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Free-Soil Party

Politics and Public Service

The Free-Soil Party developed in part from a political rivalry in New York State. The Democratic Party there consisted of contending factions: the Barnburners, who were strongly opposed to slavery, and the Hunkers, who were neutral or supportive of slavery.

In the Election of 1844, both national parties were impacted by the nagging slavery issue. Southern Democratic forces managed to engineer the nomination of proslavery James K. Polk, denying the nod to former president Martin Van Buren, who was moderately antislavery. The Whigs nominated Henry Clay, who changed his stand on supporting the annexation of Texas during the campaign. James G. Birney headed the third party ticket for the Liberty Party and took enough votes from Clay-especially in New York State-to enable a Polk victory.

In the Election of 1848, Van Buren was passed over again by the Democrats, so he and antislavery forces from the Democratic (such as the Barnburners), Whig and Liberty parties formed the Free-Soil Party. The party platform, written at the convention in Buffalo, New York in August 1848 called for:

  • Opposition to the extension of slavery into the territories
  • Support for national internal improvement programs
  • Support for moderate tariffs designed for revenue only
  • Support for the enactment of a homestead law.
Van Buren and his running mate, Charles Francis Adams of Massachusetts, ran on the slogan “free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men” and took enough votes from the Democratic candidate to ensure victory for Whig Zachary Taylor.

In the Election of 1852 the Free-Soilers nominated the abolitionist John Parker Hale of New Hampshire. It was believed at the time that the slavery issue had been settled by the Compromise of 1850, so many elements of the party had reverted to their previous allegiances. The ticket drew only about five percent of the popular vote nationwide and no electoral votes.

The failure to ever win a single electoral vote, plus the deepening crisis highlighted by the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), ended the Free-Soilers' hopes. Many of its members moved on to the new Republican Party.

Off-site search results for "Free-Soil Party"...

Free-Soil Party
... Salmon P.Liberty PartyOhioRepublican PartyTaylor, ZacharyWhig Party   The Free-Soil Party ran its first candidate for president of the United States in 1848.  The party replaced the Liberty Party, which collapsed following its poorFree-Soil Party ran its first candidate for president of the United States in 1848.  The party replaced the Liberty Party, which collapsed following its poor showing in ...
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=893

PBS - THE WEST - Free Soil
... Preachers and Jackass Rabbits Who is the Savage? The Everywhere Spirit Free Soil A great work is to be done, and Kansas is the great battlefield where a mighty conflict is to be waged with the monster slavery, and he will be routed and slain.
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/program/episodes/four/freesoil.htm

Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Speech, Free Men, and Fremont
1856 Presidential Campaign Slogans   Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Speech, Free Men, and Fremont – John C. Fremont Refers to the anti-slavery views of the Republican Party and Fremont   PRESIDENTS HOME PAGE The purpose of this site is to provide ...
http://www.presidentsusa.net/1856slogan.html



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