George Edmund Badger: The Soul Of North Carolina Unionism

The most transformative period of American history, the antebellum era, saw the rise and fall of numerous political parties, countless debates about the nature of the union, and the descent of the nation into Civil War. This thesis focuses on George Edmund Badger, a staunchly constructionist Whig Senator from New Bern, North Carolina – the final state to secede from the Union – who served from 1846 to 1855. Focusing on Badger allows this work to be both a biography and an examination of how Whig politics influenced the level of Unionism in North Carolina. Through the use of speeches delivered by Badger during his time in the Senate and newspaper articles published in North Carolina, this study delves into what Badger and his constituents in the Tar Heel state thought about the key pieces of legislation from the antebellum era. It also highlights the secession crisis in North Carolina, Badger’s role in it, and what eventually influenced the Old North state to favor the Confederacy.