Presidential Election of 1852

The Compromise of 1850

As a result of the war with Mexico, the United States acquired California, New Mexico, the eventual states of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. A debate ensued over the extension of slavery. In December 1847, Lewis Cass, the future Democratic nominee, articulated the policy of popular sovereignty: territorial residents should have the authority to decide whether or not to permit slavery in their domain. However, as California broached statehood, this question generated intense debate and intra-party strife. Congressional moderates attempted to mute sectional antagonisms by drafting a compromise, broken up over five bills. The Compromise of 1850 initially overrode the 36°30' latitude division of the Missouri Compromise. The original agreement stated that all territory north of this line would be free and all territory south of it would be slave. The new agreement would admit California as a free state (based on popular sovereignty), carve New Mexico and Utah out of Texas, prohibit slave trade, but maintain the legality of slavery in Washington, D.C., and strengthen the Fugitive Slave Law. This latter point was intended to mollify southern interests by reaffirming and enhancing federal enforcement of the existing law.

The Compromise did not have the desired effect. Southerners split into Unionist and States' Rights camps, regardless of party, based on their support or opposition to the legislation. Congress also divided along moderate and radical lines. In the Senate, southern Whigs and northern Democrats seemed to be more moderate than northern Whigs and southern Democrats. The House divided more clearly along sectional lines: southerners exhibited greater unity than northerners.

President Taylor opposed the Compromise measures. Although Taylor owned slaves and believed that the Constitution prevented Congress from interfering with slavery in the states where it was currently legal, he adamantly opposed the extension of slavery into new western territories. However, the unexpected death of Taylor a few days after an Independence Day celebration in 1850 altered the fortunes of this legislation. Vice President Millard Fillmore assumed the presidency upon Taylor's death and voiced his support for the compromise.

The National Conventions

By the time the Democrats convened their national convention at Baltimore in June, party leaders had reduced intra-party friction over the Compromise. In fact, supporters of the compromise engineered a strong push for the party to adopt the Compromise as the policy of the Democrats and the final settlement of the slavery question. The convention adopted the two-thirds rule, requiring a successful nominee to garner the vote of two-thirds of the convention delegates. Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire floated his name as a Compromise candidate if the convention could not strongly support one aspirant. Finally, on the 49th ballot, Pierce beat out Lewis Cass (Michigan), James Buchanan (Pennsylvania), William Marcy (New York), and Stephen Douglas (Illinois) to receive the nomination. William R. King of Alabama was chosen as the vice presidential nominee to balance the ticket.

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