Barnburners and Hunkers

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For a person who hunkers, see squatting position.
"Barnburner" redirects here. For a definition of the term "barnburner", see the Wiktionary entry barnburner.

The Barnburners and Hunkers were the names of two opposing

anti-slavery faction. While this division occurred within the context of New York politics, it reflected the national divisions in the United States in the years preceding the American Civil War
.

Barnburners

1848 cartoon satirizing the Barnburners / Free Soil Party, referencing the Wilmot Proviso

The Barnburners were the

barn in order to get rid of a rat infestation.[1] In this case it was applied to men who were thought to be willing to destroy all banks and corporations, in order to root out their abuses.[2]

The Barnburners opposed expanding the

slavery. They also stood for local control[vague] by the Albany Regency, as against the Polk political machine which the new administration was trying to build up in New York.[vague] Among the prominent Barnburners were Martin Van Buren, Silas Wright and John A. Dix
.

At the

Conscience Whigs from New England and the Midwest, to form the Free Soil Party. This group nominated former President Van Buren to run again for the presidency. Their vote divided Democratic strength. Zachary Taylor, the Whig nominee, was elected to office.[citation needed
]

After the Compromise of 1850 temporarily neutralized the issue of slavery and undercut the party's no-compromise position, most Barnburners who had joined the Free Soil Party returned to the Democratic Party. In 1854, some Barnburners helped to form the Republican Party.

Hunkers

"The Modern Gilpins" - rivalry between the Hunkers and anti-slavery Democrats

The Hunkers were the relatively pro-government faction. They opposed the Barnburners, and favored state banks, internal improvements, and minimizing the slavery issue. Among the leaders of the Hunkers were Horatio Seymour, William L. Marcy, Samuel Beardsley, Edwin Croswell, and Daniel S. Dickinson.

Following the 1848 election, the Hunkers themselves split over the question of reconciliation with the Barnburners, with the Softs, led by Marcy, favoring reconciliation, and the Hards, led by Dickinson, opposing it. This split would be exacerbated following the

re-election in 1854
.

Notes

  1. ISBN 978-0195038637
    .
  2. ^ OED, citing the NYTribune of 1848.

References and further reading

  • Donovan, Herbert D. The Barnburners (New York University Press, 1926)
  • New International Encyclopedia
    (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead.
  • New International Encyclopedia
    (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead.
  • Ginsberg, Judah B. "Barnburners, Free Soilers, and the New York Republican Party." New York History 57.4 (1976): 475–500. online
  • Harp, Gillis J. "The Character of Party Dialogue: Democrats and Whigs in New York State, 1844-1852." Essays in History 26 (1982). online
  • Meredith, Mamie. " 'Hards' and 'Softs' in American Politics." American Speech 5.5 (1930): 408–413. online
  • Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). "Hunkers" . Encyclopedia Americana.
  • Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). "Barnburners" . Encyclopedia Americana.
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