DBAHC federal government forces southern states back into the Union

I realize there are lots of threads about what would happen if those slave states hadn't seceded, or if more states had seceded, and the ramifications. But was there any plausible way that the federal government could have just reconquered those states? I realize its settled doctrine that states could secede but the Constitution is silent on that point and maybe they could have come up with some justification.
 
I think we would have to rely on Buchanan not getting re-elected. He had a very defeatist attitude on the secession of the South, and sort of... let it happen, which had negative impacts when it comes to the Californian Secession that happened but decades after the Southern Secession Crisis.
Best chance would be to have a more radical candidate win the election (which, honestly, isn't that hard. Anyone would be more radical than Buchanan), and have them declare the Southern Secession Crisis as unconstitutional, and recognize them as separatists. This would lead to a Civil War, obviously.

I guess if that's too much of a push, avoid the economic crises that hit the USA around the time that the Confederate States shattered. They would've been able to scoop 'em up, declare a couple Black States to seal the votes, and then work on reconstructing Southern society.
 
What if the South assumed that they couldn’t secede without a fight and attacked first? Or the fighting in Kansas escalated into a full war? That way even a reluctant Union could be dragged into attempt at reunification.
 
I think we would have to rely on Buchanan not getting re-elected. He had a very defeatist attitude on the secession of the South, and sort of... let it happen, which had negative impacts when it comes to the Californian Secession that happened but decades after the Southern Secession Crisis.
Best chance would be to have a more radical candidate win the election (which, honestly, isn't that hard. Anyone would be more radical than Buchanan), and have them declare the Southern Secession Crisis as unconstitutional, and recognize them as separatists. This would lead to a Civil War, obviously.

I guess if that's too much of a push, avoid the economic crises that hit the USA around the time that the Confederate States shattered. They would've been able to scoop 'em up, declare a couple Black States to seal the votes, and then work on reconstructing Southern society.
Buchanan's passivity was at least sufficient enough to keep the secession small.

Anyone more radical, and the Upper South probably joins. Virginia alone would probably double the CSA's industrial strength....
 
Buchanan's passivity was at least sufficient enough to keep the secession small.

Anyone more radical, and the Upper South probably joins. Virginia alone would probably double the CSA's industrial strength....
Well, I suppose but, judging by the constitution of the CSA, I doubt that its army would be able to stand up to the United States' forces for long.
 

yoyo

Banned
Well, I suppose but, judging by the constitution of the CSA, I doubt that its army would be able to stand up to the United States' forces for long.
What's the United States? Is it another name for Drakenland?
 
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