Today in History, January 16, 1861:
“The Crittenden Compromise”.
Senator John J. Crittenden, former Kentucky Governor, US Representative, and US Attorney General, had put forth the Crittenden Compromise in a last ditch effort to prevent Civil War.
The nation had been arguing over the abomination of slavery since it’s inception; and “compromise” had been made before, with the Missouri Compromise which divided the nation north and south regarding which states would have slavery and which would not.
Then the Compromise of 1850, in which each new state got to decide.
During the 1850’s the Republican party was established with it’s primary platform being to prevent the spread of slavery.
Crittenden, a “Constitutional Unionist” suggested several Constitutional amendments that would bring things back to the Missouri Compromise levels since several states had already seceded due to Republican Abraham Lincoln’s election.
This time the Republican majority in the Senate said no to compromise and killed his bill.
As an aside, Crittenden’s grandson (and namesake), would be killed at the Battle of Little Big Horn with Custer.
Mark Loves History! 