Nov 25

In the beginning of class we listened to “Who’s the Greatest President”

The compromise of 1856
The slavery issue forced congress in 1849-50
California & New Mexico were major issues, in the south were demanding a stronger fugitive slave law after the Supreme Court ruled in Prigg v. Pennsylvania 1842 that states went obligated to enforce the return of run away slaves
Anti slavery westerners wanted an end to the slave trade in DC
Texas and New Mexico were feuding over the boundary

Clay thought he could master another compromise in Jan 1850
8 propositions to senate
The 1st were concession to north and south
Admit California as a free state, no restrictions on slavery in the rest of the cession
Settle the boundary dispute in Favor of New Mexico and compensate Texas financially
Abolish the slave trade in DC, guarantee the continuation of slavery in Wash DC unless both MD and Va agree to abolition
The last 2
Congress would have jurisdiction over slave trade
New stronger national fugitive slave law
Clay lumped his proposal into one bill and so many congressmen disliked parts it wasn’t passed the next to try was Stephen Douglas from Illinois and he broke the bill into parts and got a different majority- both Calhoun and President Taylor died

Separate parts of clay became law and the Compromise of 1850
California a free state
Rest of cession- New Mexico and Utah, Oregon without restrictions on slavery
Settle the Texas-New Mexico where New Mexico gets land and Texas is compensated with $ 10 Million
Abolish the slave trade in DC and guarantee slavery there
A fugitive slave law

Independent Laws supported by different congressional majority trying to answer the slavery question
Results were unexpected
California a free state but votes with the South on most issues
Utah and New Mexico legalized slavery but as Daniel Webster had argued few states were brought there
Fugitive slave law crested major heartburn and discontent

South reasons to complain
When slave catches went too far and kidnapped free blacks, northern states responded with anti kidnapping laws that gave fugitive slaves the right to a trail by jury
When Prigg v Pennsylvania ruled that enforcing the constitution’s fugitive law a federal government responded. Northern states pass a personal liberty laws prohibiting the use of state court, jail, police to recapture fugitive slaves.

The new Fugitive slave law was very strict
Abolitionists vowed to resist it
· Slave catches who went north soon meet with violence that turned many northerns who had not been abolitionists against slavery
· But the north’s failure to enforce the fugitive slave act was a southern grievance in 1850 and a cause of the south secession in 1861
Uncle Tom’s Cabin- a big success
Then also notice the US interest in Cuba in Ostend Manifesto
A letter where American ambassadors to Britain, France and Spain declared that if Spain wouldn’t sell Cuba they would take it