These men had not given up the creed which demanded an anti-slavery restriction on every inch of soil owned by the United States.

They viewed with abhorrence the legislation which had placed freedom and slavery on the same plane in the Territories of Utah and New Mexico.

They believed that Texas had been paid for a baseless claim ten millions of dollars, one-half of which, as a sharp critic declared, was hush-money, the other half blood-money.

They regarded the cruel law for the return of fugitive slaves as an abomination in the sight of God and man.

In their judgment it violated every principle of right.