The building housing slaves sales of the Forest Jones and Company collapsed and burned in Memphis, Tennessee.  Six "valuable negro men" were buried in the ruins.  Of these, two were rescued and the other four perished.  (By John Osborne)

The Indiana Democratic Convention met in Indianapolis.  Both Buchanan and Douglas wings sent delegates but compromise representation was arranged and the gathering produced a careful and conservative set of resolutions.  It supported the Buchanan administration, decried attempts at radicalism, voted against restoring the slave trade, and instructed delegates to the national convention to vote for Stephen Douglas.  (By John Osborne) 

John Nepomucene Neumann, the Catholic Bishop of Philadelphia since 1853 lay in state in the Cathedral chapel where the city's Catholics, shocked at the sudden death of the adored bishop, filed past his coffin.  Born in Bohemia in 1811, he had become famous for his piety and development of parochial schools.  He was canonized by Pope Paul VI in June 1977, the first male American to become a saint.  (By John Osborne)

The Kentucky Democratic Party convention took place in Frankfort.  The gathering was largely moderate with representatives supporting slavery but remaining loyal to the Union.  It elected delegates to the national convention and endorsed for the presidential nomination native son James Guthrie, who as a supporter of the Dred Scott Decision, states' rights, and adherence to the Union echoed their collective views.  (By John Osborne) 

The Missouri state house passed the bill that had earlier made its way through the state senate banning free blacks from the state.  The measure expelled free blacks from the state by September 1860 on pain of re-enslavement, condemned all free black who entered the state for more than twenty-four hours to be sold, and restricted manumission. Governor Claiborne Jackson would veto the bill later on constitutional grounds.  (By John Osborne) 

The Alabama Democratic Convention was held in Montgomery under the control of strong advocates of States' Rights.  William Lowndes Yancey gave an influential speech and the meeting ended with the endorsement of a series of resolutions that defended slavery in the territories, approved the Dred Scott decision, and threatened a withdrawal from the national convention should they not be met.  This became known as the Alabama Platform.  (By John Osborne)

A commercial ice-boat, riding on the ice rather than the water, went into successful operation on the upper reaches of the Mississippi in Wisconsin.  The vessel started at Prairie du Chien and traveled thirty-two miles in a trial trip on the frozen river in just over two hours, carrying twenty passengers.  (By John Osborne)  

Defying the restraints of those who supported slavery in Kentucky , Cassius M.Clay had determined to defend those who opposed it in a public speech in the Capitol in Frankfort.  On the evening set, Clay found the doors of the hall closed against him but spoke for three hours to an immense crowd from the portico of the building.  He announced himself in favor of emancipation and defended the patriotism of Senator William Seward and others. (By John Osborne)   

Democrat Milton S. Latham began the shortest tenure as governor in California history with his inauguration in Sacramento five days before.  He resigned to take up the unexpired Senate term of David Broderick, who had recently died in a duel.  He served the rest of the Senate term but was defeated for re-election in 1862. (By John Osborne)

Democrat Milton S. Latham began the shortest tenure as governor in California history with his inauguration in Sacramento.  Five days later he would resign to take up the unexpired Senate term of David Broderick, who had recently died in a duel.  He served the rest of the Senate term but defeated for re-election in 1862. (By John Osborne)