A farkon shekarun 1850, Lincoln ya goyi bayan sassan sassan, kuma jawabinsa na 1852 ga Clay ya mayar da hankali ga goyon bayan wannan na ƙarshe don samun 'yanci na hankali da kuma adawa da "duka tsattsauran ra'ayi" a kan batun bautar. Yayin da shekarun 1850 suka ci gaba, muhawara game da bautar a cikin yankin Nebraska da Kansas Territory ya zama mai tsanani, kuma Sanata Douglas ya ba da shawara ga mulkin mallaka na jama'a a matsayin sulhu; wannan shawara zai ba da damar zaɓaɓɓen zaɓaɓɓen kowane yanki don yanke shawara game da matsayin bautar.
Jam'iyyar Whig