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The Rise Of The Bear Flag Republic

On June 14, 1846, after weeks of skirmishes, a band of Americans in the Mexican province of Alta California rose up against the rule of the Mexican government. Under the leadership of William B. Ide and Brevet Captain John Fremont, they would seize the Mexican barracks at Sonoma and declare independence as the Republic of California. On June 15th, Ide would declare the establishment of what would become known as the Bear Flag Republic.

As America found itself engaged in the Mexican-American War, President Polk committed to victory. Sending orders to the Pacific Squadron under the command of Commodore John Sloat to direct all naval resources towards lower Mexican targets. These orders included ones directed to the USS Portsmouth under the command of Lieutenant Joseph Revere to turn away from the intended target of the port city of Monterey.

Left to their own devices, the Bear Flag Republic independently fought off Mexican forces. With strained forces in a two-front war, the Mexican government would ultimately surrender to both the United States of America and the Republic Of California, recognizing the latter’s independence and ceding the territories commonly known as Arizona, Nevada and California (Californias and parts of Sonora). In surrendering to the Americans, the Mexicans would cede territories in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas (Texas, Nuevo Mexico and parts of Nueva Vizcaya and Coahuila). Immediately after the cessation of the war, the United States would also recognize the government in Sonoma.

The Two Mexican Cessions would establish the independent state of the Republic Of California as well as allow the United States to annex Texas and other lands.

1848: The Polk Reelection

Coming off a commanding victory in the Mexican-American War, President Polk prepared for what many believed would be an easy re-election. With departure of Vice President Dallas from the ticket, the party would turn to a northern candidate to balance the ticket, choosing Lewis Cass of Michigan to become running mate for the popular Polk. In the general election, Polk-Cass would handily defeat the Whig ticket of Winfield Scott and John Clayton. However, tragedy would strike the nation as Polk would succumb to cholera on June 15th, 1849 during a return home to Tennessee. On June 16th, Lewis Cass would assume the presidency.


1849-1853: The Cass Administration

With acquisition of new territory, the issue of slavery would arise as to how these new territories would evolve. As president, Cass would adopt a firm position of “popular sovereignty” in the new territories. In the Congress of 1850, this meant little or no support for the proposals of Representative David Wilmot to ban all slavery in the territories. Likewise, the Congress would also reject proposals urging a strengthening of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793.

After much debate, Congress would ultimately arrive at a series of agreements which would become known as the Compromise of 1851. The provisions of the compromise allowed for popular sovereignty in new states and territories, as well as allowing the slave state of Texas to incorporate the territories of New Mexico into its borders.

1852: The Implosion Of The Democratic Party

Northern Democrats, furious with President Cass, rejected his run for a second term. As Democrats gathered to nominate a president at the National Convention in Baltimore, the party was horribly divided. Ultimately, this division would lead to a fractured northern delegation and the ultimate nomination of the “dark horse” candidate of Sen. William R. King of North Carolina as the party’s presidential nominee. In an attempt to mollify northern dissidents, the party would nominate Sen. James Buchanan of Pennsylvania. The result left party loyalists bitter and underwhelmed at the “running mates” on their ticket.

By contrast, the usually contentious Whigs seemed refocused and dedicated to victory. Nominated by acclamation, John J. Crittenden of Kentucky would lead the party to victory along with his vice presidential candidate Sen. Edward Everett of Massachusetts.

1853-1861: Crittenden-Everett Keep The Union Together… For A While

Recognizing the divisive debate over the spread of slavery as the singular event which could tear the nation apart, President Crittenden moved in Congress to introduce a series of compromise measures. The Crittenden Compromises would preserve “popular sovereignty” in the territories and western states while cementing much of slavery’s institutional hold in Southern states. Many point to this national growing consensus on popular sovereignty as a major factor in avoiding conflict in the new state of Kansas which saw a peaceful resolution of the issue and the admittance to the union in 1854 as a free state.

While the Crittenden Compromises may have resulted in leaving many dissatisfied to some extent, these measures preserved the union and kept both sides of the debate in check. Unaddressed by these compromises, however, was a constant call by the Southern delegations to Congress to enhance laws regarding fugitive slave laws. While this had some traction in the 1856 election, which saw Crittenden and Everett cruise to victory over Stephen Douglas and Thomas Rusk.

1860: The Democrats Split Over The Davis Nomination, End Up Winning

In the election of 1860, Democrats would gather in Richmond to nominate their national ticket. In a convention where Democrats desperately sought to preserve their party’s very existence against the Whig juggernaut, they would nominate Sen. Jefferson Davis of Mississippi. With William Yancey of Alabama as his running mate, the ticket of Davis-Yancey would face the Whig ticket of Kentucky industrialist Cassius M. Clay and Sen. William Seward of New York. Democrats seemed poised for eminent defeat.

Ironically, the polarizing nature of the Davis-Yancey ticket would drive the creation of a new third party. In reaction to the pro-slavery Democrat ticket, a group of Free Soil Democrats would emerge in the north under presidential candidate Justice John McLean and publisher Horace Greely. While this ticket could theoretically have split Democrats, the FSD rather tapped into northern resentment over the price paid to keep the union together under President Crittenden. With a united South and the Whig losing several otherwise safe states in the north, Jefferson Davis would be inaugurated in a divided capital in 1861. Jefferson Davis, the 14th President of The United States.

1861-1869: The Calamitous Administration Of Jefferson Davis

Upon his inauguration, President Jefferson Davis would issue an immediate executive order to all federal authorities to apprehend and return fugitive slaves to southern territories. This would ultimately culminate in a divisive law known as the Fugitive Slave Act of 1862. This sent ripples of outrage through northern states as local and state governments began to refuse cooperation with the law. Most notable of these were the Whig governors of Illinois and Pennsylvania, Abraham Lincoln and David Wilmot. In reaction to the newly-strengthened Fugitive Slave Act, northern politicians in the Whig Party gathered in Seneca Falls for what would become known as the Second Seneca Falls Convention. Rejecting the legacy of recent Whig presidents, the new Whig Party firmly committed to an abolitionist plank.

The New Whig Party would sweep to major victories in the off-year election. In 1864, the New Whig Party would run a ticket of newly-minted Speaker Thaddeus Stevens and Sen. Hannibal Hamlin of Maine. With the death of Vice President Yancey in 1863, President Davis would turn to Sen. Thomas Hendricks of Indiana. The ticket of Davis-Hendricks would emerge victorious in the most contentious and vicious election in American history.

The Davis Administration would be fairly successful in most arenas. The Davis Administration would experience a solid era of economic growth. The United States would also expand under Davis through The Spanish Skirmish, Treaty Of Camaguey, The Cuban Annexation of 1868, The Hispaniola War, and the Bahamian Purchase. However, despite these factors, an overreaching exertion of federal power continued to chafe Northern states as talk of succession became more than fantasy.

1867: So, That British North American Act, Eh

As America was growing divided, the anti-Davis political class in the north began holding secret meetings. Starting in late 1865, supporters of Lincoln, Wilmot and other anti-government figures began a series of secret meetings in Buffalo. In private, they began to consider the formation of a shadow government that could set up institutions of government in the northern states. In 1866, a delegation of this group began circulating the idea in European circles to gauge support for recognition. In response to these inquiries. A momentous event came to pass. On July 1, 1867, the British territories to the north were given some element of self-rule as they would be organized into the Dominion Of Canada, a confederate government. The creation of this confederation accelerated the underlying dissatisfaction with the Davis regime and put in motion a major force for the Election Of 1868.

1868: Elections At The Dawn Of War

With a clearly defined nation ready to choose the next president, the Election of 1868 would be the last election of a unified United States. As Democrats nominated Gov. John Breckenridge of Kentucky, with running mate Gen. James Quantrill, the New Whigs countered with the ticket of Governor Lincoln and Sen. Benjamin Wade of Ohio.

During the campaign, news of the shadow government became public. This led many southern states to remove the New Whigs to be denied ballot access in six southern states. This stripping of ballot access led to a retaliation in several northern states. On election day, violence would break out at polling places throughout the nation. The New Whigs would carry a popular vote victory, but the electoral college was deadlocked. In a bizarre moment, President Davis declared the New Whig electors to be criminals and refused their entry to Washington. This would lead to the massacre of the Illinois electors by federal troops at the outskirts of Washington by troops under the command of Col. Johnathan Booth.

Upon news of the massacre, outrage swept through northern states. Illinois announced intentions to secede. Other states followed and inauguration day in March saw President Breckenridge coming to govern a broken nation. On the same day, Abraham Lincoln would be inaugurated as the first president of the Northern Confederation.

On April 1, 1869, President Breckenridge, unable to bring the Northern Rebellion, ordered the invasion of the North to end the secession. However, these orders were met with opposition by the General Of All The Armies Of The Potomac, Robert Lee. Refusing orders, General Lee would resign his commission and return home. Lee would cite his belief that secession as the right of every state, leaving unsaid his personal contempt for Davis and Breckenridge. Replaced by General George McLellan, Union forces attempted to bring an end to the Northern Confederation. For four years, the war would be fought to stalemate as both sides ebbed and flowed with victory and defeat. The American people soon grew tired of “President Breckenridge’s War” as the loss of life became overwhelming.

1872: President Lee and President Lincoln Make Peace

With New Whigs essentially declared traitors, an opposition party needed to arise for the 1872 elections to take on a deeply unpopular Breckenridge Administration. In 1871, a meeting was held in Virginia, where anti-war politicians argued for the peaceful resolution to the war. Prominent antiwar politicians and scholars gathered at the Wheeling Conference On The Constitution. From that gathering, they chose to form the Federalist Party and nominated Robert E. Lee as its standard bearer. General McClellan was heard to remark on Lee’s honor that no general should ever run against his own president. In 1872, the ticket of Lee-Benjamin would sweep to a landslide victory. Upon election, the two warring factions announced a cease fire. In the spring of 1873, the new administration began peace negotiations, reaching terms in a matter of weeks.

Hey, What About That Whole California Bear Flag Thing?

Under a series of presidents, California grew to become a prosperous nation. With the discovery of gold in 1852, economic prosperity was assured. After another brief war with Mexico (1856), the Republic of California secured itself as an independent nation in North America. Under successive presidents in William Ide (1848-1854), John Fremont (1854-1860, 1872-1876), Brigham Young (1860-1868), Leland Stanford (1868-1872, 1876-1892), and Adolph Sutro (1892-1900), the California Republic would become a model of stability as America disintegrated and was torn apart by conflict and internal pressures. The hallmark of the California Republic would be its peaceful abolition of slavery in 1855 under President Fremont and its standard of religious freedom.

Indeed, as the “American Troubles” persisted for the better part of three decades, the California Republic took efforts to exploit them. In the 1870s, the Homestead Provisions pushed by President Fremont to lure settlers. The settlement of the Mormon Diaspora was significant, as was the establishment of “free soil” policies.
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