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I have an idea to have the ACW go worse for the Union, and as a result of that, California is seized by Southerners, slavery-sympathizers, and Californios (the Spanish/Mexicans within California).
Could the Californian rebels use the insane Norton as a puppet ruler in any way at all? How involved (or involved) would he be with governance? What would be the U.S.'s reaction to Californian secession at all, let alone a possible Norton Empire?