alternatehistory.com

Wrote a short scenario, what happens next?

The Civil War of 1801

Antony Lispenard had read the law, he couldn’t do his original plan but he had amended it. He wanted a Burr presidency. Burr was a true gentleman, one of birth and of lineage and not based on ones ownership of land or estates. But above all he was a friend and he was sure that Burr would reward him for that.

Originally, he planned to cast his two votes for Burr, but he couldn’t. Yet he could chose not to vote for Jefferson. It mattered not who he picked instead and so he decided upon Pinckney, mainly in the hopes to embarrass Adams by his supposed VP getting more electoral votes than him. Lispenard smiled as he cast his electoral votes.

...................

Jefferson was frantic, he counted again and again, it couldn’t be. He had a mere 72 electoral votes compared to Burr's 73. Adams and Pinckney had 65 each and there was a solitary vote for John Jay. This wasn’t right, it couldn’t be. That underhanded northern rogue had stolen the election and presidency. That bastard, would pay and this was not over. He held his emotions back as he announced the results. The crowd looked stunned and a murmur of commotion filled the room. After he read out the results he took a deep breath, he could hold his tongue no longer, he would keep this brief. ‘ This election has been stolen and I call on any true patriot to contest this most heinous theft’. The brief silence that filled the room as Jefferson spoke sank without a trace and soon pandemonium broke out. All the while Jefferson marched out of Congress to round up the militia and the loyal men of Virginia. Both Washington and the Presidency would be his by the days end.

..................

Burr sat in New York, waiting. He had kept himself sealed away till word reached him from Washington. He expected Jefferson to win but democracy was a fickle mistress. It was late in the evening when a scrawny boy wet to the bone appeared in front of him and as if struck by a sudden burst of energy, he exclaimed about the election, Burr’s victory, Jefferson’s swift exit, rumours of militia on the move and the flight of Federalists including the President from Washington. Burr was shocked, he had the title he wanted just not the nation. He had fought all his life and this was simply another war to fight. This one that was more personal however and of arguably higher stakes.
Top