Election of 1848

I am not very involved with politics or the new election that is to take place. I have been hearing all about the candidates and their thoughts through my husband. Zachary shares with me the news and information going on in the election. According to him slavery expansion and limitation has become a huge topic that is discussed by the candidates. He has been telling me something about the Wilmot Proviso and I read more about it in the newspaper. I found that it was a suggested law created by David Wilmot proposing that the new land conquered in the Mexican American war should be free. I honestly agree with this as does my husband. He has told me that when he was thinking about if he likes the Democrats or the Whigs but he has also found that a new political party has emerged. He found that several factions that believe in the Wilmot Proviso have formed the Free-Soil Party. This new party wishes to have a nation only made from freedom and Martin Van Buren is running for this party. The Whigs have elected Zachary Taylor for president and Governor Lewis Cass of Michigan is representing the Democrats. I personally would vote for the Free-Soil Party but I have no say in the voting process but this doesn't stop me from talking about the election with my husband. I like the idea of keeping slavery out of the western territories but my husband doesn't think this will go well with the South. The Free-Soil party has brought the other parties to having to publicly discuss their thoughts on slavery. Finally nothing will be hidden from the election! The Free-Soil Party has produced so much good and it has only just started! I wish I was able to vote but my husband has told me that the Free-Soil party is no longer the best option. Since the Whigs and Democrats had to address the ideas of slavery a new idea has appeared called popular sovereignty. This idea slightly confused me but my husband said that the parties use this  method in order to gain more votes from the north and south. Popular sovereignty states that the territory should be determined by the people if it will be a free or slave state rather than congress choosing. I still don't agree with the ideas of Taylor or Cass they just seem so similar but my husband told me I was wrong. He has informed me that Cass is a supporter of popular sovereignty but he doesn't support the Wilmot Proviso. The other candidate, Taylor reveals very little about his opinions but he's a slave owner. How could someone possibly vote for either of these candidates? They seem to contradict their own ideas and it is unclear to me how they can run this country. I have informed my husband of my opinions but he has decided to vote for Whig candidate, Zachary Taylor. This election surprises me, the votes are scattered, some southern states voted for Taylor while northern states did to. It surprises me how some of the north and south was able to agree on one thing. Maybe Zachary Taylor will actually be able to control our nation and solve the differences of the north and south.

"Shelton State | US History." Shelton State | US History. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.