Slave Power

Pierce Inauguration Falsely Claims Slavery Question Settled While Planning Expansion

1853-03-04 00:00:00 +0000 UTC | Importance: 7/10

Franklin Pierce delivered his inaugural address on March 4, 1853, after defeating Winfield Scott in a landslide with 254 electoral votes to 42 as a pro-slavery Northern Democrat. Pierce expressed hope that the Compromise of 1850 had permanently settled the slavery question, stating “I …

Franklin Pierce Stephen A. Douglas Democratic Party Slave Power institutional-capture slave-power political-deception democratic-erosion territorial-expansion

Tyler Begins Secret Texas Annexation Talks to Strengthen Slave Power

1843-10-16 00:00:00 +0000 UTC | Importance: 8/10

Face-to-face negotiations for Texas annexation secretly commenced on October 16, 1843, between Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur and Texas minister to the United States Isaac Van Zandt, following President John Tyler’s order to open secret talks on September 18. Tyler, politically isolated …

John Tyler Abel P. Upshur Isaac Van Zandt Slave Power institutional-capture slave-power political-deception executive-overreach territorial-expansion