Let's say Douglas never makes his pledge not to accept the Presidency by the house delegations, and instead of going South to attempt to preserve the Union through dialogue, he decides to campaign in New York a little more, and narrowly takes it over Lincoln, depriving Lincoln of the majority. So the candidates for President are Lincoln, Douglas, Breckenridge or if they don't move fast, Joe Lane.
The delegation breakdown was:
Republican: 15 (2 short)
N. Democrat: 1
S. Democrat: 13
Ex-Whigs: 1
Kentucky and Maryland were split between Southern Democrats and Ex-Whigs and Missouri was split between Northern and Southern Democrats.
Southern Democrats do not support Douglas, hoping instead to run out the clock and swear in Lane. Douglas is selected as the compromise candidate of Ex-Whig delegations and Republicans.
Feeling cheated, South Carolina and other states of the original Confederacy (but a bit later due to the drama unfolding in the House). Douglas would try to negotiate with them, but in real life when he saw negotiation as impossible, he wanted Lincoln to crush the revolt with 200,000 volunteers (as opposed to the 75,000 he called for). So, how would the Upper South respond to a invasion of their sister states by Douglas as opposed to Lincoln?
The delegation breakdown was:
Republican: 15 (2 short)
N. Democrat: 1
S. Democrat: 13
Ex-Whigs: 1
Kentucky and Maryland were split between Southern Democrats and Ex-Whigs and Missouri was split between Northern and Southern Democrats.
Southern Democrats do not support Douglas, hoping instead to run out the clock and swear in Lane. Douglas is selected as the compromise candidate of Ex-Whig delegations and Republicans.
Feeling cheated, South Carolina and other states of the original Confederacy (but a bit later due to the drama unfolding in the House). Douglas would try to negotiate with them, but in real life when he saw negotiation as impossible, he wanted Lincoln to crush the revolt with 200,000 volunteers (as opposed to the 75,000 he called for). So, how would the Upper South respond to a invasion of their sister states by Douglas as opposed to Lincoln?