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small vote in Pennsylvania and New York, Nativism disappeared. An able writer of that day-Hon. A. H. H. Stuart, of Virginia-published under the nom-de-plume of “ Madison" several letters in vindication of the American party (revived in 1852,) in which he said: "The vital principle of the American party is Americanism-developing itself in a deep-rooted attachment to our own country—its constitution, its union, and its laws to American men, and American measures, and American interests-or, in other words, a fervent patriotismwhich, rejecting the transcendental philanthropy of abolitionists, and that kindred batch of wild enthusiasts, who would seek to embroil us with foreign countries, in righting the wrongs of Ireland, or Hungary, or Cuba-would guard with vestal vigilance American institutions and Ameriran interests against the baneful effects of foreign influence."

the repeal of the Missouri Compromise. The bill was tabled in the Senate; to be revived at the following session. In the Senate it was amended, on motion of Mr. Douglas, to read: "That so much of the 8th section of an act approved March 6, 1820, (the Missouri compromise) *** which, being inconsistent with the principles of non-intervention by Congress with slavery in the States and Territories, as recognized by the legislature of 1850, commonly called the Compromise measures, is hereby declared inoperative and void; it being the true intent and meaning of this act not to legislate slavery into any Territory or State, nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States." It was further amended, on motion of Senator Clayton, to prohibit

amendment was not agreed to; and the bill finally passed without it, on the 25th May, 1854.

So far as Nebraska was concerned, no excitement of any kind marked the initiation of her territorial existence. The persons who emigrated there seemed to regard the pursuits of business as of more interest than the discussion of slavery. Kansas was less fortunate. Her territory became at once the battle-field of a fierce political conflict between the advocates of slavery, and the free soil men from the North who went there to resist the establishment of that institution in the territory. Differences arose between the Legislature and the Governor, brought about by antagonisms between the Proslavery party and the Free State party; and the condition of affairs in Kansas assumed so frightful a mien in January, 1856, that the President sent a special message to Congress on the subject, January 24, 1856; followed by a Proclamation, February 11, 1856, "warning all unlawful combinations (in the territory) to retire peaceably to their respective abodes, or he would use the power of the local militia, and the available forces of the United States to disperse them."

About 1852, when the question of slavery" alien suffrage." In the House this in the territories, and its extension or its abolition in the States, was agitated and causing sectional differences in the country, many Whigs and Democrats forsook their parties, and took sides on the questions of the day. This was aggravated by the large number of alien naturalized citizens constantly added to the ranks of voters, who took sides with the Democrats and against the Whigs. Nativism then re-appeared, but in a new form-that of a secret fraternity. Its real name and objects were not revealed-even to its members, until they reached a high degree in the order; and the answer of members on being questioned on these subjects was, "I don't know"-which gave it the popular name, by which it is yet known, of "Knownothing." Its moving causes were the growing power and designs of the Roman Catholic Church in America; the sudden influx of aliens; and the greed and incapacity of naturalized citizens for office. Its cardinal principle was: "Americans must rule America"; and its countersign was the order of General Washington on a critical occasion during the war: "Put none but Americans on guard to-night." Its early nominations were not made public, but were made by select committees and conventions of delegates. At first Several applications were made to Conthese nominations were confined to selec-gress for several successive years, for the tions of the best Whig or best Democrat on the respective tickets; and the choice not being made known, but quietly voted for by all the members of the order, the effect was only visible after election, and threw all calculation into chaos. For a while it was really the arbiter of elections.

On February 8, 1853, a bill passed the House of Representatives providing a territorial government for Nebraska, embracing all of what is now Kansas and Nebraska. It was silent on the subject of

admission of Kansas as a state in the
Union; upon the basis of three separate
and distinct constitutions, all differing as
to the main questions at issue between the
contending factions. The name of Kansas
was for some years synonymous with all
that is lawless and anarchical. Elections
became mere farces, and the officers thus
fraudulently placed in power, used their
authority only for their own
or their
party's interest. The party opposed to
slavery at length triumphed ; a constitution

While this matter was pending in Con

line. He was in a dilemma; to maintain The reason for these impressions was that position meant war with Great Britain; that an intrigue was laid, with the knowto recede from it seemed impossible. The ledge of the Executive, for a peace, even proposition for the line of 49 degrees hav- before the war was declared, and a special ing been withdrawn by the American gov-agent dispatched to bring about a return ernment on its non-acceptance by the Brit- to Mexico of its exiled President, General ish, had appeased the Democratic storm Santa Anna, and conclude a treaty of which had been raised against the Presi- peace with him, on terms favorable to the dent. Congress had come together under United States. And for this purpose Conthe loud cry of war, in which Mr. Cass was gress granted an appropriation of three the leader, but followed by the body of millions of dollars to be placed at the disthe democracy, and backed and cheered posal of the President, for negotiating for by the whole democratic newspaper press. a boundary which should give the United Under the authority and order of Congress States additional territory. notice had been served on Great Britain which was to abrogate the joint occupation | gress, Mr. Wilmot of Pennsylvania introof the country by the citizens of the two powers. It was finally resolved by the British Government to propose the line of 49 degrees, continuing to the ocean, as originally offered by Mr. Calhoun; and though the President was favorable to its acceptance, he could not, consistently with his previous acts, accept and make a treaty, on that basis. The Senate, with whom lies the power, under the constitution, of confirming or restricting all treaties, being favorable to it, without respect to party lines, resort was had, as in the early practice of the Government, to the President, asking the advice of the Senate upon the articles of a treaty before negotiation. A message was accordingly sent to the Senate, by the President, stating the proposition, and asking its advice, thus shifting the responsibility upon that body, and making the issue of peace or war depend upon its answer. The Senate advised the acceptance of the proposition, and the treaty was concluded.

The conduct of the Whig Senators, without whose votes the advice would not have been given nor the treaty made, was patriotic in preferring their country to their party-in preventing a war with Great Britain and saving the administration from itself and its party friends.

The second session of the 29th Congress was opened in December, 1847. The President's message was chiefly in relation to the war with Mexico, which had been declared by almost a unanimous vote in Congress. Mr. Calhoun spoke against the declaration in the Senate, but did not vote upon it. He was sincerely opposed to the war, although his conduct had produced it. Had he remained in the cabinet, to do which he had not concealed his wish, he would, no doubt, have labored earnestly to have prevented it. Many members of Congress, of the same party with the administration, were extremely averse to the war, and had interviews with the President, to see if it was inevitable, before it was declared. Members were under the impression that the war could not last above three months.

duced and moved a proviso, "that no part of the territory to be acquired should be open to the introduction of slavery." It was a proposition not necessary for the purpose of excluding slavery, as the only territory to be acquired was that of New Mexico and California, where slavery was already prohibited by the Mexican laws and constitution. The proviso was therefore nugatory, and only served to bring on a slavery agitation in the United States. For this purpose it was seized upon by Mr. Calhoun and declared to be an outrage upon and menace to the slave-holding States. It occupied the attention of Congress for two sessions, and became the subject of debate in the State Legislatures, several of which passed disunion résolutions. It became the watchword of partythe synonym of civil war, and the dissolution of the Union. Neither party really had anything to fear or to hope from the adoption of the proviso-the soil was free, and the Democrats were not in a position to make slave territory of it, because it had just enunciated as one of its cardinal principles, that there was no power in Congress to legislate upon slavery in Territories." Never did two political parties contend more furiously about nothing. Close observers, who had been watching the progress of the slavery agitation since its inauguration in Congress in 1835, knew it to be the means of keeping up an agitation for the benefit of the political parties-the abolitionists on one side and the disunionists or nullifiers on the other to accomplish their own purposes. This was the celebrated Wilmot Proviso, which for so long a time convulsed the Union; assisted in forcing the issue between the North and South on the slavery question, and almost caused a dissolution of the Union. The proviso was defeated; that chance of the nullifiers to force the issue was lost; another had to be made, which was speedily done, by the introduction into the Senate on the 19th February, 1847, by Mr. Calhoun of his new slavery resolutions, declaring the Territories to be the common property of the several States; denying

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the right of Congress to prohibit slavery | passed with an amendment incorporating in a Territory, or to pass any law which into it the anti-slavery clause of the ordiwould have the effect to deprive the citi-nance of 1787. Mr. Calhoun, in the Senzens of any slave State from emigrating ate, declared that the exclusion of slavery with his property (slaves) into such Terri- from any territory was a subversion of the tory. The introduction of the resolutions Union; openly proclaimed the strife bewas prefaced by an elaborate speech by tween the North and South to be ended, Mr. Calhoun, who demanded an immediate and the separation of the States accomvote upon them. They never came to a plished. His speech was an open invocavote; they were evidently introduced for tion to disunion, and from that time forth, the mere purpose of carrying a question to the efforts were regular to obtain a meetthe slave States on which they could be ing of the members from the slave States, formed into a unit against the free States; to unite in a call for a convention of the and so began the agitation which finally slave States to redress themselves. He led to the abrogation of the Missouri Com-said: "The great strife between the North promise line, and arrayed the States of one and the South is ended. The North is section against those of the other. determined to exclude the property of the The Thirtieth Congress, which assem-slaveholder, and, of course, the slaveholder bled for its first session in December, 1847, himself, from its territory. On this point was found, so far as respects the House of there seems to be no division in the North Representatives, to be politically adverse In the South, he regretted to say, there to the administration. The Whigs were was some division of sentiment. in the majority, and elected the Speaker; effect of this determination of the North Robert C. Winthrop, of Massachusetts, was to convert all the Southern population being chosen. The President's message into slaves; and he would never consent contained a full report of the progress of to entail that disgrace on his posterity. the war with Mexico; the success of the He denounced any Southern man who American arms in that conflict; the vic- would not take the same course. Gentletory of Cerro Gordo, and the capture of men were greatly mistaken if they supthe City of Mexico; and that negotiations posed the Presidential question in the were then pending for a treaty of peace. South would override this more important The message concluded with a reference one. The separation of the North and the to the excellent results from the indepen-South is completed. The South has now dent treasury system.

The

a most solemn obligation to perform-to The war with Mexico was ended by the herself-to the constitution-to the Union. signing of a treaty of peace, in February, She is bound to come to a decision not to 1848, by the terms of which New Mexico permit this to go on any further, but to and Upper California were ceded to the show that, dearly as she prizes the Union, United States, and the lower Rio Grande, there are questions which she regards as from its mouth to El Paso, taken for the of greater importance than the Union. boundary of Texas. For the territory thus This is not a question of territorial governacquired, the United States agreed to pay ment, but a question involving the conto Mexico the sum of fifteen million dol- tinuance of the Union." The President, lars, in five annual installments; and be-in approving the Oregon bill, took occa sides that, assumed the claims of Ameri-sion to send in a special message, pointcan citizens against Mexico, limited to ing out the danger to the Union from the three and a quarter million dollars, out of progress of the slavery agitation, and urged and on account of which claims the war an adherence to the principles of the ordiostensibly originated. The victories achiev-nance of 1787-the terms of the Missouri ed by the American commanders, Generals compromise of 1820-as also that involved Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott, during and declared in the Texas case in 1845, as that war, won for them national reputa- the means of averting that danger. tions, by means of which they were brought prominently forward for the Presidential succession,

The Presidential election of 1848 was coming on. The Democratic convention met in Baltimore in May of that year; The question of the power of Congress to each State being represented in the conlegislate on the subject of slavery in the vention by the number of delegates equal Territories, was again raised, at this session, to the number of electoral votes it was enon the bill for the establishment of the titled to; saving only New York, which Oregon territorial government. An amend- sent two sets of delegates, and both were ment was offered to insert a provision for excluded. The delegates were, for the the extension of the Missouri compromise most part, members of Congress and office. line to the Pacific Ocean; which line thus holders. The two-thirds rule, adopted by extended was intended by the amendment the previous convention, was again made to be permanent, and to apply to all future a law of the convention. The main questerritories established in the West. This tion which arose upon the formation of amendment was lost, but the bill was finally the platform for the campaign, was the

line. He was in a dilemma; to maintain | The reason for these impressions was that position meant war with Great Britain; that an intrigue was laid, with the knowto recede from it seemed impossible. The ledge of the Executive, for a peace, even proposition for the line of 49 degrees hav- before the war was declared, and a special ing been withdrawn by the American gov-agent dispatched to bring about a return ernment on its non-acceptance by the Brit- to Mexico of its exiled President, General ish, had appeased the Democratic storm Santa Anna, and conclude a treaty of which had been raised against the Presi- peace with him, on terms favorable to the dent. Congress had come together under United States. And for this purpose Conthe loud cry of war, in which Mr. Cass was gress granted an appropriation of three the leader, but followed by the body of millions of dollars to be placed at the disthe democracy, and backed and cheered posal of the President, for negotiating for by the whole democratic newspaper press. a boundary which should give the United Under the authority and order of Congress States additional territory. notice had been served on Great Britain which was to abrogate the joint occupation of the country by the citizens of the two powers. It was finally resolved by the British Government to propose the line of 49 degrees, continuing to the ocean, as originally offered by Mr. Calhoun; and though the President was favorable to its acceptance, he could not, consistently with his previous acts, accept and make a treaty, on that basis. The Senate, with whom lies the power, under the constitution, of confirming or restricting all treaties, being favorable to it, without respect to party lines, resort was had, as in the early practice of the Government, to the President, asking the advice of the Senate upon the articles of a treaty before negotiation. A message was accordingly sent to the Senate, by the President, stating the proposition, and asking its advice, thus shifting the responsibility upon that body, and making the issue of peace or war depend upon its answer. The Senate advised the acceptance of the proposition, and the treaty was concluded.

The conduct of the Whig Senators, without whose votes the advice would not have been given nor the treaty made, was patriotic in preferring their country to their party-in preventing a war with Great Britain and saving the administration from itself and its party friends.

The second session of the 29th Congress was opened in December, 1847. The President's message was chiefly in relation to the war with Mexico, which had been declared by almost a unanimous vote in Congress. Mr. Calhoun spoke against the declaration in the Senate, but did not vote upon it. He was sincerely opposed to the war, although his conduct had produced it. Had he remained in the cabinet, to do which he had not concealed his wish, he would, no doubt, have labored earnestly to have prevented it. Many members of Congress, of the same party with the administration, were extremely averse to the war, and had interviews with the President, to see if it was inevitable, before it was declared. Members were under the impression that the war could not last above three months.

While this matter was pending in Congress, Mr. Wilmot of Pennsylvania introduced and moved a proviso," that no part of the territory to be acquired should be open to the introduction of slavery." It was a proposition not necessary for the purpose of excluding slavery, as the only territory to be acquired was that of New Mexico and California, where slavery was already prohibited by the Mexican laws and constitution. The proviso was therefore nugatory, and only served to bring on a slavery agitation in the United States. For this purpose it was seized upon by Mr. Calhoun and declared to be an outrage upon and menace to the slave-holding States. It occupied the attention of Congress for two sessions, and became the subject of debate in the State Legislatures, several of which passed disunion résolutions. It became the watchword of partythe synonym of civil war, and the dissolution of the Union. Neither party really had anything to fear or to hope from the adoption of the proviso-the soil was free, and the Democrats were not in a position to make slave territory of it, because it had just enunciated as one of its cardinal principles, that there was no power in Congress to legislate upon slavery in Territories." Never did two political parties contend more furiously about nothing. Close observers, who had been watching the progress of the slavery agitation since its inauguration in Congress in 1835, knew it to be the means of keeping up an agitation for the benefit of the political parties-the abolitionists on one side and the disunionists or nullifiers on the other to accomplish their own purposes. This was the celebrated Wilmot Proviso, which for so long a time convulsed the Union; assisted in forcing the issue between the North and South on the slavery question, and almost caused a dissolution of the Union. The proviso was defeated; that chance of the nullifiers to force the issue was lost; another had to be made, which was speedily done, by the introduction into the Senate on the 19th February, 1847, by Mr. Calhoun of his new slavery resolutions, declaring the Territories to be the common property of the several States; denying

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the right of Congress to prohibit slavery | passed with an amendment incorporating in a Territory, or to pass any law which into it the anti-slavery clause of the ordiwould have the effect to deprive the citi-nance of 1787. Mr. Calhoun, in the Senzens of any slave State from emigrating ate, declared that the exclusion of slavery with his property (slaves) into such Terri- from any territory was a subversion of the tory. The introduction of the resolutions Union; openly proclaimed the strife bewas prefaced by an elaborate speech by tween the North and South to be ended, Mr. Calhoun, who demanded an immediate and the separation of the States accomvote upon them. They never came to a plished. His speech was an open invocavote; they were evidently introduced for tion to disunion, and from that time forth, the mere purpose of carrying a question to the efforts were regular to obtain a meetthe slave States on which they could be ing of the members from the slave States, formed into a unit against the free States; to unite in a call for a convention of the and so began the agitation which finally slave States to redress themselves. He led to the abrogation of the Missouri Com-said: "The great strife between the North promise line, and arrayed the States of one and the South is ended. The North is section against those of the other. determined to exclude the property of the

The

The Thirtieth Congress, which assem-slaveholder, and, of course, the slaveholder bled for its first session in December, 1847, himself, from its territory. On this point was found, so far as respects the House of there seems to be no division in the North Representatives, to be politically adverse In the South, he regretted to say, there to the administration. The Whigs were was some division of sentiment. in the majority, and elected the Speaker; effect of this determination of the North Robert C. Winthrop, of Massachusetts, was to convert all the Southern population being chosen. The President's message into slaves; and he would never consent contained a full report of the progress of to entail that disgrace on his posterity. the war with Mexico; the success of the He denounced any Southern man who American arms in that conflict; the vic- would not take the same course. Gentletory of Cerro Gordo, and the capture of men were greatly mistaken if they supthe City of Mexico; and that negotiations posed the Presidential question in the were then pending for a treaty of peace. South would override this more important The message concluded with a reference one. The separation of the North and the to the excellent results from the indepen-South is completed. The South has now dent treasury system.

a most solemn obligation to perform-to herself to the constitution-to the Union. She is bound to come to a decision not to permit this to go on any further, but to show that, dearly as she prizes the Union, there are questions which she regards as of greater importance than the Union. This is not a question of territorial government, but a question involving the continuance of the Union." The President,

The war with Mexico was ended by the signing of a treaty of peace, in February, 1848, by the terms of which New Mexico and Upper California were ceded to the United States, and the lower Rio Grande, from its mouth to El Paso, taken for the boundary of Texas. For the territory thus acquired, the United States agreed to pay to Mexico the sum of fifteen million dollars, in five annual installments; and be-in approving the Oregon bill, took occa sides that, assumed the claims of Ameri- sion to send in a special message, pointcan citizens against Mexico, limited to ing out the danger to the Union from the three and a quarter million dollars, out of progress of the slavery agitation, and urged and on account of which claims the war an adherence to the principles of the ordiostensibly originated. The victories achiev-nance of 1787-the terms of the Missouri ed by the American commanders, Generals compromise of 1820-as also that involved Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott, during and declared in the Texas case in 1845, as that war, won for them national reputations, by means of which they were brought prominently forward for the Presidential succession.

the means of averting that danger.

The Presidential election of 1848 was coming on. The Democratic convention⚫ met in Baltimore in May of that year; The question of the power of Congress to each State being represented in the conlegislate on the subject of slavery in the vention by the number of delegates equal Territories, was again raised, at this session, to the number of electoral votes it was enon the bill for the establishment of the titled to; saving only New York, which Oregon territorial government. An amend-sent two sets of delegates, and both were ment was offered to insert a provision for excluded. The delegates were, for the the extension of the Missouri compromise most part, members of Congress and office. line to the Pacific Ocean; which line thus holders. The two-thirds rule, adopted by extended was intended by the amendment the previous convention, was again made to be permanent, and to apply to all future a law of the convention. The main questerritories established in the West. This tion which arose upon the formation of amendment was lost, but the bill was finally the platform for the campaign, was the

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