3/7【历史上的今天】这位国务卿的发言，葬送了他的政治前程

美国历史上的今天

"Seventh of March"

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When: March 7, 1850

What: Senator Daniel Webster gave his "Seventh of March" speech endorsing the Compromise of 1850 in order to prevent a possible civil war.

Why significant: The Compromise of 1850 was the Congressional effort to compromise on the sectional disputes that seemed to be headed toward civil war. On March 7, 1850, Webster gave one of his most famous speeches, later called the Seventh of March speech, characterizing himself "not as a Massachusetts man, nor as a Northern man but as an American, and a member of the Senate of the United States. . . . I speak for the preservation of the Union."

Webster contended that it was pointless to argue about the continuation of slavery where it already existed—it was not going away—or to worry about extending slavery into the arid lands of the southwest, where plantation agriculture stood no chance of flourishing. Asserting that slave holders were entitled to the protection of their property, in the speech he gave his support to the compromise, which included the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 that required federal officials to recapture and return runaway slaves.

Webster's address quickly appeared in newspapers throughout the nation. Nearly everywhere but in his native New England, Webster won high praise for moral courage. It was said that his speech slammed into New England with the force of a hurricane. Many there believed that he must have cut a deal with southern leaders to win their promised support for the presidency. His political base in ruins, Webster soon resigned from the Senate and finished his public career as Secretary of State.

Tags: Civil War, "Seventh of March" speech, The Compromise of 1850, Senator Daniel Webster