Webster's Seventh of March Speech and the Secession Movement, 1850

"Webster's Seventh of March Speech and the Secession Movement, 1850" by Herbert Darling Foster is a historical exploration of the United States teetering on the brink of collapse in 1850 because of slavery and the threat of states leaving the Union. The story zeroes in on Daniel Webster’s attempt to bridge the gap between those against slavery and those for it, especially after the Mexican War added new lands that could become slave or free states. It examines what led up to Webster's important speech on March 7, 1850, pointing out how close the Southern states were to breaking away. The book puts forth reasons why Webster pushed for compromise to save the country, even though some people who wanted to end slavery thought he was betraying them. Drawing on letters and stories from that time, the author claims Webster's speech bought the nation valuable time and helped calm things down between the North and South for a while. In essence, the book retells a critical moment in time while also reconsiders Webster’s goals in that era’s heated political environment.