Free Soil Party

The Free Soil Party (also known under the name Floor- men; National Reformer; land reformer; Freesoilers ) was a political faction of the Democratic Party in the northern states of the U.S., the 1848 split from this.

Goals of the party

The aim of the Freesoilers was to prevent, among other things, the expansion of slavery in the newly added states. Other objectives were the gratuitous grant of land for all land farmers and the improvement of infrastructure, such as the regulation of navigable rivers, and the improvement of ports at the expense of the government. In 1856, the Free Soil Party united after the Kansas - Nebraska Act with the Republican Party. The Free Soil Party in New York State, which was called Barnburners ( " shyness Enver burner" ), already broke up in 1852. The party presented twice their own candidates in the presidential election on 1848 Martin Van Buren and Charles Francis Adams, 1852 John Parker Hale and George Washington Julian.

Criticism of opponents

The Free Soil Party distanced himself aware of the abolitionist movement, which opposed slavery on moral grounds. It has been claimed exclusively with economic arguments. Thus, the party reached the electorate, which the abolitionists was too radical. The Free Soil Party was attacked because of their attitude from different sides. The abolitionists missed the fundamental ethical principles, while the slavery favorable critics of the Free Soil Party assumed, this would not take into consideration the interests of the slaveholders. The requirement that Freesoilers abolition of slavery and the free distribution of land to former slaves was seen as an attempt to break up existing land tenure systems. By associated with such a land reform possible dismemberment of large farms would be possible to easily come in land ownership ( here: the former slaves with quick attract money and to bring the sale of land reform areas).