Problems with The Compromise of 1850

With a sectional crisis on its way the American government was trying to find a compromise that would settle the North versus the South dispute. Eventually a Compromise of 1850 was declared, and it was strongly influenced by Douglas, Clay, and several others after long hours of debate. The Compromise seemed to appease almost all Americans, but it was challenged by Calhounites and Free Soilers, Free Soilers believed popular sovereignty, which was first introduced by Cass, to be the wrong choice. Popular Sovereignty let citizens of their territory decide whether or not to allow slavery. The major reason for the Free Soilers condemning Popular Sovereignty would be because it was not a solution to the question of slavery, all it did was postpone the consequences of the issue.

Congress had “passed the buck” when they agreed upon the Compromise of 1850 because it did not solve anything, in fact it made things worse. By “passing the buck” it is meant the issue was not really solved just in a way ignored or postponed. However, Americans felt the issue was over and therefore did not try to answer the question of slavery which meant the question would just become more difficult because more territory will just be added and slavery will keep spreading. Furthermore, another reason the quagmire would worsen would be because the American politicians did not fully analyze the territories they were disputing slavery over, New Mexico and Utah were considered slave states but they did not hold many slaves. Therefore, those two states would not really strengthen the Southern views and eventually the Southern states were bound to realize this and retaliate, when they felt they were unfairly cheated in the Compromise like they felt they were in various other doctrines.