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No mention of the Breckinridge? He joined the CSA despite the fact that his home state, Kentucky, stayed with the Union! You know it's bad when you can't even use the "Well, he was just loyal to his state" excuse for him. Imagine if Buchanan had died in November of 1860, and we got Breckinridge in the secession winter! :eek:

Now this is an interesting question.

Let's assume that President Buchanan dies in November of 1860, after Abraham Lincoln has been elected. For simplicity's sake, lets assume he dies of illness or a heart attack. Accordingly, Vice President Beckinridge becomes President in the interim period between Buchanan's death and Lincoln's inauguration on March 4, 1861.

I presume the Secessionist Winter and the formation of the Confederacy would still occur (as Lincoln will still become President in 1861). That leaves me with a few questions:

  1. Would any additional state secede during the Secessionist Winter?
  2. Would Breckenridge attempt some sort of national reconciliation? What could this look like and would it have any chance of being successful?
  3. Assuming there is no attempt at national reconciliation or such attempts fail - would President Breckenridge recognize the C.S.A. as Independent and order federal assets to leave the Confederacy?
  4. Assuming Breckenridge extends diplomatic recognition to the C.S.A (this is within the powers of the President - correct?) - what does Lincoln do once he becomes President?
  5. What happens in the Upper South while all of this is going on?
  6. What does Breckenridge do in the aftermath of his Presidency?

I will be conducting some research into these questions myself, but I look forward to the input of the board. There might be a timeline arising from this.
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