440 
Indiana University 
The year following the election of Taylor was spent by both 
parties in trying to get straightened out on the Wilmot 
Proviso. Both Whigs and Democrats indorsed it in principle, 
but what action would be taken? Events led first to the 
collapse of the Free Soil party, then of the Whigs. After 
the election of Chase to the Senate by the Democratic 
legislature of Ohio the tendency was for the Free Soil party 
to coalesce with the Democracy.*® The same tendency was 
at work in Indiana, and by the time of the August elections 
the term “Free Soil’’ as a party ceased to have any meaning 
in the state. Not only the Whigs but most of the Democratic 
candidates claimed to be antislavery. The Illinois Free Soil 
elements, which had shown such strength in 1848, were also 
destined to lose their identity as a separate party. The year 
1849 was an off year due to the new constitutional changes, 
and the voters of Long John Wentworth’s district had found 
time to think things over. By 1850 the Van Buren follow- 
ing was split into three irreconcilable elements : Abolitionists 
of the Love joy type. Barnburner politicians, and Free Soil 
Whigs. The Illinois Free Soil party died peacefully, as did 
the party in Indiana, for the Democratic disaffection on 
slavery in 1850 in these two states was not so deeply rooted 
as in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Cass had a struggle 
with the Michigan Democracy, but put thru his candidate for 
governor, while the Free Soilers and Whigs, late bedfellows, 
indulged in many recriminations. In Wisconsin, the third 
party which in 1848 had polled one-fourth of the votes had by 
1849 ceased to control even the balance. The Democrats ran 
Nelson Dewey for governor on a platform opposing the exten- 
sion of slavery, and in the election the Free Soilers lost over 
6,000 votes. 
The debate on the compromise measures of 1850 was closely 
followed in the Northwest. The legislatures of all 5 states 
had resolved and instructed in favor of the principle of the 
Wilmot Proviso. With the measure passed, the Democrats on 
the whole accepted the settlement, but at once there began 
on the part of the antislavery elements a questioning of Whigs 
on the Fugitive Slave Law. Most of the Whig papers had to 
be content with protesting against the wisdom of the law, but 
thought that since it was the law of the land it would have 
86 por reasons, see TTieodore Clark Smith, Liberty and Free Soil Parties of the 
Northioest (New York, 1907), 178-179. 
