CHAPTER XIII.

BUFFALO CONVENTION.

Buffalo convention. - Mr. Chase president of the delegated convention.

Mr. Adams president of mass convention. - Unity and enthusiasm.

Governor Slade's letter. King's. - Platform. -Speeches of Adams,

Giddings, Butler, Grover, White, Nye, Stanton, Briggs, May, Mahan,

Bibb, Bird, and Sedgwick. - Van Buren's letter. - Van Buren and

Adams nominated. — Van Buren's letter of acceptance. — Popular feel-

ing. State conventions in Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio.

Movements in the Southern States. The canvass

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150-160

CHAPTER XIV.

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

-

WILLIAM H. SEWARD. SALMON P. CHASE.

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-

Death of Mr. Adams. His earnest advocacy of the right of petition. —

Change of views concerning Abolitionism. - Democratic defeat in the

State of New York. - Radical utterances of Mr. Seward. His election

to the United States Senate. Ohio early in the antislavery ranks.

Prominent part taken by Mr. Chase. - Friends of freedom hold the

balance of power in the new legislature. · Adroit management.

Repeal of "black laws."- Election of Mr. Chase to United States

Senate

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161-173

CHAPTER XV.

STRUGGLES IN KENTUCKY.

Slaveholding aggressions. Popular indorsement.

-

-

and increasing severity of the black codes. —Counter movements of

antislavery men. Constitutional convention in Kentucky. - Attempt

to secure provisions for freedom in the proposed constitution. - Henry

Clay's position. — Public meeting at Lexington. — Convention. — Dr.

Breckinridge's speech. - Failure of movement.

- Reasons .

Indifference to human rights. — Inhuman legislation. — In Virginia, Dela-

ware, Maryland, and Missouri. - Constitutional convention in Indi-

ana. Prominent members. - Southern influence preponderates. Ac-

tive canvass of the State. Mr. Colfax. Similar legislation in Illinois,

Iowa, New Mexico, California, Utah, Oregon. -Slave Power de-

scribed

CHAPTER XVII.

SLAVERY DEBATES OF THE XXXTH CONGRESS.

SOUTHERN CAUCUS.

New aspect of the slavery issue presented by the Mexican war. - Speeches

by Southern members, Clingman, Stephens. - Proslavery views of North-

ern members, Thompson, Brown. - Effective speech of McDowell.

Caucus of Southern members. — Address. — Position of Northern mem-

bers. - Eloquent speeches by Palfrey, Abraham Lincoln, Horace Mann,

and James Wilson

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190-207

CALIFORNIA.

CHAPTER XVIII.

ELECTION OF SPEAKER. -THREATS OF DISUNION.

-

-

President Taylor. - Personnel of his Cabinet. Past success of slave-mas-

ters. Future schemes. - Overtures to California. Its constitution. -

Southern opposition. -Excitement. - Contest for Speaker. — Threats.

Debate. Duer, Toombs, Baker, Stephens, Cleveland, Allen. - Mr.

Cobb's election. - President's message. Father Mathew- Vermont

resolutions. Debate thereon.

- Missouri reso-

Hale, Chase, Phelps.

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-

-

lutions. Benton

208-220

CHAPTER XIX.

NORTHERN DEFECTION.

-

Root's resolutions laid on the table. - Giddings's resolutions defeated.

Northern defection. - Causes. - Debate on President's message.

Southern speeches of Clingman, Inge, McLane, Cabell, Brown. — South-

ern alarm. Action of Southern legislatures. Bold utterances of

Northern members, Sackett, Horace Mann, Thaddeus Stevens, Bissell,

and Fowler. Speeches of Ashmun and Winthrop

United States Senate. Foote's resolutions. - Hale's amendment.

-Speech of Mr. Cass. - Clay's

eight resolutions. - Foote's protest. - Jefferson Davis. - Mr. Cass's

speech. Speeches of Clay, Houston, Berrien, and Benton. - Bell's

resolutions. Calhoun's speech read. — Considered. - Webster's 7th of

March speech. His defection. Occasions great disappointment. -

231-246

His course

-

-

CHAPTER XXI.

ACTION IN MASSACHUSETTS.

-

Mr. Wilson's resolutions. Mr. Hillard's resolutions. Mr. Hopkins's

resolutions. State mass convention at Faneuil Hall. - Address and

resolutions reported by Richard H. Dana, Jr. — Remarks by Palfrey,

Wilson, Hopkins, Webb, Adams, Phillips, and Keyes. Hopkins's

resolutions. Branning's amendment. Remarks of Schouler, Bout-

Resolutions

well, Stone, Lawrence, Wilson, Kimball, and Earle.

adopted by the House. Debate in the Senate. -Resolutions amended

and passed. Meeting in Faneuil Hall. - Petitions to instruct Mr.

Webster. Mr. Wilson's resolution. Debate thereon. - Resolutions

defeated

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--

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247-258

CHAPTER XXII.

COMPROMISE MEASURES OF 1850.

Southern demands on President Taylor. He stands firm. - Mr. Ham-

lin.-Thurlow Weed. - Taylor's letter to Jefferson Davis. - General

debate. - Speeches of Walker, Seward, Douglas, Badger, Hunter, Hale,

Chase, Benton. The admissions of the latter

-

-

CHAPTER XXIII.

COMPROMISE MEASURES OF 1850 (continued).

-

Vote on Foote's resolutions. - Committee of thirteen. - Clay's bill.

Long debate. - Final vote. — President's death. - Deeply regretted by

friends of freedom. - Mr. Fillmore. - New Cabinet. Change of pol-

icy. Webster's visit to Boston. Great debate. Three lines of argu-

ment. - California admitted by the Senate. - Protest. — Laid on the

table. - Texas boundary bill adopted by the Senate. In the House. —

Boyd's amendment adopted. Bill rejected. Vote reconsidered. ·

Adopted. - Utah bill adopted. - New Mexico admitted. - Southern

divisions. — General demoralization. — Mr. Clay's influence. — Threats

of disunion by Clemens, Toombs, and Holmes. - Nashville convention.

Meeting of Southern members. - Speeches of Soulé and McDowell

CHAPTER XXIV.

-

COMPROMISE MEASURES OF 1850 (continued).

-

272-290

Fugitive slave laws a necessity of slavery. - Provision therefor in the Con-

stitution.Law of 1793. - Fugitive Slave Act introduced by Mason.

Amendments of Webster and Dayton. · Of Pratt. - Jefferson Davis.

John Davis. Underwood's substitute. - Speech of Winthrop. - Passage

of bill in Senate. - Introduced into the House. - Previous question.

Passage. Bill for abolition of slave-trade in District of Columbia in

the Senate. Speeches of Hunter, Clay, Downs, Pratt. - Amendment

of Seward. - Debate. Act passed. Introduced into the House.

Adopted. Suggestion of Thaddeus Stevens. Slave Power victo-

rious. - Friends of freedom not disheartened. -Speeches of Hale and

Julian

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291-330

CHAPTER XXV.

FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT IN THE COUNTRY.

General consternation. First case.

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--

Meetings of colored people. - Pub-

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-

- Sumner in

-

lic meetings. Wilson at Lowell. -Adams at Boston.

Faneuil Hall. - Burlingame at Northampton. -Meetings of religious

bodies. Utterances of clergymen. -Furness, Stone, Beecher, Chee-

ver.- -Aid and protection extended. The act defended. - Concerted

measures for its vindication and support. - Mr. Webster. - Mr. Clay. -

Buchanan, Clayton, Benton, and Berrien. Union-saving meetings. -

Castle Garden and Faneuil Hall. - Clerical defences. - Dewey, Taylor,

Spencer. The President indorses the Fugitive Slave Act in annual

message. Debate in Congress. - Speeches of Giddings, Seward, Hale,

and Mann

--

-

Its cruelty of purpose and execution. - Cases at Columbia and Elkton. —

Hannah Dellam. -Judge Kane's cruel course. - William and Ellen

Crafts. Prompt and heroic conduct of Dr. Bowditch and Theodore

Parker. Judge Grier. Commissioner Ingraham. Jerry rescue.

Trial and acquittal of Castner Hanway. -Case of Shadrach. -Trial

and rescue.

Resolutions of Mr. Clay.-Action of the President.

Speeches of Clay, Hale, Chase, Douglas, and Jefferson Davis. - Mr.

Douglas's charge against some members of Congress. - Trial of res-

cuers. Circumstances of acquittal. Thomas Simms. - Chains around

court-house. Trial. Given up. His fate. Finally delivered by

Union army.

- Public meetings. — Meeting and speeches in Faneuil

COALITION IN MASSACHUSETTS. -ELECTION OF MR. SUMNER.

-

323-337

Co-operation between Democrats and Free-Soilers in Ohio, Connecticut,

and Vermont. Massachusetts Democratic State convention. - Reso-

lutions. — Benjamin F. Hallett. - Proffer of the New York Democratic

State committee to the Free Soil State committee. — Reply. — Con-

ventions at Rome. - Failure to agree. - Conventions at Syracuse and

-

-

-

Utica.

-

-

-

-Fusion. - Massachusetts. - Meeting at Adams House. - Ma-

jority opposed to the coalition. - Minority in favor. - William Jack-

son.-Campaign paper. - Free Soil State convention. - Nominations.

Horace Mann. Middlesex County conventions of Democrats and Free-

Soilers. Coalition. Mr. Sumner's speech in Faneuil Hall. - Letters

of Palfrey and Adams. - Triumph of coalition. - Proposition of Free-

Soilers. Accepted. Mr. Boutwell made governor. Mr. Sumner

selected as candidate for United States Senate. Long struggle. - Final

success. Rantoul elected for short term. -Sumner's letter to Mr. Wil-

son. - Results

-

-

-

-

-

338-351

CHAPTER XXVIII.

FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT IN CONGRESS.

-

Caucuses of both parties. -Resolutions indorsing the compromise meas-

ures. Debate thereon. - Linn Boyd, Speaker. Foote's resolution. ·

Petition of the Friends for repeal of the Fugitive Slave Act. Sumner's

amendment and speech. - The Fugitive Slave Act defended by Clemens,

Badger, Dodge, Douglas, Weller, Bright, Dixon, Clay, Butler, Mason,

and Pettit. Sumner's rejoinder.

-

CHAPTER XXIX.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1852.

-

-

-

352-359

Preparations by the slaveholders of both parties. - Slaveholding compact. -

Mr. Webster. His speech at Capon Springs. - Rival Whig candi-

dates. Whig caucus. - A "finality" resolution. - Speeches of Brooks

and Stanley. Letter to Democratic candidates. — Replies. — Demo-

cratic convention. -Resolutions in favor of compromise measures.

Candidates. — Pierce nominated. Whig convention. - Mr. Jessup's

amendment and speech. Dawson's defiant speech. — Amendment with-

drawn. Resolutions indorse compromise measures. - Mr. Webster's

agency. - Mr. Choate's speech. - Candidates. — General Scott's selec-

tion. Mr. Webster's disappointment. Free Soil convention. - Mr.

Hale made candidate. — Gerrit Smith's resolutions. - The canvass and

result. General Pierce triumphantly elected

The Missouri compromise. — Bill for the organization of the Territory of

Nebraska. - Lost in the Senate. - President Pierce's message.

Nebraska bill. — Dixon's proposition to abrogate the Missouri compro-

mise. Its repeal reported by Mr. Douglas. -President's commitment.

Meeting of New York Democrats. - Mr. Fenton's visit to the President

and Secretary of State. — Secretary Marcy's position. — The appeal of