Wolfpaw
Banned
John Bell was a curious fellow. A slaveholder from Tennessee, Bell started out as a Democrat, then switched over to the Whig camp due to a falling out with Andrew Jackson, earning him the moniker of "the Great Apostate."
He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, served as Speaker for a bit, less than a year as Secretary of War under William Henry Harrison and John Tyler, and then went on to serve in the U.S. Senate.
He is perhaps best remembered now as a presidential candidate in the chaotic election of 1860 for the Constitutional Union Party, a sort of bizarre hodgepodge of Southern Democrats and Whigs who didn't go over to the Republicans. In a strange turn of fate, he actually managed to garner more electoral votes than Stephen Douglas, even though Douglas came in second in the popular vote.
So let's say Bell wins the 1860 election. Granted, that's probably bordering the realm of ASBs, but let's go with it. What would a Bell Administration look like? What would the effects be on the Civil War? Would it be delayed, would it break out as in OTL, etc., etc. How about his Cabinet? Foreign policy? Would he accept Britain, France, and Spain's invitation to invade Mexico?
What in the world would happen if the USA had ever had John Bell as president?
He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, served as Speaker for a bit, less than a year as Secretary of War under William Henry Harrison and John Tyler, and then went on to serve in the U.S. Senate.
He is perhaps best remembered now as a presidential candidate in the chaotic election of 1860 for the Constitutional Union Party, a sort of bizarre hodgepodge of Southern Democrats and Whigs who didn't go over to the Republicans. In a strange turn of fate, he actually managed to garner more electoral votes than Stephen Douglas, even though Douglas came in second in the popular vote.
So let's say Bell wins the 1860 election. Granted, that's probably bordering the realm of ASBs, but let's go with it. What would a Bell Administration look like? What would the effects be on the Civil War? Would it be delayed, would it break out as in OTL, etc., etc. How about his Cabinet? Foreign policy? Would he accept Britain, France, and Spain's invitation to invade Mexico?
What in the world would happen if the USA had ever had John Bell as president?