22 juin 1848 - Emergence of the Free Soil Party

Description:

Some anti-slavery Whigs found their party's presidential nominee of Zachary Taylor unsatisfying and created their own party. The Free Soil Party endorsed the Wilmot Proviso and elected Martin Van Buren in June as their candidate. The primary goal of the party was to prevent slavery in any new territories. Although Van Buren failed to carry a single state, he received 10% of the vote and the party elected 10 members to Congress. Despite both the Democrats and the Whigs seeking the avoid the topic of slavery during the election, this party demonstrated the increasing fervor that salvery was creating.