Bryn Dunbar

My campaign ad supporting the candidacy of Lewis Cass for president in the Election of 1848 opens with a quote from the Democratic Platform on Slavery in 1848. The quote reads: “That all efforts of the abolitionists or others made to induce Congress to interfere with questions of slavery, or to take incipient steps in relation thereto are calculated to lead to the most alarming and dangerous consequences.”[1] I tried to use a font that would look like it was from a printing press to keep with the spirit of the age. This quote portrays abolitionists as aggressors who want to disrupt the stability of the country and also states that Congress had no right to interfere with slavery. The themes of popular sovereignty and aggressive abolitionists continue to be emphasized throughout the video. First, I show how ideas of popular sovereignty related to one of the current issue of the day: The Mexican-American War. Second, I juxtapose Cass and the idea of abolition, showing how he could stop this movement from gaining power and influence.

After the quote from the Democratic platform, I shift to Cass’s specific views regarding the territories acquired during the Mexican- American War and slavery. I introduce this idea with a newspaper clipping that reads “Gen. Cass on the War and Slavery.”[2] The Mexican-American War had only ended in February of 1848 so many of the questions regarding this conflict would still have been fresh on voters’ minds. I also like the way the Cass’s title in this clipping makes him seem something of an expert. When I chose this particular newspaper article I viewers to think: “Now a general, an expert on war will tell us about the war.”

A clipping that refers to a more specific issue regarding the territories acquired in the Mexican-American War follows; It reads “The Wilmot Proviso.” The Wilmot Proviso was proposed by Congressman David Wilmot in 1846 and suggested that all territories gained from Mexico either from the Mexican-American War would be free. This idea obviously would be very unpopular to those who favored popular sovereignty. First I show a clipping reading “The Wilmot Proviso”[3] is shown and then the words are struck out with a red “X” to show that this idea is something that Lewis Cass would not support.

Next, we hear from the man himself. I used part of a political cartoon, which portrays Cass speaking from a window in the White House.[4] I replaced the original words in Cass’s speech bubble with a quote from him regarding the idea of the Wilmot Proviso, which I had previously introduced, and popular sovereignty. Cass says, “Leave to the people who will be affected by this question, to adjust it upon their own responsibility, and we shall render another tribute to the principles of our government, furnish another guaranty for its permanence and prosperity.”[5] I choose to have Cass speaking in the White House to make him appear presidential and tie him to the presidency in viewers’ minds. His quote shows that he is supportive of popular sovereignty and ties this idea to principles of our nation and even preventing the downfall of the government or the break up of the union. In this way popular sovereignty appears patriotic to the viewer.

Cass’s quote is followed by a quote from Stephen Douglas, a Democratic Senator from Illinois. Douglas was also a proponent of popular sovereignty and would rise to prominence as Abraham Lincoln’s opponent in politics. Here he states: “I will vote for no man who is in favor of the Wilmot Proviso.”[6] With this quote I wanted to reinforce yet again that Democrats do no vote for proposals that would automatically create free territories within the United States.

Now the video transitions from ideas about Cass and popular sovereignty as it related to the Mexican-American War and explores how Cass would oppose the Abolitionist Movement. First I show a political cartoon, which depicts Cass as a Bowery Boy.[7] I zoom in on Cass who is fighting Taylor. Cass appears to be physically strong, and competent in fight while his dress ties him to the Bowery Boys, a gang based in New York City with nativist, anti-Irish, anti-Catholic sentiments. By choosing this particular image, I appeal to part of the Democratic bases and emphasize some of Cass’s leadership qualities. The screen then shifts focus and zooms in on the figure of Abolition. The figure is shown as defeated. I hoped to imply that Cass would be able to defeat the Abolitionist Movement just as easily as he had defeated the figure of Abolition in the cartoon. I also still wanted to portray abolition as a threat. When the figure of Abolition is shown, the music changes from “Hail to the Chief” which I chose to establish a link between Cass and the presidency, and switches to Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D minor.” The song is ominous and the abrupt change in music, as well as the red words of “Abolition” which appear on screen, shows that abolition is real threat that is lurking in the nation.

Then another cartoon appears as “Hail to the Chief” starts up again. This time Cass and his running mate Butler are depicted as horses pulling a chariot of liberty to the White House.[8] Again I wanted to emphasize how Cass is portrayed as being physically strong and superior to Taylor who is trying to catch up to Cass by riding a horse and not on his own body power. The shot zooms in on Cass to highlight this fact. Next the shot zooms in the figure of Abolition that has been run over by Cass. Here I use the same methods that were used previously to show that Abolition is a threat to the nation, but one the can easily be stopped by Cass.

I end the film with “Hail to the Chief” playing and a newspaper clipping stating that Cass and Butler are candidate for President and Vice President in the coming November election[9] to encourage voters to get out and vote for them. I emphasize this by showing a portrait of the two candidates.[10]