James Knox Polk entered the Presidency in 1845 with four objectives. He wanted to reduce the tariff, re-establish the independent treasury system, confirm American control over the Oregon lands, and acquire California. He accomplished all four objectives. The last of these four objectives required a war with Mexico.

Although the American army won the Mexican War quickly, the political repercussions remained for a whole generation. David Wilmot, a Democratic U.S. Representative from PA, offered a proviso that slavery would be forbidden in lands acquired as a result of the war. Many Northerners, who had never supported the war, did support the Wilmot Proviso. The New York Democratic Party split into two factions, each sending a full delegation to the National Convention.

The Democratic National Convention of 1848 was unclear how to proceed with the two New York delegations. After hours of debate, the convention voted to seat both delegations and give the delegates a half vote each. Both New York delegations rejected the compromise, and on each ballot New York cast 36 abstaining votes. The eventual winner of the presidential nomination, Lewis Cass, had lived in Zanesville earlier.

At the Whig National Convention, the sectional division was also apparent. On the first ballot, Zachary Taylor carried the southern states while Clay, Webster, and Winfield Scott divided the northern states. Enough Clay delegates defected to grant the nomination to Taylor on the fourth ball

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James Knox Polk entered the Presidency in 1845 with four objectives. He wanted to reduce the tariff, re-establish the independent treasury system, confirm American control over the Oregon lands, and acquire California. He accomplished all four objectives. The last of these four objectives required a war with Mexico.

Although the American army won the Mexican War quickly, the political repercussions remained for a whole generation. David Wilmot, a Democratic U.S. Representative from PA, offered a proviso that slavery would be forbidden in lands acquired as a result of the war. Many Northerners, who had never supported the war, did support the Wilmot Proviso. The New York Democratic Party split into two factions, each sending a full delegation to the National Convention.

The Democratic National Convention of 1848 was unclear how to proceed with the two New York delegations. After hours of debate, the convention voted to seat both delegations and give the delegates a half vote each. Both New York delegations rejected the compromise, and on each ballot New York cast 36 abstaining votes. The eventual winner of the presidential nomination, Lewis Cass, had lived in Zanesville earlier.

At the Whig National Convention, the sectional division was also apparent. On the first ballot, Zachary Taylor carried the southern states while Clay, Webster, and Winfield Scott divided the northern states. Enough Clay delegates defected to grant the nomination to Taylor on the fourth ballot.

When the two major parties nominated Taylor and Cass, who did not support the Wilmot Proviso, the antislavery leaders in Ohio called for a national convention of a new Free Soil Party. The Free Soilers met in Buffalo and nominated Martin Van Buren for President.

The Free Soil Party was the most significant third party that had contested a presidential election up to that time. Van Buren had a large following among Democrats in New York and Massachusetts. In Ohio, most of Van Buren’s votes came from dissatisfied Whigs on the Western Reserve.

Zachary Taylor won a narrow victory in the presidential election. While he carried NY because the Democratic vote was split, he lost Ohio as a result of Whig defections to Van Buren. The Ohio state legislature was badly divided, with the Free Soilers holding the balance of power.

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