Essay #5

While compromise over the system of slavery was possible in 1850 it was not effective in 1860’s. The compromise of 1850 was the continuation of the system of slavery, and the description of the events, which led to freeing of the slaves in 1860’s. The fundamental differences in agriculture and the adoption of slavery in the South of America gave rise to the early American History. The thirteen states had each developed separately and had differences in beliefs and their culture and issues between them were always irreconcilable. Along with the cultural differences even the geographic differences were made apparent between the North and South America during the hundred-year period that followed after the Constitution was drafted.
Conflicts arose and reached its climax in 1850 regarding the concept of holding people as slaves in the territories that were being formed. In the years that preceded the Civil war the United States was constantly involved with various issues relating to slavery and the role that the federal government played in comparison to the state rights. The compromise of 1850 included nearly five legislative enactments that were actually passed by the U. S Congress during August and September that year. These proceedings basically led to resolve the political causes, which were causing divisions in the antislavery and the proslavery groups of the Congress and in the entire nation. These measures were at times also called the ‘Omnibus Bill’, and this basically was concerning the aspect as to whether slavery was to be allowed in the areas that were acquired from Mexico during the Mexican War. (McPherson, 2000)
There were five measures and two out of these dealt with special considerations by the South to the north, out of which one was regarding the sanction of the elimination of slave trade in areas in the Districts of Colombia and another was the permission given to California to operate as a free state. The third bill was the Fugitive State law of 1850 which was a considerable allowance given to the South, which made available for the slaves who had run away to return to their masters. The fourth bill dealt with dividing the portion east of California that was given to the U.S by Mexico into various provinces of New Mexico and Utah and this area was made open to settlement to the slaveholders and the antislavery settlers.
The fifth bill mentioned that Texas, which was already regarded in the union of slave state to be granted ten million dollars as settlement of the claims to its adjoining territories in the process of which the South was further strengthened. This bill also further suggested any state that may have the inclination to join the Union will have the power to decide whether it would want to be a slave or a free state and also agreed that California was a free state. The individuals who were working against abolition of slavery were rudely surprised by the Compromise of 1850 because of which the ones for slavery were given support by the North. The slave owners did not need to any longer prove that they had ownership of the slaves. In comparison to all the bills that actually made up the Fugitive Slave Act, the Compromise of 1850 was the most divisive. The citizens were asked to help in locating the slaves who had ran away, and the ones who helped the slaves to runaway were charged a thousand dollar fine and six months in prison. The slaves who were captured were not given the chance for trial in front of a jury. With the help of the Compromise of 1850 the congress’s main aim was to calm the turbulence between the Northern and the Southern states. This act also permitted the South slave owners to catch hold of their slaves in the Northern states. The passing of the fugitive slaves act made the abolitionist keener on putting an end to slavery. This act also put forward this concept of slavery before the entire nation. Many people who had been apprehensive as to which side they should be