My TL Teaser: Reactions, Please

[terrellk]

I had originally posted this in the Writer's Forum to get some advice on my writing and to ask whether or not it would generate any interest. It has not received much reaction in that forum (I tell myself that this is because of the low foot traffic there), so I thought I'd try it here and see what folks in this forum think about it.

I have included, in addition to the original post, my rough draft of the presidents of this timeline up to the point of the prologue.

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So, I have no idea whether this is something I'm going to do or not. I've been working on this timeline for awhile (for those who have read the "TL Ideas You Have, but Lack the Wherewithal to Execute" thread, this is mine), but I haven't had the guts to post any part of it yet. So this is here to see what you, other writers, like and don't like about it, and also to see if there would be any interest at all in such a TL. I do have more to post if this generates any interest at all.

Without further ado, I present the teaser trailer for No Compromise: The World Without Henry Clay:

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“The death of President Adams is many things. It is a misfortune for his family and his country; it is untimely as we must continue to make preparations for war even with a new Commander in Chief of our armies, whose devotion to waging said war wavers even as I write; it is brutal as I hope will be the punishment dealt to this traitor Brown whose name ought be forgotten, but whose deeds have earned him a place among the likes of Brutus and Iscariot; most importantly, however, it is a catalyst for change.
“Always have I believed in my heart and preached with my words that the states which comprise our union, as well as our experiment in democracy and liberty that is linked to them inextricably, will fail if we do not cling to one another. There must be no issue which we let tear us asunder. However, the death of our President has made clear that the question of slavery will do just that if we do not find an answer for it. Around me I witness the angry and extreme words of men stoking the fires of discord that temper the swords of civil war. From the northern states I hear rhetoric from the so-called abolitionists who would free our slaves through means of instigating violent revolution. In my south, meanwhile, a new generation of men is rising, and these grand-children of the revolution believe that slavery is not a peculiar institution or a necessary evil which must be remedied; indeed they preach it as a positive good! How long this nation can stand peaceful while threats and insults are cast as casually as a fishing line into a calm lake is unclear.
What the murder of President Adams has made clear to me is this: that unless some person is willing and able to solve the riddle of slavery soon, more Americans from every section and state will be joining the martyred president who sits now at the right hand of God Almighty. I have resolved that I shall be the man to carry that burden.”
The Diary of John C. Calhoun March 12, 1837

Presidents of the United States of America:
1789 - 1797: George Washington
1797 - 1801: John Adams
1801 - 1809: Thomas Jefferson
1809 - 1817: James Madison
1817 - 1825: James Monroe
1825 - 1829: Andrew Jackson
1829 - 1837: John Quincy Adams
1837 - 1839: Richard Rush

[Mumby]

At a glance it looks like the Democratic-Republicans are doing very well. That paragraph is very well written by the way. I'm curious to know who America is at war with?

[terrellk]

Originally Posted by Mumby

At a glance it looks like the Democratic-Republicans are doing very well. That paragraph is very well written by the way. I'm curious to know who America is at war with?

Thanks for the feedback! I'm always nervous what people will think, so I'm glad that you think it's written well. The DRs are faring much better in this TL, as the opposition, led by Jackson, has been pretty much of a disaster to this point.

As to who the US is at war with, well I hate to give it away...it's a neighbor to our south whose name rhymes with Texaco...Haha.

The idea is that Adams, who was open to annexation in OTL as far back as his time in the presidency, agrees to annex earlier than OTL and a war starts as a result of a series of misunderstandings (not meant in a comical way) between the two nations.

[Darth_Kiryan]

Well Written paragraph. In fact, it has really good details.

Only problem i can see is that you have Andrew Jackson before JQA, which is weird, i can see it happening but i don't know if JQA could be President after Jackson, unless the POD is back far enough to possibly give Adams somemore appeal than OTL.

Plus, Calhoun's diary date is 1835, but, in the TL, it seems JQA dies in 1837.

Originally Posted by terrellk

The Diary of John C. Calhoun March 12, 1835

Presidents of the United States of America:
1789 - 1797: George Washington
1797 - 1801: John Adams
1801 - 1809: Thomas Jefferson
1809 - 1817: James Madison
1817 - 1825: James Monroe
1825 - 1829: Andrew Jackson
1829 - 1837: John Quincy Adams
1837 - 1839: Richard Rush

[terrellk]

Originally Posted by Darth_Kiryan

Well Written paragraph. In fact, it has really good details.

Only problem i can see is that you have Andrew Jackson before JQA, which is weird, i can see it happening but i don't know if JQA could be President after Jackson, unless the POD is back far enough to possibly give Adams somemore appeal than OTL.

Plus, Calhoun's diary date is 1835, but, in the TL, it seems JQA dies in 1837.

Thanks for pointing that out! It's a typo. The year should be 1837. The appeal of Adams in this timeline is that he's going to appear competent after the (mostly perceived) disaster of the Jackson presidency.

Thanks for the compliment on the writing, too. I put a lot of time into the parts I write, so I'm glad to hear that they aren't atrocious. Getting some positive feedback means I might start actually making this into a reality.