) Baltimore Convention Douglas Charleston seceders Breckinridge Lincoln on Slavery Let all who believe that 'our fathers, who framed the Government under which we live, understood this question just as well, and even better, than we do now,' speak as they spoke, and act as they acted upon it. This is all Republicans ask -- all Republicans desire -- in relation to slavery. As those fathers marked it, so let it be again marked, as an evil not to be extended, but to be tolerated and protected only because of and so far as is actual presence among us makes that toleration and protection a necessity. Let all the guaranties those fathers gave it, be, not grudgingly, but fully and fairly maintained. -Lincoln 5
Election of 1860: Republicans Lincoln is strong enough for abolitionists and moderate enough as to not seem threatening Republicans denounced the Dred Scott decision and John Brown s Raid Promised the right of each state to order and control its own domestic institutions. Appealed to northern businessmen, western farmers, and immigrants Election of 1860: Other Candidates No candidate gained national support The election turned into Lincoln v. Douglas in the North and Breckinridge v. Bell in the South The South never understood Lincoln s position, and he never clarified Lincoln won with 39% of the popular and 180 electoral votes First time a president is elected by a sectional vote Secession of the South Ordinance of Succession Declared the ratification of the Constitution repealed and dissolved South Carolina s union with other states Declaration of the Causes of Secession declare that the threats to slavery and asserted that a purely sectional party elected the president, citing Lincoln s views Happened fast Proactive minority made huge decisions in an emotionally charged climate 6
Calling a Bluff? Buchanan was not very bold He thought the secession was a bluff, so he did nothing Dec. 3, in his annual address, he criticizes northern agitators for interfering with slavery and claimed that secession was illegal, even though he had no authority to coerce a state to rejoin The Waiting Game is Over? Buchanan reaffirms his duty to enforce law upon all citizens (not states) Lincoln takes the same position with civil war individuals, not states, were in rebellion He refrains from aggressive action until Federal lands, arsenals, and forts, are seized Dispatches the Star of the West to Fort Sumter The ship was fired upon, considered an act of war Buchanan did nothing in the few remaining weeks of his presidency Final Efforts at Compromise Congress continues efforts with amendment proposals such as allowing slavery in the South (Crittenden Compromise) Even Lincoln was prepared to go this far to preserve the Union But they were unwilling to change their stand against slavery in the territories 7
Analysis Crittenden Compromise Slavery legal below 36 30 and states where it exists (includes territories) First proposed 13 th Amendment Slavery in the states where it existed, not in the territories (consistent with Lincoln s willingness) *This means slavery has no future as it relates to Manifest Destiny. *Remember, Lincoln even says he is against expansion of slavery and it will soon be extinct. 8