Emphasis Preaching Journal

Early in the Mexican-American War of the 1840s, a Pennsylvania Democratic representative introduced a provision to ban slavery within territory acquired as a result of the war. This legislation, part of a larger treaty to be brokered with the Mexican government, was named the Wilmot Proviso and reflected the growing antislavery sentiment in the northern states. The provision was intended to secure more land for a growing nation, and to assure that the estranging and hostile character of slavery was not allowed to compromise newly-won freedom.