U.S. Navy seizures of slave ships in the Caribbean had swelled the number of Africans in holding areas, mostly in Key West, Florida.  President Buchanan wrote to the Congress asking for additional funds and the authority to contract with the American Colonization Society to transport these men, women, and children to Liberia as soon as possible.  The Senate took up the bill on May 24, 1860 and the necessary act became law soon after. (By John Osborne) 

The Methodist bishops had been meeting in their annual conference in Buffalo.  The Committee on Slavery in its majority report recommended a rules change to make the very holding of slaves a crime in the church, not just their sale or traffic.  Opponents objected, saying the issue would make Methodist in the South impossible at an "excited time."  On a conference vote the new rule passed 138-74, less than the two thirds needed to adopt it.  (By John Osborne)  

The Methodist bishops had been meeting in their annual conference in Buffalo.  The Committee on Slavery yielded both a majority and minority report on the controversial topic with the majority wishing to strengthen language to say that the very holding of slaves was a crime in the church, not just their sale or traffic.  The minority objected to any changes, saying the issue would make Methodism in the South impossible at an "excited time."  (By John Osborne)  

The second annual meeting of the American Life Underwriter's Convention met in New York with more than a dozen of the largest insurance companies in the nation attending. Frederick S. Winston of the Mutual Life Company presided, with Morris Franklin of New York Life as vice-president. Figures presented indicated that in 1860 American companies currently insured 160,000 lives in the total amount of $180,000,000 and had assets of $22,000,000.  (By John Osborne)

Of the north coast of Cuba, the U.S.S. Crusader stopped and took into custody a French-built bark, named the Bogota, carrying 411 African slaves below decks.  The 232 ton Bogota had sailed from New York in October for the African coast.  The Navy took the vessel to Key West in Florida where the Africans were landed under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Marshal there.  Federal courts condemned the ship and it was sold at auction in July.  (By John Osborne)

At Selma, the state convention of those supporting the Constitutional Union Party in Alabama endorsed the actions of the recent national convention held in Baltimore, Maryland including the nomination of John Bell of Tennessee and Edward Everett of Massachusetts at the head of the ticket.  A further state meeting was planned for Selma on June 25, 1860 to ratify officially Bell's nomination.  (By John Osborne)