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　　The election of 1856 focused on the issue ofslavery in Kansas territory. For several years,settlers in Kansas struggled over whether to permitslavery. Some wanted to make slavery legal inKansas. But most did not. Disputes over thelegalization of slavery turned violent.

　　The Democrats were the main party at the time. Their leader, President Franklin Pierce, held theWhite House.

　　James Buchanan was a northerner who said he would protect the South's rights.

　　Pierce wanted to be reelected for a second term. Many northern Democrats, however, objectedto his support of a pro-slavery legislature in Kansas. Other Democrats did not think he wasthe strongest candidate. Many in his own party said they would nominate "anybody butPierce."

　　Pierce's main opponent was James Buchanan of Pennsylvania. Buchanan had a long politicalcareer as a congressman, senator and secretary of state.

　　The Democratic Party leadership met in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. Their meeting was the firsttime a political party held its national convention that far west.

　　After several days of voting, James Buchanan received the party's nomination. Franklin Piercewould not be president again. The 1856 election was the first time an American political partydid not nominate a president who wanted to seek reelection.

　　A Secret, Anti-Immigrant Party Challenges the Democrats

　　Two other major parties of the time also proposed presidential candidates.

　　One was the Know-Nothing Party. It began as a secret, anti-immigrant organization. Partymembers feared too many people from other countries were coming to live in the United States.The Know-Nothings were especially concerned about the rising number of Catholic immigrants.

　　Party members did not want to admit they belonged to the group. When asked, they said, "Iknow nothing." And that is how the organization got its name.

　　Republicans Unite Against Slavery

　　The other party, the Republican Party, formed after Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Actin 1854. The Act said settlers in Kansas and Nebraska could decide for themselves whether theywanted slavery to be legal. The Act was disputed because it replaced a previous law thatbanned slavery forever in the territories.

　　Michael Holt is a historian. He says the Kansas-Nebraska Act is perhaps the single mostimportant law passed by Congress.

　　"For no other law, no other law, ever passed by Congress has been responsible for the creationof a new political party that has proved to be a permanent fixture in America's two partysystem."

　　Republican Party members came almost entirely from northern states. They opposed slaveryfor either moral or economic reasons.

　　For the 1856 election, Republicans nominated John Frémont.

　　Frémont had explored the American West. He had briefly represented California in the U.S.Senate. He was young and exciting. Republicans thought he was the right man to lead theiryoung and exciting party.

　　But Frémont could not expect to win any votes in the slave states of the South. JamesBuchanan, on the other hand, had said the constitutional rights of the southern states shouldbe protected – including the right to own slaves. When all the votes were counted, Buchananwon the election.

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