Election of 1848. Martin van Buren, ex-President and "Free-Soil" Party candidate is shown trying to bridge the gap between the Whig-Abolition platform and the Democratic platform. Both major parties, the Whigs and the Democrats tried to avoid the slavery question during the campaign, whereas the "Free-Soil" party confronted it head on. The Free-Soilers while losing the Presidential election, won enough Congressional seats in the House to hold the balance of power in the absence of a majority in either of the other parties. Z. Taylor, the Whig candidate, defeated Lewis Cass and Van Buren to win the election. Left to right: Abby Felsom; Martin van Buren; William O. Butler; John C. Calhoun; Lewis Cass.
IIIF Manifest