A building crisis: Slavery vs Abolition in Anglo America

[Galveston Bay]

By 1825, the British, Americans and Irish have four major political parties

The issue of Slavery vs Abolition has become increasingly important and divisive in both Britain and North America

Union Party (liberal, favors a Federal System with a strong central government) Seeks closer economic and political bonds between the( Dominions, and a route to either self governing state status for the colonies or Dominion status (depending)   Pro trade, pro industrial and commercial expansion with Naval Supremacy and only an army sufficient to defend the colonies and frontier.   Believes in careful but steady reform and has embraced an antislavery /abolition plank (to gain support from the more progressive reformers).   The American leader is John Quincy Adams, British leader is Charles Grey, Irish leader -  Danial O Connell, has gained control over New England, Ireland, and London as their power bases

Tory Party (Conservative, collective alliance under the Crown of the Dominions and British control over the colonies and client states) Pro Trade, Pro Commercial expansion, Naval Supremacy, strong Army, reform only when its necessary, neutral regarding slavery (although this has created some fissures in the North American part of the Party).  Made up of the Land owning class in Britain, Ireland and North America from New York down to Virginia.  The only money people.   Leaders: North America- James Monroe, Ireland- Duke of Wellington, Britain -  William Lamb, Viscout Melbourne

Libertarian Party (reactionary, radical, seperate independent kingdoms under an alliance of the Crown) Cut Navy and Army as no real threats exist, strong regional militias and forts to cut costs (or so they claim), Proslavery, Pro White Supremacy, anti Immigrant (in UK and North America), believes Blacks are less than human (and indeed everyone but Western Europeans are inferior or less).  
American Leader- John C Calhoun,   has support from industrialists in England (who want steady supply of cotton), South Africa (who have a large Black population right there),  and some sympathy in Australia

Yeoman Party (Liberal, Radical, wants a Federal system with stronger centralized imperial government and local self government too)
Major force behind Reform Act demands in England (get rid of Rotton Boroughs), seeks to eliminate property requirements for voting, reform tax system, supports the Homestead Act proposal to settle the West, wants to liberate Mexico
North American Leader- Andrew Jackson,  Irish Leader - Marques of Lansdowne, British Leader- Thomas Atwood
is gaining support quickly in Appalachia, Missouri, the Ohio Country and in the industrial areas of England and Scotland

[Galveston Bay]

Coalition War
Slave owners are greaty disquited when the British military hires large numbers of mercenary troops from Haiti for operations in Louisiana and Panama, while at the same time the Haitians overrun Spanish Santo Domingo (causing most Whites there to flee to Cuba) and a vicious uprising occurs in Cuba as slaves revolt. The Post War flight of most of those former slaves from Cuba to Hispanoila and continued flight from Santo Dominingo to Cuba further upsets them.

But what upsets them most is that Parliament orders the freedom of all slaves in British Caribbean colonies by 1825 and allocates very considerable sums to make that happen. This weakens the support that American slave owners have in the British Parliament, where the solidly reliable West Indian Planters Society is effectively neutralized.

This will lead to a growing movement in the North American South to form a party to fight for the interest of the Slave Owners, who are making vast sums selling cotton to British and New England and New York textile mills, and view this growing trend toward abolition as a massive threat to their interests. Meanwhile many Southern thinkers are rationalizing that slavery is a benign, indeed benevolant institution where White Men are teaching the interior Black Race the basics of Western Civilization, Christianity and indeed humanity, as they see Blacks are fundamentally inferior to Whites and somewhat less human.

This has the effect of bringing in the smaller slave holders and indeed many in the South who don't even own slaves.

Postwar
By 1825, the Liberatarian Party has been formed led by James C Calhoun and has managed to gain control of legislatures in South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, and has a near majority in Mississippi and Alabama, and is a powerful minority in Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. There only opposition is a powerful Tory Party in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and a growing Yeomanry Party (which shares their racial views but thinks Slavery is an economic threat) in Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri and Louisiana. The North American Parliament delegations increasingly reflect this Liberatarian Party strength as well.

The Slave Trade was ended during the war as a wartime measure effective 1807, and extended to North America by 1810. The Slave Trade Felony Act soon followed in Britain and Ireland, and narrowly passed in 1817 in North America. By that time, New England, New Jersey, and the new Ohio Valley states had outlawed it as well, and indeed Pro Slavery legislators barely averted making it a crime to bring slaves into those areas on even a transitory basis in 1818.

As of 1825, there are 2 million slaves and another 150,000 Freedman Blacks in the North American Dominion. The western territories have forbidden even the presence of African Americans in their territories, although this is a long running court battle still to be decided in 1825.

The Indian Removal in the 1810s cleared the South and Midwest of the former tribes, most of whom moved to the Indian Territory (Texas) or special territories of Arkansas and South Florida. One effect of this is that by 1821, the Southern States (and some of the Midatlantic ones too) have made it illegal for Free Blacks to live in their jurisdiction as they see an opportunity to toss out both groups. This has had the effect of creating a migration out by Free Blacks, who fled along with the Indians (taking advantage of military escort) to South Florida, Arkansas, and Texas. The 5 Civilized Tribes even ended slavery of Blacks in an effort to recruit them into their militias to fight the local Plains tribes who are a frequent nuisance.

Sympathetic Northerners as well as Irish and British Abolitionist Societies send money to help the Indians and Blacks in their resettlement.

Recent Events
An effort to introduce an Abolition Act in the North American Parliament was defeated by a combined effort by the Libertarian and Tory Parties in 1824. There was also some opposition from the Yeoman Party. However, if the Union Party accedes to the demands to push for the Homestead Act, and end property qualifications regarding elections for Dominion level offices, as well as agrees to resettle former slaves into the special territories then it seems likely that it might just get out of committee and make to the floor, and at that point, only a united Tory Party would prevent passage, as well as having the right man in the spot as Prime Minister and the right man in position as Duke of Manhatten.

Tensions are growing steadily as 1825 begins.......

[Haneastic]

Political Events, 1825-1830

By 1825 the Conservative Tory Party has ruled the United Kingdom since long before the Coalition War, a reign uninterrupted when in 1825 the Duke of Wellington becomes Prime Minister, resigning his role as commander-in-chief. The Tory party's military and economic successes make them exceedingly popular among the monied and landed interests, and combined with an electoral system that favors rural areas and the wealthy ensure that the Tories retain a strong grip on Parliament throughout the 20's. However, while on the surface the Conservatives show no sign of stopping, an underlying rot pervades the party. Rising wealth and commercial interests by 1825 combine to strengthen the hand of the Union Party, combined with increasing strength in London and Ireland. The real downfall of the Wellington ministry, however, lies in North America.

While politics in England had largely remained between the Tories and Unionists, in America this simple division has splintered into 4 separate factions: Union, Conservative, Libertarian, and Yeoman. This split had largely been the detriment of the Conservative party: While the Unionists retained strong control over New England, former Canadian territories, and plurality (if not majority) power in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern regions, the Conservative Party faced strong cross-pressure. The South, traditionally the bastion of Tory strength in North America, had begun to splinter, with many Tory MPs losing or defecting over time as the Libertarian Party gained strength. The issue of slavery did not help the Tories either- while the Unionists had become staunch abolitionists, and the Libertarians pro-slave, the Tories muddled messaged satisfied few voters. Additionally, as the Dominion expanded west, parliamentary power in the south began to move west, as Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi became full voting provinces. The shifted the balance of power away from traditional Tory "old-money" areas of Virginia, the Carolinas, and Maryland, and further into the interior of North America, where slavery powered the economy.

The situation comes to a head with the 1828 election. James Monroe, incumbent Lord President and leader of the Tories, stands for election again, despite crumbling Conservative power, in the hopes he can keep disparate factions united long enough to retain power. The Yeoman Party nominates Andrew Jackson, the Libertarians John Calhoun, and the Unionists nominate John Quincy Adams, their nominee in 1824. The election soon becomes a multi-way battle- with states often seeing 3 or even 4 parties active in the hopes of gaining a narrow advantage. While few expect Jackson or Calhoun to win, both surprise observers in different ways. Jackson's unconventional campaigning and energy see him sprinting between campaign stops and states, largely focusing the Mid-South and Midwest. Calhoun's fiery speeches in the south often whip his voters into a frenzy, often to the detriment of anyone nearby believed to support the cause of Abolitionism. Monroe's campaign is lackluster, and many newspapers note his dour demeanor and lack of enthusiastic crowds as a product of the fact most voters believe he will not win again. Adams, meanwhile, while not the most vigorous or charismatic campaigner, however, finds himself able to be on the offensive, with his power bases in New England and Canada largely unfriendly to the opposition.

As the results roll in, it is clear that it is a new day in North America. Adams and the Unionists win 52% of the vote and seats, often buoyed by a split between the opposition. The Tories maintain 19% of the seats, due to Monroe's incumbency, and lingering popularity for the Conservatives. Despite this, however, it is clear that Tory power has been shattered- in most of the inland Southern and Midwestern states Tory candidates often fail to garner more than 10 or 15% of the vote, and the entirety of their MP list are those from an Atlantic state. The Libertarian party is the real winner, shooting up to 21% of the vote, dominating the legislatures in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Florida, and Georgia, and sharing power in North Carolina. The Yeoman Party shows a strong finish, securing an iron grip on the legislatures of Tennessee (due to Jackson's popularity) and Missouri, and showing strength in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina.

The dawn of 1829 brings a new era in the North American Parliament, with the Unionists able to effectively control Parliament's agenda. Only a combined effort by the 3 opposing parties, and dissenting Unionists can block legislation, but the constant sniping between the opposition, and the Unionists ability to bribe other factions (particularly the Yeomans) means little can stand in their way. The Union Party's parliamentary agenda:
1. A Homestead Act, providing free land, funding, and farm animals for anyone willing to move west
2. Funds and land for former slaves and Indians in the western territory
3. An electoral Reform Act (modeled after the 1832 Reform Act)- expanding voting rights, reducing corrupt practices, and strengthened the voting power of cities

By 1830 the Unionists have the votes to pass a Homestead Act and Reform Act (with Yeoman backing), and have secured additional funding to relocate Indians and free slaves further west. Their cause is helped by legislation and court cases which ban a total ban on admittance of slaves and Indians to Western territories, although the sticky issue of where exactly they should be settled in is a contentious one that even the Unionists cannot agree to. For now the issue is left vague, with many thinking lines will simply be drawn later, and secretly hoping it will sort itself out.

The Tory collapse and Reform Act in North America bring about the downfall of the Conservative Party in England. A Union attempt to pass a reform act in 1829 is blocked by Tories, resulting in several weeks of rioting in Ireland and England, even forcing the duke of Wellington to install iron bars on the windows of his home. The matter is brought to a head with a no-confidence vote in the Wellington ministry, bringing about an election in 1830, which sweeps the Union Party and the Early Grey into power. Grey's first move is to move for passage of a similar Reform Act in the UK. Its passage imminent, many in the Union Party turn their eye to the most hated of institutions, slavery...

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