Up to the Mexican war there were a few out and out abolitionists, men who carried their hostility to slavery into all elections, from those for a justice of the peace up to the Presidency of the United States.  They were noisy but not numerous.  But the great majority of people at the North, where slavery did not exist, were opposed to the institution, and looked upon its existence in any part of the country as unfortunate.  They did not hold the States where slavery existed responsible for it; and believed that protection should be given to the right of property in slaves until some satisfactory way could be reached to be rid of the institution.  Opposition to slavery was not a creed of either political party.  In some sections more anti-slavery men belonged to the Democratic party, and in others to the Whigs.  But with the inauguration of the Mexican war, in fact with the annexation of Texas, “the inevitable conflict” commenced.

As the time for the Presidential election of 1856—­the first at which I had the opportunity of voting—­approached, party feeling began to run high.  The Republican party was regarded in the South and the border States not only as opposed to the extension of slavery, but as favoring the compulsory abolition of the institution without compensation to the owners.  The most horrible visions seemed to present themselves to the minds of people who, one would suppose, ought to have known better.  Many educated and, otherwise, sensible persons appeared to believe that emancipation meant social equality.  Treason to the Government was openly advocated and was not rebuked.  It was evident to my mind that the election of a Republican President in 1856 meant the secession of all the Slave States, and rebellion.  Under these circumstances I preferred the success of a candidate whose election would prevent or postpone secession, to seeing the country plunged into a war the end of which no man could foretell.  With a Democrat elected by the unanimous vote of the Slave States, there could be no pretext for secession for four years.  I very much hoped that the passions of the people would subside in that time, and the catastrophe be averted altogether; if it was not, I believed the country would be better prepared to receive the shock and to resist it.  I therefore voted for James Buchanan for President.  Four years later the Republican party was successful in electing its candidate to the Presidency.  The civilized world has learned the consequence.  Four millions of human beings held as chattels have been liberated; the ballot has been given to them; the free schools of the country have been opened to their children.  The nation still lives, and the people are just as free to avoid social intimacy with the blacks as ever they were, or as they are with white people.