1854
Dear Diary,I heard through fathers newspapers that the plan for the Nebraska Territory had been passed under certain conditions. The original plan, proposed by Senator Douglas, was that the land would be governed and organized by popular sovereignty. The problem with this plan is that many southerners feared that Kansas would become a free state, which would tip the balance more than it already has been. The new plan would be that Kansas would become two distinct territories, Kansas and Nebraska, Kansas would hopefully become a slave state and Nebraska would hopefully become a free state.
Father, like most southerners would be, said he was relieved that Kansas had been split in half, he said that he thinks it was a good idea. Personally, I think this is going to end badly, I do not like the idea of popular sovereignty and I feel like it is not a good method to directly handle situations like this. Here is the picture that was in the newspapers yesterday:
1856
Dear Diary,Wow, I really keep forgetting about this little book of mine. I've grown up so much since I started writing. As an update on my life I will inform you that my dear friend Tommy and his family tried to run away about a year back, thy tried to board the Underground Railroad. Unfortunately they were caught by father. He was furious and gave them all lashes, I was so scared that night, for me and for Tommy. I wish there was something I could do to help him be free...
1856
Dear Diary,Remember when I said that there would be a problem with the Kansas Nebraska Act? Well I was right! I heard that since Kansas would be a free state or not by popular sovereignty, both northern abolitionists and proslavery residents all rushed in. This caused political upheavals as two governments were on the rise in 1855, the Border Ruffians, who were antislavery, and the Topeka government, who were proslavery.
On May 26th father came home saying that the Border Ruffians raided an antislavery town in Lawrence, Kansas. An abolitionist named John Brown carried out an execution of five proslavery settlers. Other abolitionists were stunned at this act, most condemned Browns actions. I also agree with them, I think what Brown did was excessive because of what it triggered; violent outbreaks began to occur. The newspaper article last week titled these raiding as "Bleeding Kansas".
I think this is a perfect example on why I think popular sovereignty is never the right answer.
Here is the picture that was on the front of the newspaper, followed by a political cartoon from a northern newspaper company.
love, Florence
1856
Dear Diary, About four years ago the Whig Party disintegrated. The Compromise of 1850 caused much political upheaval and during the election of 1852 the Whigs could not find a candidate to unite their members and unfortunately they never mounted another presidential campaign. The Whigs and other parties like the "Know-Nothings", an anti-immigrant movement group joined by anti-slavery Whigs, began to divide.
On the other hand, though, a new party, created in 1854, began to rise. This new party rose through the anti-slavery zeal given by the old parties failures. The Republican Party was opposed to slavery and opposed to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. It grew rapidly in the north as man were accustomed to their ideals. The party however was less popular in the South as those like my parents didn't agree with their anti-slavery ideals. Personally, I think the popularity of this party is beneficial to the future of slaves. In the first election the Republicans participated in, John C Fermont's solid abolitionist platform made them a strong appeal to the northern states, winning 1/3 of the popular vote.
I found this disappointing picture somewhere in father's notebooks...
love,Florence
1857
Dear Diary,
I heard by word of mouth that Dred Scott, a former slave, had sued a white man for his freedom! Word has it that his master took him out of the south and into Illinois, a free state where slavery had been outlawed. With help from abolitionists, Scotts case had reached the Supreme Court under some Chief Justice. Unfortunately, Scotts case was dismissed as he court ruled that slaves were property and not people, and had no right o sue in the courts. It also stated that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional because it was illegal for Congress to "deprive" an owner of their own property.
Unlike me, father supported and celebrated this decision much like most of the south did. The North took it as a wake up call and they claimed that the ruling was a southern conspiracy. Some northerners even suggested that they should secede from the union, or maybe even the Supreme Court should be impeached. I told Tommy the news and he thinks, like I do, that the decision was unjust. Its not fair for someone to be enslaved on a free land. The only thing we are happy about is that the case got so much publicity, the more anger their is from the north the closer we get to fixing the issue of slavery.
I found these wonderful moving and talking images to describe the controversial Dred Scott case:
Love, Florence
1859
Dear Diary,
Here is front page of the newspaper this morning:
JOHN BROWNS RAID
JOHN BROWNS RAID
John Brown,abolitionist, set out to seize the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry. Brown claims that he, an "angel of God", was destined to end the "evil" of slavery. Despite his two sons dying in Bleed Kansas, he still believes that violence is the only answer. Brown thought he could start a revolution of slaves and end slavery in the south.
In the end, only a few Americans ended up joining and were fought off by local residents and federal troops. Two more of Brown's sons were killed.
Brown's Raid caused many people to grow suspicious. Stephen Douglas accused the republicans of instigating Browns attack and southern congressmen demanded investigation. For the north however, some sought the abolitionist activism to go to far when the others thought if Brown as a great hero, even suggesting he should be buried at Bunker Hill.
When I read this I thought that it gave many abolitionists a bad rep, I don't always think that violence is the answer. I heard somewhere that before Brown died he said something about the ending of slavery ends in much bloodshed. Unfortunately, I do believe this is correct. I just hope when the time comes I am old enough to make a difference. Many abolitionist newspapers wished to save Brown from execution; here was the front page to abolitionist newspaper that father got sent to at work (I stole it from him):
Love, Florence
Works Cited
"1850s Road to Secession." 1850s Road to Secession. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.
(http://www.slideshare.net/henrjt/1850s-road-to-secession)
"Forcing Slavery down the Throat of a Freesoiler." Forcing Slavery down the Throat of a Freesoiler.
Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2016. (http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2008661578/)
United States. National Park Service. "Bleeding Kansas Lesson Plan." National Parks Service.
U.S. Department of the Interior, 29 Jan. 2016. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.
(http://www.nps.gov/fosc/learn/education/classrooms/bklesson.htm)
"The Formation of the Republican Party: 1850 to 1865." HubPages. HubPages, n.d. Web. 31 Jan.
2016.
(http://hubpages.com/politics/The-Death-of-the-Republican-Party-and-the-Birth-of-the-GOP)
"TOTW (OT) 8.1.14 John Brown's Dream - Discussion Forums - Banjo Hangout." Banjo Hangout.
Banjo Hangout, n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2016. (http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/289046)
"John Brown (abolitionist)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Brown_(abolitionist))
"The Dred Scott Case." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OML9AVR10PQ)
Republican Party - how did they do in the first election they were around?
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