JOHN C. FREMONT. 259 



was nominated at Philadelphia for the Presidency 

 of the United States, by the National Eepublican 

 Convention, containing delegates from all the "free 

 States," and from Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, 

 Delaware, and the District of Columbia. He ac- 

 cepted the nomination, avowing, as the chief and 

 most characteristic features of his political creed, 

 his hostility to the further extension of slavery in 

 States and Territories which till then were free 

 from its existence ; his opposition to the repeal of 

 the Missouri Compromise; and his approbation of 

 the admission of Kansas to the Union as a free 

 State. His opponent in this great contest was 

 James Buchanan, of Pennsylvania. The latter was 

 chosen by a small majority of electoral votes, and 

 became President of the United States.* Colonel 



* 



Fremont then returned to the welcome shades of 

 private life, and devoted himself to the preparation 

 of a full and elaborate narrative of his adventures 

 and researches during his fifth and last expedition 



* The popular vote throughout the Union was as follows : In the 

 "free States," for Fremont, 1,340,618; for Fillmore, 393,590; for 

 Buchanan, 1,224,750. In the "slave States," for Fremont, 1,194; 

 for Fillmore, 479,465; for Buchanan, 609,587. Total vote for Fre- 

 mont, 1,341,812; for Fillmore, 873,055; for Buchanan, 1,834,337. 

 Buchanan's majority over Fremont, 492,595 ; Fillmore and Fremont 

 over Buchanan, 381,530. 



