1854-Early: The agitation surrounding the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the proposed annexation of Cuba began to dominate American political discourse, pushing the…

1854-Early: The agitation surrounding the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the proposed annexation of Cuba began to dominate American political discourse, pushing the “Haitian question” further into the background. John Bigelow, after a visit to the island, wrote to Charles Sumner that the “storm clouds of slavery” were gathering so fast that focusing on Haiti felt like “fiddling while the country was burning.” Sumner, however, remained committed to the cause, indicating that if any motion were made to recognize the Dominican Republic, he would insist on an amendment to include Haiti. This linkage ensured that any diplomatic progress for the white-led Dominican Republic would be blocked by Southern senators to avoid setting a precedent for Haiti.