When Millard Fillmore (1800-1874; see entry in volume 2) assumed the office of president following the death of Zachary Taylor (1784-1850; see entry in volume 2) in July of 1850, Congress and the nation both were bitterly divided over the issue of slavery. President Taylor intended to use his power to stop the spread of slavery to new territories. Fillmore was willing to accept measures that would calm those in favor of slavery. To protect the rights of Southern states, he supported the series of bills in Congress that became known as the Compromise of 1850. President Taylor promised to veto those bills. After Fillmore became president, Congress quickly passed and Fillmore signed the bills that formed the Compromise of 1850.

Among the terms of the Compromise, California was admitted into the Union as a free state and New Mexico would be allowed to decide for itself whether to...