Henry Clay played a pivotal role in, at least, delaying the Civil War. The Compromise of 1850 was the tool he used. "In brief remarks on January 29 and a much fuller speech days later, he specifically referred to his plan as a comprehensive 'compromise' that would settle all matters involving slavery then in dispute". (Holt, pg 68). In part, he counted on the fact that by the Texas-New Mexico dispute still lingered. His compromise included the passing of resolutions instead of laws. "Obviously aware of the odd configuration of New Mexico on Polk's 1848 map, Clay proposed to run the boundary separating Texas from New Mexico directly eastward along the thirty-second parallel" (Holt, pg 69). Anything south of this line would be included as an
