American History

The intention to extend the territory form Texas to California necessitated the formation of the compromise immediately after the Mexican-American war. The Americans shared the opinion that it was Gods plan that America should extend from sea to shining sea. By 1850, the Free states had exceeded the slave states which were source of political imbalance. By now, the southerners had a feeling of insecurity since the imbalance would lead to an antislavery agenda which they were opposed to.

The compromise was generally made of five laws which focused much attention in bringing to an end a four year confrontation between the slave states in the South and the Free states in the North. The five bills in the compromise were that California was to be recognized as a free state, New Mexico and Utah be allowed to use their sovereignty, slave trade be abolished in the district of Columbia, that the Republic of Texas gave up land that it claimed in New Mexico and the fugitive slave act which was the most controversial bill in the compromise.

The Fugitive Slave Act provided that slave trade would be abolished in the District of Columbia. Moreover, the act provided that the fugitive slaves who had escapes to the Free states in the north were still subject to the Fugitive Slave Law. The Act further required that the northern Free states should abide by the southern laws which had legalized slavery. In particular, the Northern abolitionists hated the Fugitive Slave Act.
 
The compromise was liked and disliked in equal measures by different groups who expressed dissatisfaction with some provisions in the compromise. For instance, it was a priority for the Southerners to see that California is recognized as a free state. The southerners sought for the division of California at 35 north latitude. The Whigs like Senator Henry Clay supported the claim to land by Texas. The Northern Whigs were opposed to the compromise since they specifically were not in agreement with the new fugitive slave law which was being pushed forth by the democrats, the likes of James M. Mason the then democratic Virginia Senator. The Southern Whigs who hailed from the Border States supported the fugitive slave act while the northern democrats and the southern Whigs expressed support for the compromise.

Eventually, the five bills in the compromise were combined to an omnibus bill which failed to capture the interests of the majority. The death of President Taylor in July 9, 1850 saw the then Illinois senator gang up with his supporters to express support for the separate bills. This led to a union between the Northern democrats who later gained support from the Whigs to pass each of the bills which were signed by President Fillmore. What resulted is that, California was made to be a free state, slave trade was abolished, New Mexico and Utah were reorganized under the rule of popular sovereignty, the fugitive slave act was passed and Texas gave up much of western land of which they received 10,000,000 which they utilized to offset their national debt.

However, the signing of the compromise had some far reaching implications. For instance, the compromise is cited to have postponed the American Civil War for ten years though some opponents of the compromise have an argument that it only laid a foundation for future conflict. Contrary, to the opinion of the blacks, the Americans believe that the compromise was the only way to address the slavery question. Finally, the compromise was beneficial in that it saved the American-Mexican union from eventual break up.