were not yet ready to announce, their next advanced claim, that the Compromise of 1850 had superseded and voided that of 1820, abolished the prohibition of Slavery in the territory North of the Missouri Compromise Line (36° 30' North latitude), and opened it to the operation of Squatter Sovereignty. In February, 1853, the electoral votes were counted, and were found to be, for Pierce and King 254, and for Scott and Graham 42. Pierce and King were therefore declared elected. March 3d, 1853, Congress adjourned, and March 4th Pierce was sworn into office.'

1 Vice-President King, on account of illness, was sworn into office afterward.

CHAPTER XVIII.

SEVENTEENTH ADMINISTRATION, 1853-1857.

Franklin Pierce, President.

William R. King, Vice-President.

XXXIIId and XXXIVth Congresses.

Popular vote for President in 1852: Dem. 1,601,474, Whig 1,386,578, Free Soil 156,149.

1. CONGRESS met December 5th, 1853. The XXXIIId Congress, Democratic majority in Ist Session. both branches was increased. In the House Speaker Boyd was again elected. The President's Message assured those who had elected him that he intended to carry out the Compromise of 1850, in all its parts. A Senate bill to organize the Territory of Nebraska was interfered with by a demand from a Southern Senator that the Missouri Compromise should not be so construed as to prohibit Slavery in the new Territory. The bill was at once dropped. But a sufficient number of Free State Democrats soon acquiesced in the Southern demand to make it a

success.

2. January 23d, 1854, the famous Kansas

I Senate, 36 Dem., 20 Whigs, 2 Free Soilers. House, 159 Dem - 71 Whigs, 4 Free Soilers.

Nebraska Bill was introduced in the House. It divided the territory covered by the previous Nebraska bill into two Territories, one directly west of Missouri and between the parallels of 37° and 40°, to be called Kansas, and the other north of this and between the parallels of 40° and 43°, to be called Nebraska. According to the Compromise of 1820 both of these Territories were forever barred to Slavery. But this bill distinctly declared that the Compromise of 1820 was inconsistent with the constitutional principle of non-interference with Slavery by Congress, that it was therefore inoperative, void, and repealed by the Compromise of 1850, and that hereafter each Territory, whether north or south of the parallel of 36° 30', should admit or exclude Slavery as its people should decide. This bill was passed by the Senate, its only opponents being the Northern Whigs and Free Soilers.

3. The Kansas-Nebraska Bill did not come up in the House until about two months later. The Southern Democrats and Southern Whigs united in favor of it. The Northern Democrats were evenly divided,' and the Northern Whigs and Free Soilers united against it. The division between the Democratic opponents and advocates of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill was soon healed. The division between Northern and Southern Whigs was final. The Northern Whigs at once repudiated

1 There were 88 Northern Democratic votes, 44 for, and 44 against it.

1854.]

The American Party.

169

their old party name, and were called at first AntiNebraska Men. The Southern Whigs kept the party name alive a few years longer, but their principles on the controlling question of Slavery were so similar to those of the Southern Democracy that they can hardly be called a distinct party. Congress adjourned August 7th, 1854.

4. A new party had by this time risen to active importance in American politics. It appeared in 1852, in the form of a secret, oath-bound organization, of whose name, nature, and objects, nothing was told even to its members until they had reached its higher degrees. Their consequent declaration that they knew nothing about it gave the society its popular name of Know Nothings. It accepted the name of the American Party. Its design was to oppose the easy naturalization of foreigners, and to aid the election of native-born citizens to office. Its nominations were made by secret conventions of delegates from the various lodges, and were voted for by all members under penalty of expulsion in case of refusal. At first, by endorsing the nominations of one or other of the two great parties, it decided many elections. After the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, the

I The Hartford Convention had complained of the easy naturalization of foreigners. A "Native American " party had existed in New York City in 1835, but it was only local, and soon disappeared. In 1843 a new "Native American " party had arisen in New York City, and extended to Philadelphia. Its Whig members left it in 1844 because of its refusal to vote for Clay, and it too disappeared.

Know-Nothing organization was adopted by many Southern Whigs, who were unwilling to unite with the Democracy, and became, for a time, a national party. It carried nine of the State elections in 1855, and in 1856 nominated Presidential candidates. After that time its Southern members gradually united with the Democracy, and the Know Nothing party disappeared from politics. 5. Congress met December 4th, 1854. There was XXXIIId Congress, little party contest at this 2d Session. Session, which was chiefly noteworthy for a revival of the question of Internal Improvements. It secured Democratic votes by providing for detached public improvements. A River and Harbor bill was passed by both Houses, but was vetoed by the President. Congress adjourned March 3d, 1855.

6. Congress met December 3d, 1855,' with a XXXIVth Congress, Democratic majority in Ist Session. the Senate. In the House

the "Anti-Nebraska men

had a majority, but so

many of them were Know Nothings that no candidate could control their entire vote.

After 130

ballots for Speaker, lasting until February, 1856, it was agreed that the highest number of votes should elect, and N. P. Banks, Jr., of Massachusetts, an "Anti-Nebraska man," was chosen. The remaining time of this Session was occupied by the

I Senate, 34 Dem., 25 Opposition. House, 117 Anti-Nebraska, 79 Dem., 37 Pro-Slavery Whigs.