Answer: Both the Free-Soil Party and the Republican Party in the mid-1800s shared a common stance on the issue of slavery.
The Free-Soil Party emerged in the 1840s and 1850s as a political party primarily focused on opposing the expansion of slavery into the western territories of the United States. They believed that slavery was a moral wrong and argued for the restriction of its expansion. The party consisted of a coalition of anti-slavery Democrats, Whigs, and abolitionists.
Similarly, the Republican Party, founded in 1854, was formed by various anti-slavery activists, including former Free-Soilers. The Republicans also strongly opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories. While some members advocated for immediate abolition, the primary goal was to prevent the spread of slavery into the western states.
Both parties sought to limit the influence and expansion of slavery, although the Republican Party eventually evolved to become more explicitly anti-slavery and played a significant role in the eventual abolition of slavery with the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860.