The immediate consequences were two-fold.  In the first place Southern settlers came pouring into Kansas and Northern settlers in still larger numbers (rendered larger still by the help of an emigration society formed in the North-East for that purpose) came pouring in too.  It was at first a race to win Kansas for slavery or for freedom.  When it became apparent that freedom was winning easily, the race turned into a civil war between these two classes of immigrants for the possession of the Territorial government, and this kept on its scandalous and bloody course for three or four years.

In the second place there was a revolution in the party system.  The old Whig party, which, whatever its tendencies, had avoided having any principle in regard to slavery, now abruptly and opportunely expired.  There had been an attempt once before, and that time mainly among the Democrats, to create a new “Free-soil Party,” but it had come to very little.  This time a permanent fusion was accomplished between the majority of the former Whigs in the North and a numerous secession from among the Northern Democrats.  They created the great Republican party, of which the name and organisation have continued to this day, but of which the original principle was simply and solely that there should be no further extension of slavery upon territory present or future of the United States.  It naturally consisted of Northerners only.  This was of course an ominous fact, and caused people, who were too timid either to join the Republicans or turn Democrat, to take refuge in another strange party, formed about this time, which had no views about slavery.  This was the “American” party, commonly called the “Know-Nothing” party from its ridiculous and objectionable secret organisation.  Its principle was dislike of foreign immigrants, especially such as were Roman Catholics.  To them ex-President Fillmore, protesting against “the madness of the times” when men ventured to say yes or no on a question relating to slavery, fled for comfort, and became their candidate for the Presidency at the next election.

It was in 1854 that Lincoln returned to political life as one of the founders of the Republican party.  But it will be better at once to deal with one or two later events with which he was not specially concerned.  The Republicans chose as their Presidential candidate in 1856 an attractive figure, John Fremont, a Southerner of French origin, who had conducted daring and successful explorations in Oregon, had some hand (perhaps a very important hand) in conquering California from Mexico, and played a prominent part in securing California for freedom.  The Southern Democrats again secured a Northern instrument in James Buchanan of Pennsylvania, an elderly and very respectable man, who was understood to be well versed in diplomatic and official life.  He was a more memorable personage than Pierce.  A great chorus of friendly witnesses to his character has united in ascribing all his actions to weakness.