WI: President John C. Breckinridge
- Thread starter Reagent
- Start date
In that case we might get an actual civil war with two claimants to the legitimate US government instead of a war of secession. 
No, the capital merely would have been moved. DC isn't Paris or London where it is the biggest city as well as the capital. It would probably be a good thing in the long run as far too many troops were wasted guarding DC.
Umm, if Maryland seceded then DC would be surrounded on all sides by the Confederacy (presuming Virginia ditches too), that would be bad
Yes, it would be. So the capital would be moved. Capitals have been moved before , capitals have been moved before and the power moving it still winning the war. Outside of being the city that hosts the US government DC is of no real importance. DC isn't London or Paris or Rome where it is the most important city in the country.
usertron2020
Donor
1) Only if Breckinridge actively encourages it. The problem for him is that pre-Fort Sumter a lot of future CSA states remained in the Union.
2) Impossible. With Lincoln's election as far as the Fire Eaters were concerned the dye was cast. Besides, Breckinridge's heart would be even less in it than Buchanan's.
3) YES.
4) More likely he'd order all Federal assets handed over to his newly recognized Confederacy. He could well order all Federal forces in the CSA to surrender to the nearest Confederate authorities as well.
5) VERY good question. Probably arranges for a congressional denunciation of Breckinridge as a traitor. If he does all as you describe he certainly constitutionally qualifies. Lincoln breaks off diplomatic relations with the CSA. After that, Breckinridge is seen in the North as Benedict Arnold on steroids, human growth hormone, and amphetamines.
See below on #7.6) Probably OTL, as the Border States, Virginia, and Tennessee will be re-assured by Breckinridge's ascension and his subsequent actions ITTL.
7) Go South of course.
He'll have to if he wants to avoid a Federal treason trial that leads to the thirteen steps. I'm not joking. After all, if Breckinridge does as described above, then ALL Republicans and the soon-to-be) War Democrats will be howling for his blood. Post Lincoln's inauguration his very life could be in danger, even in Kentucky. BRECKINRIDGE HAS NO FUTURE IN THE UNION AFTER ALL OF THE ABOVE, AND WILL PROBABLY BE ON THE SAME BOAT AS CONFEDERATE SECRETARY OF STATE JUDAH BENJAMIN FLEEING THE CSA FOR LONDON.Assuming Confederate survival, Breckinridge would have an excellent political future in the Confederacy.
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Breckenridge was a good man who had always worked for what he believed to be the United States best interest - and he firmly believed the US was the greatest country with the finest democracy in the world - but he did believe that the individual states had the right to seceed, so he would not have opposed secession outright but he did want to keep the Union together and believed this could be done through negotiations and political discourse.
Realistically he had no chance of success. He was a moderate in a country that was increasingly becoming radicalised and where firebrands in both north and south would not countenance anything other than a hardline stance. He would have sought to settle the dispute bloodlessly but he would have failed.
The Deep South would seceed regardless and he would favour letting them good in peace and goodwill, but he would have lost the confidence of the remaining members of the senate and likely been voted out of office early.
All this, of course, assuming Lincoln is still set to take officer in 1861.
Realistically he had no chance of success. He was a moderate in a country that was increasingly becoming radicalised and where firebrands in both north and south would not countenance anything other than a hardline stance. He would have sought to settle the dispute bloodlessly but he would have failed.
The Deep South would seceed regardless and he would favour letting them good in peace and goodwill, but he would have lost the confidence of the remaining members of the senate and likely been voted out of office early.
All this, of course, assuming Lincoln is still set to take officer in 1861.
How would he constitutionally qualify, if the CSA leaves peacefully they aren't an enemy.
He would be conspiring against the USA if he turns over the federal assets in the south.
Anaxagoras
Banned
It's critical to remember that Breckinridge was not a secessionist and did not like the Fire-Eaters. He was pushed into running for President in 1860 and told everyone who would listen that he did not want to be a candidate. Nor was he really pro-slavery. He did not own slaves himself and there is evidence that he was a closet abolitionist (he subscribed to Frederick Douglass's newspaper, for example).
He was still a traitor who betrayed his home state and the United States to flee South and serve in the Confederate Army and government.
Anaxagoras
Banned
In the scenario described, I think he would have done his best to persuade the Southern political leadership not to secede, working directly with Lincoln (who was a personal friend of his) to reassure the South that the incoming administration would not act against slavery. It would not surprise me if Lincoln offered Breckinridge a place in the Cabinet. Breckinridge would probably have not defended the federal forts and arsenals in the South, because he would have been very concerned to avoid bloodshed. Sadly, I don't think it would have done any good. The Fire-Eaters were determined to pull the South out of the Union and Breckinridge wouldn't have been able to stop them.
Although Breckinridge believed that secession was constitutional (if foolish), I don't think he would have recognized the Confederacy, seeing it as a decision to be made by the incoming administration.
Lots of possibilities and POD. I feel at best that he might be a wishy washy as Buchanan, and worse would have aided, overtly or covertly, the South.
If he tried to go too far, were there enough votes to impeach him before Lincoln's inauguration? If so, as I do not have it handy, would become the interim President? Or might Lincoln be sworn in early?
If he tried to go too far, were there enough votes to impeach him before Lincoln's inauguration? If so, as I do not have it handy, would become the interim President? Or might Lincoln be sworn in early?
It does, as it shows his outlook on the Confederacy and his personal feelings on the matter.
To be fair to John Breckenridge, he wanted to sit out of the war in neutrality in Kentucky.
Northern and Southern firebrands were determined to fight and he could do nothing to convince them to settle the dispute without conflict, so he left Washington and went to Kentucky, where he tried to convince his fellow Kentuckians to stay out of the coming war.
It was not until Kentucky's neutrality was breached, its government picked a side, and the Federals started arresting Kentuckians who sympathized with the South that Breckenridge decided to join the Confederacy.