Free Soil Party History: The Barnburners
Why was the Free Soil Party created? What did the Free Soil Party stand for? What led to the emergence of the Free Soil Party in 1848? A number of events all relating to the abolishment of slavery led to the formation of the Free Soil Party. The first of these events was the emergence of an anti-slavery group called the "Barnburners". The "Barnburners" were opponents of slavery who wanted the new territories acquired by the United States to remain free. The "Barnburners" were the liberalist element of the Democratic party in New York state from 1842 to 1848 who were opposed to the conservative faction called the "Hunkers". Free Soil Party History: The Wilmot Proviso of 1846
The Wilmot Proviso of 1846 was another event that prompted the creation of the Free Soil Party. The Wilmot Proviso was a resolution put forward by David Wilmot to amend the James Polk appropriations bill to gain funding for the settlement of the Mexican-American War. The Wilmot Proviso was rejected by the Senate who approved the appropriations bill without the proviso but David Wilmot had opened the issue of slavery to national politics and public debate by avoiding the 1836 "Gag Rule" which had suppressed all discussion in Congress of issues relating to slavery. Free Soil Party History: The Creation of the Free Soil Party
The Democratic Party and the Whig Party both wanted to avoid party division in the election of 1848, so they virtually ignored the issue of slavery. The "Barnburners" were refused recognition at the 1848 Democratic national convention. The Democrats nominated Lewis Cass as their candidate. Lewis Cass was sympathetic to Southern slaveholders, and furious anti-slavery Democrats joined with the Barnburners in New York to create the Free Soil party. Free Soil Party Slogan: "Free soil, Free speech, Free labor, and Free men"
The Free Soil Party slogan called for "Free soil, Free speech, Free labor, and Free men" which strongly appealed to all those who supported the Abolitionist Movement together with unskilled laborers, small farmers, household servants and mill workers, who were concerned for their jobs at the prospect of black labor competition, whether slave or free, in the new territories. The Free Soil party held its convention in Buffalo, New York, in August 1848 and nominated Martin Van Buren for president and Charles Francis Adams (1807 - 1886) of Massachusetts for vice president. Free Soil Party 1848: The 1848 Presidential Election
Three candidates contested the presidential election of 1848. First there was Lewis Cass of Michigan, the Democratic candidate who was an advocate of the Popular Sovereignty and Slavery doctrine allowing the people of each territory to have slavery or not as they chose. The second candidate was Martin Van Buren, the former President. Although a Democrat, Martin Van Buren did not favor the extension of slavery and was therefore nominated the candidate for the Free Soil party. The Whig Party offered no statement of principles but their candidate was Zachary Taylor, the popular hero of the Mexican-American War, and Taylor was elected president. Free Soil Party: Anti-Slavery Whigs join the Free Soilers
The Anti-slavery Whigs from Massachusetts, who became known as the Conscience Whigs, also wanted to halt the spread of slavery into new territories. The Anti-slavery Whigs disagreed with the Compromise of 1850 and successfully prevented the re-nomination of Millard Fillmore, its own incumbent, and completely destroyed the Whig Party. The Anti-slavery Whigs also joined the Free Soil Party. Free Soil Party: Anti-Slavery Whigs join the Free Soilers
The Free Soilers nominated John Parker Hale, an abolitionist from New Hampshire, as their candidate for president in 1852. By then, however, interest in the Free Soil party had dwindled. Hale received only about five percent of the popular vote. Free Soil Party: The Coalition
The Free Soil Party was therefore a coalition of different groups (the Liberty Party, the Barnburners, Anti-slavery Whigs and Anti-slavery Democrats) who were united in their opposition to slavery. | 
