Edward Channing, A Student’s History of the United States, 4th ed. (New York: MacMillan Co., 1922), 435-436.
Channing, Edward. A Student’s History of the United States. 4th ed. New York: MacMillan Co., 1922.
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Secondary
Year
1922
Publication Type
Book
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Type: Description
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Body Summary:
Up to this time the Democratic Election of party had remained united — at least outwardly. Now, however, the demands put forth by the slave power were more than Northern Democrats could endure. The Democratic National Convention met at Charleston, South Carolina, in April, 1860. The Northern Democrats, with Douglas for their candidate, were willing to accept the Dred Scott opinion, and any decision which the Supreme Court might make as to slavery. The Southerners demanded that the convention should lay down as one of the principles of the Democratic party that Congress should assume the protection of slavery in the territories. They also declared that the Northerners must advocate slavery and acknowledge that slavery was morally right — nothing else would satisfy the South. The Northern delegates were in the majority; they adopted the Douglas platform and the Southern men withdrew. The convention then adjourned to Baltimore in the hope that time would bring about a reconciliation. In the end, the Northern Democrats nominated Douglas, and the Southern Democrats Breckinridge.
Type: Description
Citation:
Edward Channing, A Student’s History of the United States, 4th ed. (New York: MacMillan Co., 1922), 437-438.
Body Summary:
The Republicans held their convention at Chicago in May, 1860, and adopted a studiously moderate platform. They denied any intention to interfere with slavery in the states, which in their opinion was a matter for the voters of each state to settle for themselves whenever and as often as they pleased. They demanded, however, that Congress should prohibit slavery in the territories—for them the Dred Scott decision had no validity. They also declared in favor of the protective system and internal improvements at the charge of the general government. The selection of a candidate for the presidency proved to of Lincoln, be difficult. Seward and Chase were the most prominent leaders in the party; but they had been "too conspicuous," and Seward was regarded as a visionary. Lincoln was comparatively unknown; he had few enemies, and was strong in the doubtful Western states which had been carried by the Democrats in 1856. His "availability," to use a modern political phrase, commended him to the delegates; but his nomination was hastened by the transfer to him of the votes of fifty delegates who were pledged to Cameron of Pennsylvania. This transfer was made in consequence of a promise given by Lincoln's friends that Cameron have a cabinet position; it should, however, be said that this was in opposition to Lincoln's express direction. His nomination was received with some indignation by the abolitionists.
Type: Description
Citation:
Edward Channing, A Student’s History of the United States, 4th ed. (New York: MacMillan Co., 1922), 418-19.
Body Summary:
[John Brown] asserted that ‘twenty in the Alleghanies could break slavery in pieces in two years’ – precisely how is not clear. It is clear, however, that it was his intention to free the slaves, not to excite a slave insurrection – although it is difficult to understand how the former could be accomplished without bringing on the latter; it is also clear that his project met with strong disapproval many persons to whom he applied for money. On the 16th of October, 1859, he suddenly appeared at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, with nineteen followers. He seized the United States arsenal at that place, but allowed a train to pass on its way to Washington. He was captured with all but two of his followers, indicted, tried, convicted, and executed on a charge of treason and conspiracy with slaves and others to rebel and murder.
Type: Description
Citation:
Edward Channing, A Student’s History of the United States, 4th ed. (New York: MacMillan Co., 1922), 441-442.
Body Summary:
On the day Secession of (December 17, 1860) that Senator Crittenden brought forward this conciliatory proposition, the South Carolina convention met at Charleston. "Commissioners" and leading men from other Southern states were present to urge haste, but there was at least one memorial urging delay; it was suppressed. Three days later the convention adopted unanimously an "ordinance to dissolve the Union between the state of South Carolina and other states united with her under the compact entitled ' The Constitution of the United States of America.' It also adopted a “Declaration of the immediate causes which induce and justify the secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union." Before March, 1861, six other states had joined her: Mississippi (January 9, 1861), Florida (January 10), Alabama (January 11), Georgia (January 19), Louisiana (January 26), and Texas (February 1).
Nothing shows more clearly the stagnation of Southern constitutional life than the action of these conventions. They proceeded precisely on the lines of the conventions of the Revolutionary epoch. The democratic spirit of the nineteenth century, which had so profoundly influenced political action in the North, had not produced the least effect in the South. Only one of these ordinances of secession was submitted to the people for ratification, and that one (Texas) only because the election of delegates to her state convention had been so irregular that it could not well be avoided.
Nothing shows more clearly the stagnation of Southern constitutional life than the action of these conventions. They proceeded precisely on the lines of the conventions of the Revolutionary epoch. The democratic spirit of the nineteenth century, which had so profoundly influenced political action in the North, had not produced the least effect in the South. Only one of these ordinances of secession was submitted to the people for ratification, and that one (Texas) only because the election of delegates to her state convention had been so irregular that it could not well be avoided.