Worst 1860 winner for the Union?

Who is most dangerous to the Union?

  • Abraham Lincoln, Republican

    Votes: 12 35.3%
  • Stephen Douglas, Democrat

    Votes: 2 5.9%
  • John Breckingbridge, Southern Democrat

    Votes: 18 52.9%
  • John Bell, Constitutional Unionist

    Votes: 2 5.9%

  • Total voters
    34
In terms of causing an immediate split, Lincoln is (obviously) the most likely. However, if Breckenridge had gotten elected, it might have delayed the Civil War a bit, but it could have ended up even uglier.
 
I don't think the North would have been determined enough to secede. After all, they'd gone along with many administrations that'd given the South everything they wanted. Plus, abolitionism wasn't anywhere near as popular as defending slavery was in the South, and no one except a few radical abolitionists like Garrison had ever talked of secession in the past forty years. So, the question is who would aggravate the South enough to secede.

Breckenridge is right out; he'd give them virtually whatever they wanted.
Bell is out as well; he'd represent a continuation of existing policy. The South might not like that, but it wouldn't represent anything the radical fire-eaters could spin into justifying secession.
Douglas is less certain. He favored leaving slavery alone permanently, and he was neutral on its expansion. Still, the South abhorred him after he'd abandoned them over Kansas.
Lincoln is certainly in, as per OTL.

Therefore, Lincoln is the worst for the Union in the short term because he is the best for humanity.
 
I went with Breckingbridge -- he sided with secession OTL, and the South wasn't the only territory willing to put it's foot down over the slavery issue (even if it wasn't the Northeast necessarily).

It looks like it's pretty much a choice between him and Lincoln himself on this question -- which isn't too surprising...
 
One consequence of a Breckinridge win - by postponing the war at least four years, it means that Lee will probbaly not be a leading figure due to failing health. Any thoughts on who replaces him?
 
Top