CHAPTER VI. THE EVOLUTION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. Pro-slavery reaction--Indiana and Ohio--Race for Congress--Free Soil gains in other States--National Convention at Cleveland-- National canvass of 1852--Nomination of Pierce and Scott, and the "finality" platforms--Free Soil National Convention--Nomination of Hale--Samuel Lewis--The Whig canvass--Webster--Canvass of the Democrats--Return of New York "Barnburners" to the party--The Free Soil campaign--Stumping Kentucky with Clay--Rev. John G. Fee-- Incidents--Mob law in Indiana--Result of the canvass--Ruin of the Whigs--Disheartening facts--The other side of the picture. The reaction which followed the passage of the compromise acts of 1850 was quite as remarkable as the anti-slavery revolt of 1848, which frightened the champions of slavery into the espousal of these desperate measures. Immense meetings were held in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and other cities and towns throughout the country, in which leading Whigs and Democrats united in pledging themselves to make the suppression of abolitionism paramount to any question of party allegiance. These demonstrations were vigorously seconded by leading clergymen and doctors of divinity, whose sermons were plentifully scattered over the land under the frank of members of Congress and otherwise. The press put forth its whole power on the side of anti-slavery submission and peace, while the Executive and Judicial departments of the Government made haste to abase themselves by their super-serviceable zeal in the enforcement of the new Fugitive Slave law. The tables seemed to be completely turned, and the time-honored rule of our slave-masters impregnably re-established. The anti-slavery commotion which a little while before had rocked the country from one end of the Union to the other was hushed in the restored order which succeeded, and gave promise of that longed-for "finality" for which the two great parties had so ardently labored.