An example where people were misled into believing something so that other people could gain from their misunderstanding.
Same tactic liberals used with Black Lives Matter, which painted the illusion that black lives were under assault and black men were being murdered in the street.
And let us be clear about this. The 1850 Republicans were the liberal, tax and spend, "social change" activists of that era.
Slavery could not expand, the "Free Soil Party" was headquartered in New York State, not Kansas, where the actual land in question was.
Why could slavery not "expand"? Because you couldn't grow cotton in any of the territories (until 1915, when large scale irrigation systems were just starting to be built.)
You couldn't grow tobacco, you couldn't grow sugar, you couldn't grow indigo. You can grow a little bit of cotton in the Southwestern most portion of Kansas, at least you can do it in modern times, but back then? Not likely.
There was nothing really for slaves to do in Kansas, or Colorado, or New Mexico. I suppose they could do a little mining, if the whites would allow them, which is not likely. I guess they could grow wheat and maybe corn, but as expensive as slaves were, it is unlikely any businessman would employ them doing that instead of cultivating and harvesting cotton, or one of the other cash crops.
But the entire country was stampeded into believing that the "territories" was under a dire threat of slavery "expanding" into them.
Because that suited the political needs of the people who were making a lot of money from controlling the government.
They stirred up the activists because that's how liberals do things.
Slaves could have been used for mining and railroad work. Slavers would have adapted.
PRETTY SURE TOBACCO WAS A MAJOR CROP IN SOUTHERN WISCONSIN FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
Thanks for adding that info. I’ve sometimes listed myself as a member of the ‘Free Soil Party’ but just when it referred to Gardening. ;)
But they did something right no matter their shortcomings - got President Lincoln elected and slavery ended. (Yes, it was at a high cost but all people should be FREE!)
The Socialist Democrats still have their ‘slaves’ though. Anyone using Mother Government as their ‘parent’ is a slave, IMHO. Not sure why that isn’t a constant TALKING POINT by our side...but nobody ever listens to me. ;)
You raise some good points.
https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3861e.cw0013200
I was wondering if that 20.7% slave popoulation out in Shackleford County TX got the message of the Emancipation Proclamation prior to June 19, 1865.