Chapter 15: The Free Soil Party

When the House passes the Wilmot Proviso in 1846, abolitionist Salmon Chase sees his chance to finally bring down the Democrats. His strategy envisions a new “fusion party” of two groups that oppose extending slavery into the former Mexican land for very different reasons. The dominant group comprises anti-Black racists who want the land all to themselves, without price competition from Southern planters. They will be joined by the smaller segment of Abolitionists who oppose slavery on moral grounds.

This party banner touts “Free Speech, Free Press, Free Men, Free Labor and Free Territory,” and ex-President Martin Van Buren agrees to head the ticket in 1848. A decade later it will morph into the Republican Party.