A Douglas Presidency?

What would Stephen A. Douglas be like as a President? Let's assume he secures the Democratic nomination in '56, and achieves the Presidency (bearing in mind that even when he went fourth-party he got 29% of the popular vote - against Lincoln - so I don't see this as unreasonable.)
 
At the very least I think theres a good chance the Civil War is delayed until 1864, Douglas can and will run for two terms and win if he can juggle.
 
At the very least I think there's a good chance the Civil War is delayed until 1864, Douglas can and will run for two terms and win if he can juggle.
Not sure about this, If whe have the same Dred Scott decidsion.
And if the same Tensions arise in the 35th Congress, [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/35th_United_States_Congress ]
And whe get the Abolitionists giving the Republicans a plurality in the 36th Congress [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/36th_United_States_Congress ]
Whe may have the same walkout of the South.

The Question then becomes if Douglas would take the same -It's is illegal, But I don't have any authority to stop them - attitude that Pierce did.
 
Douglas died in June, 1861. He did not even finish his term in the senate. Sure, he could have been elected in 1856 but would not have served two terms.
 
Had Douglas been nominated (and I assume almost certainly elected) in 1856 what sort of VP would he have had. Given that he died in 1861 in OTL his VP is pretty crucial.

I suspect he would have had to have chosen someone from the Ultra Southern wing to be nomineee,.

I am sure that Douglas would not have backed the outragous fraud that was the Lecompton Constitution in Kansas. I think that the plain distortion of 'popular soveriegnty' was a factor in the Republcan sweep in 1860 (along with Dred Scott - which a Douglas Presidency would not have changed.)

Had he been President could Douglas have died EARLIER- the job is stressful, and in those days having access to the best medical care is at best a mixed blessing.

However if Douglas did live to run and win in 1860 I guess an ultra pro slavery President suceeding Douglas would have made the Republican triumph in 1864- and in fact the mid term elections of 1862 rather substantial.
 
Douglas died in June, 1861. He did not even finish his term in the senate. Sure, he could have been elected in 1856 but would not have served two terms.

As I recall, Douglas died from a virus (Typhoid rings a bell) or something similarly non-inherent. If that is the case, then that will be butterflied away.
 

oberdada

Gone Fishin'
No Douglas-Lincoln debates for the senate seat in 1856 then.
No "A house united..." Speech, interesting...

Would this mean Senator Lincoln in 1856?
 
Not sure about this, If whe have the same Dred Scott decidsion.
And if the same Tensions arise in the 35th Congress, [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/35th_United_States_Congress ]
And whe get the Abolitionists giving the Republicans a plurality in the 36th Congress [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/36th_United_States_Congress ]
Whe may have the same walkout of the South.

The Question then becomes if Douglas would take the same -It's is illegal, But I don't have any authority to stop them - attitude that Pierce did.

Douglas was an ardent Unionist. If the South walked out on his watch there would be war.
 
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