Constitutional And Political Issues In The 1850s In The US (Essay Sample)

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Constitutional and Political Issues in the 1850s in the US
In the 1850s, the atmosphere of the union of the states, or what is now referred to as the united states of America, was underscored with tension fueled by strong slavery and anti-slavery sentiment (Montgomery 293). Supporters and detractors of the anti-slavery movement, especially in Georgia, were so evenly matched that renowned journalists of the time, Hopkins Holsey of the southern Banner, referred to the situation as a perfect and peculiar application of the maxim (Finkelman 449-450). In the state of Georgia, democrats and Whigs would vote for four representatives from each party to represent them in the national legislature (Montgomery 294). Especially through the 1850s, Georgia's situation involved party strategies designed to keep the slave industry and trade alive for as long as possible (Finkelman 450). Politics during that time were thus inclined towards the issue, as is evidenced in this essay.
The political parties in Georgia were led by individuals who firmly believed in the visions of their party (Montgomery 294). For instance, the Whigs party was led by individuals such as J. M. Berrien and Alexander H. Stephen (294). Stephen was the confederate party's vice president (Finkelman 450). He publicized his personal and political opinion about the concept of slavery, explaining that the cornerstone of the confederacy was that black people's subordination provided benefits to the whites. Therefore, the black man is inferior in this sense (450). Following the declaration by Stephen, Georgia denounced the northern claims that one day in the distant future, slavery would be abolished, and the Two races would exist in equality. Georgia did not abide by Thomas Jefferson's assumption that slavery was a violation of moral, political, and social principles (451).
Consequently, Georgia left the union soon after South Carolina sitting the north's indiscretion for electing a man whose political views opposed the idea of slavery. The state made it clear that its secession was because of the anti-slavery sentiments from the North (Finkelman 452). They claimed that the abolishment of slavery would disturb their domestic peace, weaken their security, and disrupt the established status quo and hence the tranquility. The even match between the numbers supporting the steps taken by the Whigs party and those opposing the political ideals in the democratic party brought unrest in the state.
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