Slavery

THE 1860 PRESIDENTIAL election had many issues to address, but none more important than the future course of the country and the south's “peculiar institution of slavery. With the invention of Eli Whitney's cotton gin in 1793, the plantation system in the south received an economic boost and as the cotton economy blossomed, the internal slave trade increased. The south became committed to slavery as it became vital to their existence. With the threats of slave insurrections and the North's denunciation of the south's institution, the south became defensive about their rights. Although the majority of whites did not own slaves, their racial ideology was questioned and many felt that emancipation for blacks meant the end of white rights (supremacy). With increasing agitation by abolitionists on the slavery issue, sectional hostilities were increased Many Americans had opposed slavery since colonial times. In 1877, Vermont was the first United States territory to ban slavery and the state of Pennsylvania followed suit in 1790.

By 1804, Northern states had voted to abolish slavery within their borders. In the half century leading up to the Civil War, white and black activists, women and men, worked together under the abolitionist umbrella though not always in harmony. Abolitionists put forward a wide range of approaches to end slavery from moral pervasion to boycotts, to the endorsements of violent rebellions. William Lloyd Garrison believed that slavery was a moral issue. He sought the immediate release of all slaves, as the only justifiable solution. As he became more radical, Garrison called for the Northern secession from the slaveholding south. James Gillespie Birney believed that political action and the power of religion were the key to ending slavery. Born in Kentucky to a slaveholding family, he freed his slaves and became one of the nation's most prominent abolitionists. Frederick Douglass believed that both moral arguments and political action should be used in the fight to achieve abolition. Born into slavery, Douglass escaped bondage in 1838 and became one of the eloquent voices of the abolition movement.

Lincoln and William Seward, who fought for the Republican nomination of 1860, acknowledged the existing problems. Lincoln had recently lost the 1858 Senate race to Stephen Douglas and was not in office at the time of the presidential campaign. Seward was a sitting Senator, but lost favor with Republicans because of his “political insider” status and for his radical abolitionist opinions, as previewed in his speeches. Republicans feared that Seward could not carry states sympatric to slavery. “Slavery is not, and never can be, perpetual,” said Seward. “It will be overthrown either peacefully or lawfully under the Constitution or it will work to the subversion of the Constitution, together with it own overthrow, then the slaveholders would perish in [Page 744]the struggle.” Lincoln advocated a more modern party plank designed to preserve the Union. Although we remember Lincoln as the president who ended slavery in the states where it was already present, he also promised to prohibit expansion in the Western territories. Lincoln also disavowed John Brown and his anti-slavery activities. This more moderate position earned Lincoln the Republican nomination, but it was questioned if it would be enough to win the White House.

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