CHAPTER VI.
Review (_continued_) .-- The Strength of the Democratic Party in 1853 .-- Popular Strength not so great as Electoral Strength .-- The New President's Pledge not to re-open the Slavery Question .-- How he failed to maintain that Pledge .-- The North-west Territory .-- Anti- slavery Restriction of the Missouri Compromise .-- Movement to repeal it by Mr.Clay's Successor in the Senate .-- Mr.Douglas adopts the policy of repealing the Restriction .-- It is made an Administration Measure and carried through Congress .-- Colonel Benton's Position.
-- Anti-slavery Excitement developed in the Country .-- Destruction of the Whig Party .-- New Political Alliances .-- American Party .-- Know- Nothings .-- Origin and Growth of the Republican Party .-- Pro-slavery Development in the South .-- Contest for the Possession of Kansas .-- Prolonged Struggle .-- Disunion Tendencies developing in the South.
-- Election of N.P.Banks to the Speakership of the House .-- The Presidential Election of 1856 .-- Buchanan .-- Fremont .-- Fillmore .-- The Slavery Question the Absorbing Issue .-- Triumph of Buchanan .-- Dred Scott Decision .-- Mr.Lincoln's Version of it .-- Chief Justice Taney.
The Democratic party, seeing their old Whig rival prostrate, naturally concluded that a long lease of power was granted them.
The victory of Pierce was so complete that his supporters could not with closest scrutiny descry an opponent worthy of the slightest consideration.

If the leaders of that party, however, had deigned to look below the surface, they would have learned a fact which, if not disquieting, was at least serious and significant.

This fact was contained in the popular vote, which told an entirely different story from that disclosed by the Presidential electors.
From the people Pierce received a total of 1,601,274 votes, Scott 1,386,580, Hale 155,825.

It will be noted that, while receiving only one-sixth as many electoral votes as Pierce, Scott received more than five-sixths as many votes at the polls.

Adding the vote of Hale, it will be observed that out of a total exceeding three millions, Pierce's absolute majority was but 58,896.