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ency。 The Southern leaders inexorably insisted on giving the nomination to Northern men。 There were at this time three candidates from the North； Pierce； how would have joyfully submitted to any terms and pledged himself to any service for another four years of office； Buchanan； the great lawyer and distinguished statesman； who had just returned from the English mission； and Douglas； the giant of the Senate； the recognized head and practical dictator of his party。
In point of ability and energy there was no comparison between Douglas and either of his competitors。 Pierce had laboriously earned for himself the lasting contempt of the world。 Buchanan was an eminently respectable； dignified old gentleman of great professional attainments and diplomatic experience； an admirable Ambassador； a good Secretary of State； who might even have adorned the Supreme Bench； but whose vacillating will and temporizing character hopelessly unfitted him for the arduous duties of the Presidency in the great crises that ensued。 Had the positive； combative and masterful Douglas been nominated at this time it may be safely said that the most momentous chapter of American history would have been widely different from what it is。
The Convention met at Cincinnati on the 2d of June and continued in session for five days。 The platform was adopted without dissent； declaring the firm purpose of the party to 〃resist all attempts at renewing； in Congress or out of it； the agitation of the slavery question；〃 and 〃recognizing and adopting the principle contained in the organic law establishing the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas as embodying the only sound and safe solution of the slavery question。〃
Buchanan's candidacy was engineered with rare skill。 He was fortunate in having been absent from the country； representing his Government at the Court of St。 James； during the three preceding years crowded with great and stirring events； while Pierce and Douglas had been skirmishing for the advantage； each seeking to outbid the other in eager competition for Southern favor。 The South was deeply indebted to Douglas； but fear is strong than gratitude。 It was well satisfied with Pierce； but hesitated to nominate him lest he might be overwhelmed with a storm of just contempt。 Without an element of positive strength； Buchanan was a formidable candidate。 On the first ballot he had 135 votes； Pierce 122； Douglas 33； and Cass 5。 Pierce lost steadily for 14 ballots while Buchanan and Douglas gained。 Pierce's name was then withdrawn。 On the next ballot Buchanan had 168 and Douglas 118 votes。 Douglas then sent a dispatch to Richardson； his manager； to withdraw his name and make the nomination of Buchanan unanimous。
On June 17th the first Republican National Convention was held at Philadelphia。 It was not yet a united and well organized party。 It made little pretense of agreeing in anything but unyielding opposition to slavery…propagandism and the fixed resolve to curb the intolerable arrogance of the slave power。 It was made up of those who were opposed to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise； to the further extension of slavery； and to the refusal to admit Kansas as a free State。 It consisted of Whigs； Free…spoilers； Know…nothings and Democrats； who were inclined to apologize for their temporary association under the name of this mushroom upstart and were not willing to have it forgotten that their essential political creeds were unchanged。 They were Republicans for a time until their own parties reformed or gathered strength for more effective work。
Yet； imperfect as was the organic unity of the party； it contained a large part of the best political ability of the country。 The real leaders； who had evolved it from the incoherent chaos of earlier years； impressed their energetic characters upon the organization； and prescribed for it such formula of faith as it yet had； were Seward and Chase。 To one of them the nomination was clearly due。 Seward preferred to wait four years。 It was not deemed prudent to nominate Chase。 On the first formal ballot John C。 Fremont was nominated。 For the office of Vice…President Abraham Lincoln received 110 votes； but was fortunately defeated。 The platform declared it to be 〃the right and duty of Congress to prohibit in the Territories those twin relics of barbarism； polygamy and slavery；〃 condemned in scathing terms the conduct of affairs in Kansas and demanded its immediate admission under the Topeka Constitution。
An exciting campaign followed。 Rallies； parades； fireworks and theatrical displays were lavishly provided by the sanguine Republicans。 Their orators filled the land with eloquent denunciation of the Pierce Administration and the Buchanan platform。 Much as it outwardly resembled the log cabin and hard cider campaign of 1840； it was wholly different in character。 The Republicans were in serious earnest。 They had well defined； though discordant opinions and convictions。 But before the end of the contest it was clear that they had blundered in nominating the picturesque 〃pathfinder。〃
Douglas was not inactive during the campaign； being deeply interested； not only in the election of Buchanan； but in restoring Democratic supremacy in Illinois。 He sold a hundred acres of land on the western limit of Chicago for a hundred thousand dollars and contributed with great liberality to the campaign fund； not only of his own State； but also of Pennsylvania。 The Democrats won both States； which； with the entire vote of the South； elected Buchanan。
Millard Fillmore； a rather ghostly reminiscence of other days； had been nominated by the American and Whig parties and carried Maryland。 The combined vote of Fremont and Fillmore exceeded that of Buchanan by nearly half a million。 The Democrats were evidently approaching a crisis； and harmony； never so imperatively needed as now； was never so hopelessly unattainable。
Chapter X。 Popular Sovereignty in the Supreme Court。
The anger of the world was rising against American slavery。 It was confessedly a shocking anomaly in our system of universal freedom and democratic equality。 The people of the slave States were inflexibly resolved to maintain and extend it in defiance of the rising sentiment of the age。 For many years they had succeeded in holding their ground and stifling the anti…slavery agitation。 They had vigilantly kept control of the Government。 During sixty of the first sixty…eight years the presidential chair had been occupied by Southern men or their dependents。 The Senate had uniformly； and the House usually； been under their sway。 The Supreme Court had also been composed of Southern men。 Now that slavery was forced to fight for its life； the South with increased energy sought the active support of all the departments of Government。 Pierce was its humble servant。 The efficient and imperious Douglas was serving it in the Senate； and Cass was an eager rival。 The Northern Democracy followed their lead。 A majority of the Supreme Court were zealous advocates of slavery。 It was unfortunate for the South； and for Douglas； that the champions of Southern rights on the bench and their advocates in Congress could not have understood each other in advance。 They were seeking to plant slavery on a safe foundation and gird it round with impregnable defenses。 Douglas had promulgated the doctrine of squatter sovereignty with which the South was not satisfied。 It was possible for the Court to devise a safer remedy for the threatened dangers。
In 1834； there was an army surgeon named Dr。 Emmerson living in Missouri who owned a slave named Dred Scott。 He was transferred to Fort Snelling in the Territory of Wisconsin and took his slave with him； but in 1838 he returned with him to his former home。 He then sold Scott to a man named Sanford； who resided in New York； but kept his slaves in Missouri。 In 1854 the slave brought an action in the United States Circuit Court of Missouri to recover his freedom； on the ground that he had been voluntarily taken into the Territory of Wisconsin； where； by the act of Congress known as the Missouri Compromise； slavery was prohibited。 His case rested upon the rule that slavery； being the creature of positive municipal law； had no legal existence beyond the limits of the sovereignty creating or recognizing it。 The law of Missouri establishing slavery was of no efficacy in Wisconsin。 Hence； it was urged； when Dred was taken to that Territory； the relation of master and slave ended and he became a free man。
Upon its merit the case presented but one question： Was slavery forbidden in Wisconsin？ There rose； however； a preliminary question of great importance。 To give the Federal Court jurisdiction it was necessary to show that the plaintiff and defendant were citizens of different States。 Scott alleged that he was a citizen of Missouri and Sanford a citizen of New York。 The answer denied the jurisdiction of the Court for the reason that Scott was not a citizen of any State； being a negro slave； and hence not entitled to maintain his action。 The Circuit Court overruled this plea； but held Scott to be still a slave； notwithstanding his sojourn in Wisconsin； and awarded him to Sandford。 The case