Man of the Hour, A Franklin Pierce Story
- Thread starter CELTICEMPIRE
- Start date
So, the Whigs are splintering after all, just somewhat differently than OTL. I look forward to seeing what comes of that, and Douglas' presidency.
Election 1864 Statistics
By Region:
North [1]:
Seward: 1,719,965 Votes (49.79%)
Douglas: 1,605,105 Votes (46.49%)
Know Nothing Electors: 117,046 Votes (3.39%)
Badger: 9,104 Votes (0.26%)
Others: 2,959 Votes (0.06)
South [2]:
Douglas: 784,162 Votes (65.24%)
Badger: 357,170 Votes (29.72%)
Seward: 58,550 Votes (4.87%)
Know Nothing Electors: 2,011 Votes (0.17%)
By State:
Closest States:
Best States:
Worst States:
1: Free States, includes free states in the west, like California, Oregon, and Kansas.
2: Slave States, includes Delaware and New Mexico.
3: Not on the ballot in 9 states.
4: Not on the ballot in 14 states.
North [1]:
Seward: 1,719,965 Votes (49.79%)
Douglas: 1,605,105 Votes (46.49%)
Know Nothing Electors: 117,046 Votes (3.39%)
Badger: 9,104 Votes (0.26%)
Others: 2,959 Votes (0.06)
South [2]:
Douglas: 784,162 Votes (65.24%)
Badger: 357,170 Votes (29.72%)
Seward: 58,550 Votes (4.87%)
Know Nothing Electors: 2,011 Votes (0.17%)
By State:
Closest States:
Indiana: 0.4%
New Hampshire: 1.0%
New York: 3.2%
Iowa: 5.2%
Illinois: 5.4%
New Hampshire: 1.0%
New York: 3.2%
Iowa: 5.2%
Illinois: 5.4%
Best States:
Best Douglas States:
Texas: 84.5%
Mississippi: 79.3%
Arkansas: 79.1%
Florida: 78.2%
Alabama: 75.7%
Best Seward States:
Vermont: 72.7%
Massachusetts: 66.9%
Maine: 59.9%
Wisconsin: 57.1%
Michigan: 56.8%
Best Badger States:
North Carolina: 39.8%
Kentucky: 36.0%
Tennessee: 35.8%
Georgia: 33.3%
Maryland: 30.9%
Best Know Nothing States:
California: 17.5%
Pennsylvania: 14.9%
New Jersey: 8.9%
New York: 1.5%
Massachusetts: 0.5%
Texas: 84.5%
Mississippi: 79.3%
Arkansas: 79.1%
Florida: 78.2%
Alabama: 75.7%
Best Seward States:
Vermont: 72.7%
Massachusetts: 66.9%
Maine: 59.9%
Wisconsin: 57.1%
Michigan: 56.8%
Best Badger States:
North Carolina: 39.8%
Kentucky: 36.0%
Tennessee: 35.8%
Georgia: 33.3%
Maryland: 30.9%
Best Know Nothing States:
California: 17.5%
Pennsylvania: 14.9%
New Jersey: 8.9%
New York: 1.5%
Massachusetts: 0.5%
Worst States:
Worst Douglas States:
Vermont: 27.0%
Massachusetts: 32.1%
Maine: 40.1
Wisconsin: 42.9
Michigan: 43.2%
Worst Seward States [3]:
Tennessee: 0.2%
Virginia: 1.1%
Missouri: 11.7%
Kentucky: 12.4%
Maryland: 14.3%
Worst Badger States [4]:
Massachusetts: 0.3%
New Jersey: 0.5%
Kansas: 2.5%
California: 5.3%
Oregon: 6.9%
Vermont: 27.0%
Massachusetts: 32.1%
Maine: 40.1
Wisconsin: 42.9
Michigan: 43.2%
Worst Seward States [3]:
Tennessee: 0.2%
Virginia: 1.1%
Missouri: 11.7%
Kentucky: 12.4%
Maryland: 14.3%
Worst Badger States [4]:
Massachusetts: 0.3%
New Jersey: 0.5%
Kansas: 2.5%
California: 5.3%
Oregon: 6.9%
1: Free States, includes free states in the west, like California, Oregon, and Kansas.
2: Slave States, includes Delaware and New Mexico.
3: Not on the ballot in 9 states.
4: Not on the ballot in 14 states.
Its a rare thing to see Douglas be elected President, and even rarer him having a better life than OTL.
Chapter XIV, The Imperial Rebellion
The Imperial Rebellion was in full swing. And the Imperials were on the march. The two armies marching north were led by Daimyo Mori Takachika and Saigo Takamori (a samurai from the Satsuma domain). By the end of 1864, almost half of Japan was under control of pro-Imperial clans. As 1865 opened, Saigo Takamori captured Osaka Castle, an important pro-Shogun stronghold. It was a blow to Shogunal morale. Mori Takachika went straight for Edo [1], where the Shogun was. If Edo could be captured, the remaining fence-sitting clans might join the Imperial cause. It would be a major prestige victory and Mori had been given assurance that Britain would give official recognition to the Imperial government. Mori was optimistic, the Imperials had won almost every battle. There was also a growing rift between the Shogun’s foreign allies; America and France. He believed that the war could and would be won within a year. On both sides, all attention was turned towards Edo.
(Left: Mori Takachika, Right: Saigo Takamori)
Ii Naosuke, who controlled the Shogun, was pessimistic. His government was unpopular. Pro-Shogun forces were in retreat. Mori was marching north, capturing towns and cities on his way to Edo. In May, he started to bombard the city. P. G. T. Beauregard and Jules Brunet had been authorized to train a conscript army, over the objection of various Daimyo. These conscripts, taken from the impoverished, would all be armed with modern weapons. Contrary to popular belief and media depictions, the majority of soldiers on either side were using weapons that had been made at least somewhat recently. Of course, cavalry often used melee weapons, and many generals believed that yari still had a place on the battlefield. There were also units armed with muskets. In America and Europe, however, stories were being written of medieval armies fighting each other. Western readers became fascinated by Japan in the 1860s. They saw it as a quaint land ruled by chivalry and honor.
(Jules Brunet)
In June, Mori assaulted Edo, but he had underestimated the strength of the defenders and was pushed back, suffering high casualties. After another month of bombardment, he tried again and failed. He decided to stay outside the city and wait for reinforcements to come. In September, reinforcements came, but not for Mori. A Jozai force came to relieve the siege, and combined with the conscript army in Edo, they pushed the Imperials back. Mori retreated for the first time in the war. Edo was safe and the Shogunate had a chance to win. Some northern clans who were still on the fence pledged their allegiance to the Shogun. The forces of the Shogunate now had time to lick their wounds before fighting again. The next few months mostly saw indecisive skirmishes. But in October, the conscript Army would march with the Jozai and put the Imperials on the defensive. The defeated Mori at Kofu and pressed on towards Kyoto.
(Imperial soldiers in the Siege of Edo)
Elsewhere in Japan, the Aizu were losing ground against Saigo Takamori. Saigo placed the pro-Shogunate city of Niigata under siege. On the sea, the Shogunate was winning decisively, as American and French vessels bolstered their numbers. In January, Japanese and foreign Shogunal ships sunk an Imperial fleet at Osaka Bay. In April, the defenses at Osaka were mercilessly bombarded and the city fell on the 10th. Thousands of Imperials were killed while less than 100 Shogunal soldiers. This was a huge blow to Imperial morale. The road to Kyoto was now open. However, Saigo lifted the siege of Niigata and moved South. He captured Nagoya in June, hoping to cut supply lines between Edo and Osaka. But the Shogunate simply switched to transporting supplies by sea. Soon Kyoto was surrounded on land and sea, the Emperor was trapped in the city. The Shogunate bombarded the city for a month. Saigo’s forces rushed to break the siege but they were too late. Mori Takachika was captured. Emperor Komei had died. His son was nowhere to be found, he had been smuggled out of the city somehow.
The various Japanese clan armies went South in order to find the Emperor while the conscript army faced off against Saigo Takamori. In July, the two armies met at Otsu. Saigo and his men fought bravely, but they were outnumbered and undersupplied. Saigo was killed in the fighting. Imperial forces were in retreat everywhere. The Aizu and Jozai advanced rapidly. They were joined by the Tsu domain, which had been cut off from the other pro-Shogun domains for over a year. In three months most Imperial forces on Honshu were either defeated in battle, retreated to Kyushu or Shikoku, or had defected. The fourteen-year-old Emperor Mutsuhito [2] Was captured in Nagano on November 30. He was trying to escape to Kyushu to rule in exile. The boy was placed under house arrest. Shogunal forces declared victory, though fighting continued. In early 1867 Shikoku island was invaded and fell within two months. A landing on Kyushu, however, was repelled. British diplomats encouraged Imperialist leaders on the island to declare independence from Japan, with Britain promising recognition.
While there was some support for an independent Kyushu, there was much stronger opposition. The Island was full of clan leaders who had just lost land on Honshu, and the soldiers who followed them. They called for a fortification of Kyushu and an eventual reconquest of Japan. They anticipated a second attack on the island, but infighting amongst pro-Shogun forces on Honshu delayed an invasion. All throughout 1867, the Imperials were able to buy more British weapons and build up defenses on the island. The Shogunal Navy prevented them from attacking Honshu, however. They were safe for now, but they knew that the status quo couldn’t hold forever. Back in Edo, a sort of parliament was formed, much to the approval of the Americans and French. It would be led by Minister (now Prime Minister) Ii Naosuke and dominated by a handful of clans. There was no representation for the people. The new parliament proved to be unpopular and there were protests against it. Time would tell if the Tokugawa Shogunate would survive.
1: Modern Day Tokyo
2: Better known by his OTL posthumous name Meiji
(Left: Mori Takachika, Right: Saigo Takamori)
Ii Naosuke, who controlled the Shogun, was pessimistic. His government was unpopular. Pro-Shogun forces were in retreat. Mori was marching north, capturing towns and cities on his way to Edo. In May, he started to bombard the city. P. G. T. Beauregard and Jules Brunet had been authorized to train a conscript army, over the objection of various Daimyo. These conscripts, taken from the impoverished, would all be armed with modern weapons. Contrary to popular belief and media depictions, the majority of soldiers on either side were using weapons that had been made at least somewhat recently. Of course, cavalry often used melee weapons, and many generals believed that yari still had a place on the battlefield. There were also units armed with muskets. In America and Europe, however, stories were being written of medieval armies fighting each other. Western readers became fascinated by Japan in the 1860s. They saw it as a quaint land ruled by chivalry and honor.
(Jules Brunet)
In June, Mori assaulted Edo, but he had underestimated the strength of the defenders and was pushed back, suffering high casualties. After another month of bombardment, he tried again and failed. He decided to stay outside the city and wait for reinforcements to come. In September, reinforcements came, but not for Mori. A Jozai force came to relieve the siege, and combined with the conscript army in Edo, they pushed the Imperials back. Mori retreated for the first time in the war. Edo was safe and the Shogunate had a chance to win. Some northern clans who were still on the fence pledged their allegiance to the Shogun. The forces of the Shogunate now had time to lick their wounds before fighting again. The next few months mostly saw indecisive skirmishes. But in October, the conscript Army would march with the Jozai and put the Imperials on the defensive. The defeated Mori at Kofu and pressed on towards Kyoto.
(Imperial soldiers in the Siege of Edo)
Elsewhere in Japan, the Aizu were losing ground against Saigo Takamori. Saigo placed the pro-Shogunate city of Niigata under siege. On the sea, the Shogunate was winning decisively, as American and French vessels bolstered their numbers. In January, Japanese and foreign Shogunal ships sunk an Imperial fleet at Osaka Bay. In April, the defenses at Osaka were mercilessly bombarded and the city fell on the 10th. Thousands of Imperials were killed while less than 100 Shogunal soldiers. This was a huge blow to Imperial morale. The road to Kyoto was now open. However, Saigo lifted the siege of Niigata and moved South. He captured Nagoya in June, hoping to cut supply lines between Edo and Osaka. But the Shogunate simply switched to transporting supplies by sea. Soon Kyoto was surrounded on land and sea, the Emperor was trapped in the city. The Shogunate bombarded the city for a month. Saigo’s forces rushed to break the siege but they were too late. Mori Takachika was captured. Emperor Komei had died. His son was nowhere to be found, he had been smuggled out of the city somehow.
The various Japanese clan armies went South in order to find the Emperor while the conscript army faced off against Saigo Takamori. In July, the two armies met at Otsu. Saigo and his men fought bravely, but they were outnumbered and undersupplied. Saigo was killed in the fighting. Imperial forces were in retreat everywhere. The Aizu and Jozai advanced rapidly. They were joined by the Tsu domain, which had been cut off from the other pro-Shogun domains for over a year. In three months most Imperial forces on Honshu were either defeated in battle, retreated to Kyushu or Shikoku, or had defected. The fourteen-year-old Emperor Mutsuhito [2] Was captured in Nagano on November 30. He was trying to escape to Kyushu to rule in exile. The boy was placed under house arrest. Shogunal forces declared victory, though fighting continued. In early 1867 Shikoku island was invaded and fell within two months. A landing on Kyushu, however, was repelled. British diplomats encouraged Imperialist leaders on the island to declare independence from Japan, with Britain promising recognition.
While there was some support for an independent Kyushu, there was much stronger opposition. The Island was full of clan leaders who had just lost land on Honshu, and the soldiers who followed them. They called for a fortification of Kyushu and an eventual reconquest of Japan. They anticipated a second attack on the island, but infighting amongst pro-Shogun forces on Honshu delayed an invasion. All throughout 1867, the Imperials were able to buy more British weapons and build up defenses on the island. The Shogunal Navy prevented them from attacking Honshu, however. They were safe for now, but they knew that the status quo couldn’t hold forever. Back in Edo, a sort of parliament was formed, much to the approval of the Americans and French. It would be led by Minister (now Prime Minister) Ii Naosuke and dominated by a handful of clans. There was no representation for the people. The new parliament proved to be unpopular and there were protests against it. Time would tell if the Tokugawa Shogunate would survive.
1: Modern Day Tokyo
2: Better known by his OTL posthumous name Meiji
So, kind of a Korea situation, huh? Let's see how long that lasts, considering how unpopular the new Shogun government is.
Deleted member 82118
More likely it will mean end of Japan, divided between Great Powers - Kyushu to Britain, and other may be a French-American protectorate (and possible, Ezo to Russia?)
Chapter XV, Utah
Stephen Douglas had won the 1864 election by a convincing margin. He was elected on a platform of maintaining unity and rejecting sectionalism. He made it clear that he wanted to maintain a policy of neutrality; favoring neither the North nor the South. It would soon be clear that appeasing both sections would be impossible. But in 1865, many Americans still believed that neutrality was a reasonable position. Both pro and anti-slavery Americans looked to the West, believing that the triumph or demise of that peculiar institution lay in that region. The pro-slavery faction was the most concerned, realizing that the places where the institution could feasibly take hold in were vanishing. They saw Utah as their last chance, especially after attempts to annex Nicaragua had gone no where after almost a decade. Pro-slavery settlers had already begun to enter the territory for the express purpose of making Utah a slave state. An Illinois man was determined to save the territory from both slavery and polygamy.
(Stephen A. Douglas, 16th President of the United States)
John Brown, a devout Reformed Christian from Illinois, was gathering supporters to settle in Utah. He and his men had chosen land to the North of Salt Lake City. They hoped that more like-minded people would follow them. They built the city of Gilead in 1865. Pro-slavery settlers built a few settlements in the South and East, but plantation style agriculture was difficult. The more successful farmers raised livestock, specifically cattle. There was also Indian slavery in the Utah Territory, a practice that also existed in New Mexico. The Mormons were divided on the issue. Often times Mormons from free states opposed the practice while Mormons from slave states often supported it. Slavery was legally recognized by the territorial government, even though it was rare. National ire in both the North and the South was directed towards the Mormons for the practice of polygamy. Pressure was mounting on Douglas to replace Brigham Young as the territorial governor. For now, those pleas were being ignored. Among Douglas’ major critics was Democrat-turned Whig John C. Fremont.
(John Brown)
In January 1865, Fremont resigned his post as military adviser to Nicaragua. He began to speak against the administration’s willingness to tolerate polygamy and its concessions to slave power. Fremont’s replacement in Nicaragua would be Benjamin Huger of South Carolina. Douglas did, however, reject calls to remove anti-slavery Democrats from the cabinet. Pro-slavery Democrats wanted to purge the anti-slavery wing from the party, but they would find no sympathy from the president. Douglas also showed no interest in increasing funding for capturing fugitive slaves. He did, however, support continued enforcement of fugitive slave laws. He also appointed several pro-slavery federal judges (though he also appointed some anti-slavery ones). Pro-slavery settlers in southeastern Utah named a settlement “Douglas City.” This was heavily reported by Whig papers in the North. There was also Pierce City and Houston, Utah. Septuagenarian and former presidential candidate Edmund Ruffin of Virginia led an armed pro-slavery gang to keep out anti-slavery settlers from entering through Kansas. Pro-slavery settlers entering the territory in 1865 outnumbered anti-slavery settlers 3 to 1. It seemed as if Utah would become a slave state.
(Edmund Ruffin)
But the pro-slavery side still had obstacles to overcome. There would be strong opposition in Congress to adding another slave state. There were also the miners in the western part of the state, though most of them were not citizens. In addition, the Mormons did not care much for outsiders, regardless of what side of the slavery debate they were on. They saw both pro and anti-slavery settlers as encroaching on their land. A non-Mormon slaveowner was arrested for having sex with one of his slaves, infuriating other slaveowners. Nevertheless, a pro-slavery constitution was approved by over 70% of voters. But statehood was rejected in Congress. Opponents of statehood demanded that observers be sent to ensure the elections were fair. Anti-slavery politicians were also waiting for an upcoming Supreme Court ruling to determine whether or not slavery in Utah was legal. Meanwhile, slaves in the territory heard about Gilead and some tried to find the town. Pro-slavery settlements came into conflict with the Ute Indians, with casualties on both sides.
On June 15, 1866, the Supreme Court decided on Jackson v. Smith. Jackson, a Utah slave, had run away from the Utah Territory to California. His master, Smith, tried to have him returned. However, anti-slavery lawyers claimed that Jackson could not legally be a slave because the Missouri Compromise banned slavery there. Two Supreme Court justices had recently died: Chief Justice Roger Taney in 1864 and Associate Justice John Catron and 1865. Taney was replaced by another Maryland native William Merrick, a circuit court justice for the District of Columbia. Catron was replaced by judge William Davis Shipman of Connecticut. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of Smith. The Missouri Compromise was struck down, with the court claiming it to be unconstitutional and a violation of property rights. Slavery would be legal in every territory, even in the strongly anti-slavery Nebraska Territory [1]. Anti-slavery Americans were furious. In November, Whigs would take the House and Senate along with many state governments in the North.
(William Matthews Merrick)
Nebraska was quickly admitted as a free state in early 1867. A second referendum in Utah had 58% vote in favor of slavery. However, Congress also passed a law banning polygamy, and the territory could not become a state unless plural marriage was abolished. Meanwhile, the situation in Utah was, according to prospector Samuel Clemens, “a bloodbath.” Pro-slavery settlers had formed a militia, ostensibly to protect against Ute raids. However, this same militia began to harass anti-slavery settlers, even killing some. The Ute continued to attack settlers, including the anti-slavery ones. In the southern and eastern parts of the state, anti-slavery settlers attempted to form militias to protect themselves. However, they were greatly outnumbered. Pro-slavery fighters descended upon the newly-built Freetown and burned it to the ground. Anti-slavery settlers began to flee north towards Gilead. Other anti-slavery settlers were harassed by Mormons, who thought they were coming to persecute them. Five settlers, whose position on slavery is unknown, were killed near Ogden. Back east, there was outrage.
The papers, including many Democrat papers, called for removing Young as territorial governor. Eventually, Douglas agreed to remove him and send in the military. But the bloodshed had not stopped. Ruffin and the pro-slavery militia were determined to sack Gilead. But Salt Lake City was off-limits, as the city had been fortified. Meanwhile, John Brown was preparing an army of his own. John Brown, his sons, his supporters, and several freed slaves would march south. But first, they would recruit some miners from Western Utah. Brown’s forces were bolstered by many Chinese, German, and Irish migrants. Ruffin’s men were marching through the mountains to get to Gilead. In May they were ambushed by Brown’s forces and retreated. Brown pursued Ruffin south. On August 15, the two forces met at Pierce City. The pro-slavery side had suffered from desertion and their numbers were only 150. John Brown, on the other hand, commanded 500 men. After two hours, Ruffin’s men refused to continue fighting and surrendered. Brown captured the city, freed ten slaves, and forced the pro-slavery militiamen to leave the territory. John Brown became the most loved and the most hated man in America.
(Brigham Young)
In September 1867, the US army arrived in large numbers. John S. Phelps of Missouri was to become the new governor of the territory. Brigham Young was determined to resist this. He ordered Mormon men in Salt Lake City to defend the city. After the Army surrounded the city and began bombardment, he changed his mind. He would accept federal authority and step down as governor. He was given a light jail sentence; one year. He still exerted a great deal of influence over the territorial legislature, however. Statehood would be postponed, as there was not enough support for banning polygamy within the territory. The presence of the military prevented Brown from liberating the rest of the pro-slavery settlements. But many slaveowners voluntarily left, as did many who came to Utah simply to stop slavery there. President Douglas gave a speech later in the year in which he said, “It seems clear that the majority of the recent settlers in the Utah Territory are there for political purposes.” He also said “Statehood is not desirable in the present time.”
(John S. Phelps)
Pro-slavery Democrats felt betrayed. Since 1860, three free states had been admitted while not a single slave state had been. The balance between free and slave states was now 20 to 16. This reinvigorated the expansionist movement in the South. There were renewed calls to annex Nicaragua. Vice President Jefferson Davis tried to convince Douglas to acquire Cuba from Spain, but to no avail. Douglas was presiding over a Democratic Party that was hemorrhaging in the North. Representative Francis E. Spinner of New York, an anti-slavery Democrat, became a Whig. More defections like this occurred. The pro-slavery wing’s influence on the party increased as a result. The rejection of Utah Statehood also marked the beginning of a brief trend of slower migration to the West. Kansas and Nebraska grew much slower than expected and Utah even lost population between 1867 and 1870. Only states like California saw significant growth during these years.
1: Unlike in OTL Dred Scott v. Sandford, the Court made no pronouncement on black citizenship
(Stephen A. Douglas, 16th President of the United States)
John Brown, a devout Reformed Christian from Illinois, was gathering supporters to settle in Utah. He and his men had chosen land to the North of Salt Lake City. They hoped that more like-minded people would follow them. They built the city of Gilead in 1865. Pro-slavery settlers built a few settlements in the South and East, but plantation style agriculture was difficult. The more successful farmers raised livestock, specifically cattle. There was also Indian slavery in the Utah Territory, a practice that also existed in New Mexico. The Mormons were divided on the issue. Often times Mormons from free states opposed the practice while Mormons from slave states often supported it. Slavery was legally recognized by the territorial government, even though it was rare. National ire in both the North and the South was directed towards the Mormons for the practice of polygamy. Pressure was mounting on Douglas to replace Brigham Young as the territorial governor. For now, those pleas were being ignored. Among Douglas’ major critics was Democrat-turned Whig John C. Fremont.
(John Brown)
In January 1865, Fremont resigned his post as military adviser to Nicaragua. He began to speak against the administration’s willingness to tolerate polygamy and its concessions to slave power. Fremont’s replacement in Nicaragua would be Benjamin Huger of South Carolina. Douglas did, however, reject calls to remove anti-slavery Democrats from the cabinet. Pro-slavery Democrats wanted to purge the anti-slavery wing from the party, but they would find no sympathy from the president. Douglas also showed no interest in increasing funding for capturing fugitive slaves. He did, however, support continued enforcement of fugitive slave laws. He also appointed several pro-slavery federal judges (though he also appointed some anti-slavery ones). Pro-slavery settlers in southeastern Utah named a settlement “Douglas City.” This was heavily reported by Whig papers in the North. There was also Pierce City and Houston, Utah. Septuagenarian and former presidential candidate Edmund Ruffin of Virginia led an armed pro-slavery gang to keep out anti-slavery settlers from entering through Kansas. Pro-slavery settlers entering the territory in 1865 outnumbered anti-slavery settlers 3 to 1. It seemed as if Utah would become a slave state.
(Edmund Ruffin)
But the pro-slavery side still had obstacles to overcome. There would be strong opposition in Congress to adding another slave state. There were also the miners in the western part of the state, though most of them were not citizens. In addition, the Mormons did not care much for outsiders, regardless of what side of the slavery debate they were on. They saw both pro and anti-slavery settlers as encroaching on their land. A non-Mormon slaveowner was arrested for having sex with one of his slaves, infuriating other slaveowners. Nevertheless, a pro-slavery constitution was approved by over 70% of voters. But statehood was rejected in Congress. Opponents of statehood demanded that observers be sent to ensure the elections were fair. Anti-slavery politicians were also waiting for an upcoming Supreme Court ruling to determine whether or not slavery in Utah was legal. Meanwhile, slaves in the territory heard about Gilead and some tried to find the town. Pro-slavery settlements came into conflict with the Ute Indians, with casualties on both sides.
On June 15, 1866, the Supreme Court decided on Jackson v. Smith. Jackson, a Utah slave, had run away from the Utah Territory to California. His master, Smith, tried to have him returned. However, anti-slavery lawyers claimed that Jackson could not legally be a slave because the Missouri Compromise banned slavery there. Two Supreme Court justices had recently died: Chief Justice Roger Taney in 1864 and Associate Justice John Catron and 1865. Taney was replaced by another Maryland native William Merrick, a circuit court justice for the District of Columbia. Catron was replaced by judge William Davis Shipman of Connecticut. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of Smith. The Missouri Compromise was struck down, with the court claiming it to be unconstitutional and a violation of property rights. Slavery would be legal in every territory, even in the strongly anti-slavery Nebraska Territory [1]. Anti-slavery Americans were furious. In November, Whigs would take the House and Senate along with many state governments in the North.
(William Matthews Merrick)
Nebraska was quickly admitted as a free state in early 1867. A second referendum in Utah had 58% vote in favor of slavery. However, Congress also passed a law banning polygamy, and the territory could not become a state unless plural marriage was abolished. Meanwhile, the situation in Utah was, according to prospector Samuel Clemens, “a bloodbath.” Pro-slavery settlers had formed a militia, ostensibly to protect against Ute raids. However, this same militia began to harass anti-slavery settlers, even killing some. The Ute continued to attack settlers, including the anti-slavery ones. In the southern and eastern parts of the state, anti-slavery settlers attempted to form militias to protect themselves. However, they were greatly outnumbered. Pro-slavery fighters descended upon the newly-built Freetown and burned it to the ground. Anti-slavery settlers began to flee north towards Gilead. Other anti-slavery settlers were harassed by Mormons, who thought they were coming to persecute them. Five settlers, whose position on slavery is unknown, were killed near Ogden. Back east, there was outrage.
The papers, including many Democrat papers, called for removing Young as territorial governor. Eventually, Douglas agreed to remove him and send in the military. But the bloodshed had not stopped. Ruffin and the pro-slavery militia were determined to sack Gilead. But Salt Lake City was off-limits, as the city had been fortified. Meanwhile, John Brown was preparing an army of his own. John Brown, his sons, his supporters, and several freed slaves would march south. But first, they would recruit some miners from Western Utah. Brown’s forces were bolstered by many Chinese, German, and Irish migrants. Ruffin’s men were marching through the mountains to get to Gilead. In May they were ambushed by Brown’s forces and retreated. Brown pursued Ruffin south. On August 15, the two forces met at Pierce City. The pro-slavery side had suffered from desertion and their numbers were only 150. John Brown, on the other hand, commanded 500 men. After two hours, Ruffin’s men refused to continue fighting and surrendered. Brown captured the city, freed ten slaves, and forced the pro-slavery militiamen to leave the territory. John Brown became the most loved and the most hated man in America.
(Brigham Young)
In September 1867, the US army arrived in large numbers. John S. Phelps of Missouri was to become the new governor of the territory. Brigham Young was determined to resist this. He ordered Mormon men in Salt Lake City to defend the city. After the Army surrounded the city and began bombardment, he changed his mind. He would accept federal authority and step down as governor. He was given a light jail sentence; one year. He still exerted a great deal of influence over the territorial legislature, however. Statehood would be postponed, as there was not enough support for banning polygamy within the territory. The presence of the military prevented Brown from liberating the rest of the pro-slavery settlements. But many slaveowners voluntarily left, as did many who came to Utah simply to stop slavery there. President Douglas gave a speech later in the year in which he said, “It seems clear that the majority of the recent settlers in the Utah Territory are there for political purposes.” He also said “Statehood is not desirable in the present time.”
(John S. Phelps)
Pro-slavery Democrats felt betrayed. Since 1860, three free states had been admitted while not a single slave state had been. The balance between free and slave states was now 20 to 16. This reinvigorated the expansionist movement in the South. There were renewed calls to annex Nicaragua. Vice President Jefferson Davis tried to convince Douglas to acquire Cuba from Spain, but to no avail. Douglas was presiding over a Democratic Party that was hemorrhaging in the North. Representative Francis E. Spinner of New York, an anti-slavery Democrat, became a Whig. More defections like this occurred. The pro-slavery wing’s influence on the party increased as a result. The rejection of Utah Statehood also marked the beginning of a brief trend of slower migration to the West. Kansas and Nebraska grew much slower than expected and Utah even lost population between 1867 and 1870. Only states like California saw significant growth during these years.
1: Unlike in OTL Dred Scott v. Sandford, the Court made no pronouncement on black citizenship
So, we have Bleeding Utah instead of Bleeding Kansas, huh? In any case, still can't wait to see what triggers TTL's civil war.
Probably whoever is elected in 1868.
Fremont and Lincoln were mentioned this chapter, so it could be a Fremont/Lincoln ticket. For poetic irony, Fremont gets elected only to be assassinated and Lincoln is President again during the Civil War...
I don't buy Bleeding Utah. Compared to Kansas, it's much, much more difficult to get to and has much less usable land. Pro and anti-slavery settlers are going to be a drop in the bucket compared with the Mormon settlers, who are going to vote not based on their slavery sentiment but on their Church sentiment. Really implausible, IMHO. I hate to say, because this is a TL I've been reading with interest. But simply replacing Kansas with Utah is the sort of paint by numbers thing I would expect to see in a Turtledove novel.
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I understand your concern. Mormon settlers were still the overwhelming majority, with much of the non-Mormon population being miners in present day Nevada.
I was thinking about a Mormon Diaspora. The settlers with Young ended up in Utah because they were for all intents and purposes chased there. It would be a hard sell for the Latter Day Saints, individually or in groups, to settle anywhere where polygamy would be tolerated but I just thought I'd throw it out there.
Chapter XVI: Foreign and Domestic Policy
The presidency of Stephen Douglas is mostly remembered for the bloodshed in Utah or the last three months he was in office. Few Americans know anything else that happened. Relations with France soured during his presidency, despite their common cause in Japan. His predecessor had stood by as French soldiers invaded Mexico in order to collect debts (they were joined by Britain and Spain). It is widely believed that Sam Houston did this because France had been friendly to Texas during the days of the Republic. France was now propping up Maximilian, the newly-crowned Emperor of Mexico, against republican rebels. America refused to recognize Maximilian’s government, despite most of Europe recognizing it. America even funneled money and weapons to the rebels under Benito Juarez. In 1864, President Douglas demanded that French troops leave Mexico, citing the Monroe Doctrine. Some newspapers even called for war. While Douglas did not want to go to war with France, he also didn’t want to be seen as doing nothing as a European power established a Monarchy on America’s doorstep.
(Maximilian, brother of the Emperor of Austria)
In 1865, Douglas backed his words with force. He had US Naval ships deployed in the Caribbean to show France that America was serious. America and France entered into negotiations. The French agreed to withdraw support for Maximilian while the United States agreed to stop funding the rebels. Maximilian left with the French, though he would return years later. Douglas also entered into negotiations with Russia around this time. Russia wanted to sell Alaska to the United States, as it was losing money on the colony. At first, Douglas was hesitant, as the price tag was over 7 million dollars. But eventually America negotiated the price down to 6 million dollars. Douglas hoped the acquisition of vast new territory would distract the public from the issue of slavery. Many Whigs criticized the purchase. Other Whigs, such as William Seward and John Fremont agreed with the president’s decision. In the Democratic Party, some argued over who should get credit for the purchase. Vice President Jefferson Davis claimed he convinced Douglas to purchase Alaska. Secretary of State Robert Walker, who had replaced James Buchanan, also claimed to have influenced Douglas’ decision. Davis was building up support for a presidential campaign.
Davis began to position himself more as a moderate. He accepted the fact that Utah was unlikely to become a slave state, despite many Southern Democrats still holding out hope. Stephen Douglas and former President Franklin Pierce both saw him as a good choice for Democrats in the next election. Davis claimed that his political views were similar to those of Sam Houston. The public didn’t know that Houston and Davis weren’t as friendly as Davis claimed, and Houston wasn’t around to set the record straight. He hoped that he could lead Democrats to victory in 1868. Meanwhile, the Whigs controlled Congress. The Senate was led by William Seward of New York and had 38 Whigs and 34 Democrats. The House of Representatives was led by Justin Morrill of Vermont and had 138 Whigs and 115 Democrats. President Douglas worked with the Whig-controlled congress on some issues. In 1867 the Land-Grant Colleges Act was passed and signed by the president. Douglas also expressed openness to a homestead act, but there were not enough votes in the Senate.
(Maximilian, brother of the Emperor of Austria)
In 1865, Douglas backed his words with force. He had US Naval ships deployed in the Caribbean to show France that America was serious. America and France entered into negotiations. The French agreed to withdraw support for Maximilian while the United States agreed to stop funding the rebels. Maximilian left with the French, though he would return years later. Douglas also entered into negotiations with Russia around this time. Russia wanted to sell Alaska to the United States, as it was losing money on the colony. At first, Douglas was hesitant, as the price tag was over 7 million dollars. But eventually America negotiated the price down to 6 million dollars. Douglas hoped the acquisition of vast new territory would distract the public from the issue of slavery. Many Whigs criticized the purchase. Other Whigs, such as William Seward and John Fremont agreed with the president’s decision. In the Democratic Party, some argued over who should get credit for the purchase. Vice President Jefferson Davis claimed he convinced Douglas to purchase Alaska. Secretary of State Robert Walker, who had replaced James Buchanan, also claimed to have influenced Douglas’ decision. Davis was building up support for a presidential campaign.
Davis began to position himself more as a moderate. He accepted the fact that Utah was unlikely to become a slave state, despite many Southern Democrats still holding out hope. Stephen Douglas and former President Franklin Pierce both saw him as a good choice for Democrats in the next election. Davis claimed that his political views were similar to those of Sam Houston. The public didn’t know that Houston and Davis weren’t as friendly as Davis claimed, and Houston wasn’t around to set the record straight. He hoped that he could lead Democrats to victory in 1868. Meanwhile, the Whigs controlled Congress. The Senate was led by William Seward of New York and had 38 Whigs and 34 Democrats. The House of Representatives was led by Justin Morrill of Vermont and had 138 Whigs and 115 Democrats. President Douglas worked with the Whig-controlled congress on some issues. In 1867 the Land-Grant Colleges Act was passed and signed by the president. Douglas also expressed openness to a homestead act, but there were not enough votes in the Senate.