Seward, who had not yet taken his Seat as a Senator from New York.

-Mr. Seward at that Time opposed to all Compromise of the Slavery

Question.-Extract from a memorable Speech of his, delivered in the

United States Senate in the Year 1850, having Relation to this Subject.

-Mr. Seward's Cleveland Speech in 1848.-Important Extracts there+

from.-General Taylor's Administration.-Violent Excitement begin-

ning to rage both North and South upon the Slavery Question, and in

Connection with the Admission of California.-Unfortunate non-ac-

tion Policy of General Taylor's Administration.-Alarming Condition

of the Country.—Election of Messrs. Gwin and Fremont United States

Senators from California.-Attempt of Colonel Thomas H. Benton to

revive his decaying Popularity by becoming the Champion of Califor-

nian Admission.-Efforts of the Author to defeat this Scheme of self-

ish Ambition. Retrospect of Colonel Benton's Attempt, about the

Close of Mr. Polk's Administration, to bring about the Rescission of

the Treaty with Mexico, by which all the territorial Domain recently

acquired would have been lost to the United States but for the Defeat

of that Attempt.-Signal Defeat of this unpatriotic Scheme, and re-

markable Particulars connected therewith not heretofore divulged.-

Colonel Benton deprived in Democratic Caucus of the Chairmanship

of the Committee of Foreign Affairs in the Senate on the Motion of the

Author, after a two-days' Struggle, by a Majority of one Vote only.—

Mr. Benton's extraordinary Attack on Mr. Calhoun and Others in his

public Speech delivered in Missouri in the Summer of 1848, and Mr.

Calhoun's overwhelming Response thereto, drawn up at Author's earn-

est Instance.-Short Sketch of Colonel Benton's public Character, and

Delineation of his intellectual Qualities......

-

CHAPTER VII.

-

Page 94

Review of General Taylor's non-action Policy.-Painful and exciting

Rumors in regard to the Instrumentalities employed by him to carry

that Policy into Operation.-Intense Alarm awakened among Patri-

ots as to the Fate of the Country. Mr. Clay leaves his own Home,

and comes to Washington upon a Mission of Pacification.-He is met

upon his arrival there with general Cordiality and Respect.—Mr. Ben-

ton attempts to inveigle him into a false Position in regard to the Meas-

ure of admitting California, and is for a time successful.-Mr. Clay's

Programme of Adjustment, and the "five bleeding Wounds."-This

Gentleman severs his Alliance with Mr. Benton, and becomes the Cham-

pion of the famous Omnibus Scheme.-His magnanimous waver of cer-

tain abstract Opinions with a View to general Conciliation.—First meet-

ing of the Nashville Convention.-Great Excitement consequent upon

its Proceedings.-Anti-slavery Movements about the same Period, and

Mr. Seward's anti-compromise Speech.-Resolution introduced by the

Author, several weeks before, for the raising of the famous Committee

of Thirteen, finally pushed to a Vote at the Instance of Mr. Cass.-Emi-

nently patriotic Conduct of Mr. Webster on this Occasion.-Resolution

finally carried. Mr. Clay appointed Chairman thereof, who speed-

ily brings in his Report, upon which an animated Discussion oc-

Page 113

curs.

CHAPTER VIII.

Great Compromise Struggle of 1850.-Mr. Clay and Mr. Webster the prin-

cipal Figures in the Picture.—Mr. Webster's 7th of March Speech,

and its prodigious Effect upon the Public Mind.—Striking Extracts

therefrom.-Mr. Calhoun's last Speech in the Senate, in which he urges

that the Admission of California shall be made a test Question.-Em-

phatic Protest by the Author to this Portion of the Speech, and painful

Altercation with Mr. Calhoun in Reference to the disputed Point.-

Proceedings of the Nashville Convention.-Wise and patriotic Conduct

of Judge Sharkey, the President thereof, which prevents immediate

Mischief.-Judge Sharkey arrives in Washington, and is offered the

Department of War, which he declines.-Some Account of Judge Shar-

key's Life and Character.......
....... 129

CHAPTER IX.

Omnibus Bill under Consideration.-Strenuous Opposition of General

Taylor's Administration to its Adoption.-Last Appearance of Presi-

dent Taylor in Public on the 4th of July, 1850, at Monument Square,

in Washington City, and touching Scene which occurred there.-Gen-

eral Taylor's Decease a few Days thereafter.—Mr. Webster's eloquent

Funeral Notice of him.-Mr. Fillmore's Inauguration as President, and

efficient Support of the Compromise Measures.-Official Order found

on General Taylor's Table after his Decease, ordering the forcible Ex-

pulsion from New Mexico by the Military of Texan Settlers.-Mr.

Clay's heroic Remonstrance against this coercive Policy, which he re-

garded as needlessly endangering the Union.-Fierce Opposition to the

Compromise Measures on the Part both of Extremists of the North and

Extremists of the South.-Terrible Struggle over the Omnibus Bill in

the Senate, which is finally broken into Fragments mainly by the In-

discretion of its own Friends, but the integral Portions of which finally

pass both Houses.-The Country quieted under the Influence of this

Measure.-Sage and firm Conduct of President Fillmore in causing the

Compromise Enactments to be every where faithfully executed.-Cel-

ebrated Rescue Case in Massachusetts, and interesting Proceedings in

Congress in Connection therewith

Page 148

Country completely restored to Quiet under the Compromise Measures,

except in several of the Southern States.-Exciting Contest in Georgia

and Mississippi in 1850, '1, upon the Disunion Issue, in both of which

States the Union Cause is finally triumphant.-South Carolina, failing

to obtain co-operative Aid, at last subsides into a State of Quietude.—

The Election of Mr. Pierce to the Presidency as an avowed Supporter

of the Finality Principle, who calls Mr. Davis to the Department of

War, and the Slavery Agitation is at once renewed. — Mr. Pierce's

gross Infidelity to his Pledges, by whose Indiscretion and Misconduct

the Conflict of sectional Factions is again revived.-Mr. Douglas un-

fortunately yields to the Counsels addressed to him from various Quar-

ters, and introduces the Kansas-Nebraska Bill.-Sectional Excitement

greatly increased and intensified by that Measure. - Notice of the De-

cease of Mr. Clay and Mr. Webster, and of their commanding intellect-

ual Powers and interesting Traits of Character..........

CHAPTER XI.

-

169

Excited Struggle in Congress over the Kansas-Nebraska Bill.-Manly

but ineffectual Opposition to that Bill in Congress.-Regret expressed

at the Disappearance from the public Scene of Mr. Clay, Mr. Webster,

and Mr. Calhoun.-Confident Opinion expressed as to what would have

been Mr. Calhoun's Course had he survived up to our Times.-Fearful

awakening of sectional Excitement both in the South and in the North

under the Influence of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill.-Multiplied Scenes

of Blood and Violence in the Territory of Kansas.-Mr. Pierce and his

Cabinet lose the Confidence of all Men of true Nationality of Sentiment.

-Mr. Pierce defeated in the Cincinnati Democratic Convention by Mr.

Buchanan, who is afterward elected to the Presidency by a plurality

Vote over Fremont and Fillmore.-Mr. Buchanan delivers an Inaugu-

ral Address as President, replete with national Sentiment, which at-

tracts to him the Support of the American Party, and his Administra-

tion grows overwhelmingly popular.-He afterward treacherously vio-

lates all his Promises to the Country under the Threats of Southern Se-

cession Leaders, and his Administration suddenly becomes both odious

and contemptible.-The Democratic Party of the North completely

crushed and broken down by the fatal Lecompton Issue, and the way

surely paved for the Election of a Republican President in 1860.-Re-

view of the State of Parties at that Period.-Some Notice of the Amer-

ican Party and its particular Tenets.-Great Mistake of the Southern

People in not yielding their Support to Mr. Fillmore in 1856.-Some

Notice of the Republican Candidates for President and Vice-President

in 1856, and of certain curious Scenes which took place during the

short period of General Fremont's official Connection with that Body.

-Sketch of General Baker, one of the earliest Victims of the War, and a

recital of certain romantic Occurrences connected with his Residence

in California and Oregon.-Signal Triumph of his extraordinary ora-

torical Powers over popular Excitement and Prejudice........ Page 192

CHAPTER XII.

Some farther Notice of the "Irrepressible Conflict" Theory.-Analysis

of the Condition of Parties at the Time of Mr. Buchanan's Inaugura-

tion.-Statement of the Election Results during the first Year of his

Administration. Historic Recital of some important Facts which

occurred during the Summer of 1857, anterior to Mr. Buchanan's suc-

cumbing to the Dictation of the Secession Leaders.-Efforts to reani-

mate his Courage made at that Period, all of which signally failed.—

Recital of Particulars connected with the Lecompton Struggle in Con-

gress. Some Scenes, both amusing and painful, which at that time had

their progress in Washington.-Remarkable banqueting Scene, in which

Mr. Seward bore the principal Part.-Last Interview between Mr. Bu-

chanan and the Author, in which some startling Revelations were

made..........

A 2

219

CHAPTER XIII.

Conspiracy of certain Senators to defeat the "Little Giant of the West"

in his supposed presidential Aspirations.-Signal Triumph of this Gen-

tleman as a Debater over all Opposition.-Opening of the senatorial

Contest between Mr. Douglas and Mr. Lincoln, of Illinois.-Extraordi-

nary Efforts of Mr. Buchanan and other Individuals of the Democratic

Party to effect Mr. Douglas's Defeat and secure the Election of his Op-

ponent.-Eventual Triumph of Mr. Douglas, who returns to the Senate

to undergo Ostracism at the Hands of senatorial Democrats in Caucus

under the direction of Mr. Buchanan.-Deep Injury done to the South-

ern Cause by the unjust Course pursued toward Mr. Douglas, which

caused many of this Gentleman's political Supporters in the North to

grow lukewarm in the support of Southern Rights.-Special Causes

'which now operated to produce sectional Excitement.-Indecent and

ruffianly Assault upon Mr. Sumner.-Dred Scott Decision.-The South

indiscreetly exultant over it, and the North indignant.-Attempt by

certain Persons in the South to bring about the reopening of the Afri-

can Slave-trade.-Important judicial Contest in Ohio touching the va-

lidity of the Fugitive Slave Law. -Ossawatomie Brown upon a Ram-

page in the Bosom of Virginia as a radical, political, and moral Re-

former, ready to shed Oceans of Blood in defense of universal Free-

dom.-Interesting Debate in the United States Senate on this Subject.

-Impolitic Execution of Brown, by which he was unnecessarily made

a Martyr...

CHAPTER XIV.

Page 246

Other Causes of sectional Excitement at this Period.-The Helper Book,

and its unfortunate Discussion in Congress. Resolutions forced

through the Senate, mainly though the Agency of Mr. Davis, of Missis-

sippi, having in View the double Object of destroying Mr. Douglas, and

dragging the Democratic Party into an unnational and aggressive At-

titude.-Movements of William L. Yancey in the Year 1859, and early

in the Year 1860, having in View the breaking up of the Federal Union

in the event of a Republican President being elected.-Efforts in the

South to bring about the Election of Mr. Lincoln, in order to obtain

the desired Object.-Democratic Conventions at Charleston and Balti-

more reviewed.—Leading Incidents of the Presidential Canvass of 1860

and its Results.-Sketch of William L. Yancey.
264