[Doug64]

Today is Election Day in the US, and the anniversary of the election of Abraham Lincoln and the beginning of the American Civil War. In honor of this anniversary, this thread will cover that crisis on a day-by-day basis. There won’t be entries for every day (there were actually days where nothing happened), and many days will be a line or two, but still, I thought it would be interesting to see that war s it unfolded for those that lived through it.

November 6, Tuesday

Abraham Lincoln is elected sixteenth President of the United States, with Hannibal Hamlin of Maine his Vice-President. The Republican ticket of Lincoln and Hamlin receive 1,866,452 votes and 180 electoral votes in 17 of the 33 states. The Northern Democratic ticket of Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois and Herschel V. Johnson of Georgia draw 1,376,957 votes, but only 12 electoral votes, 9 from Missouri and 3 of the New Jersey votes. John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky and Joseph Lane of Oregon on the Southern Democratic ticket receive 849,781 votes from 11 of the 15 slave states, for 72 electoral votes. Constitutional Unionists John Bell of Tennessee and Edward Everett of Massachusetts draw 588,879 votes, for 39 electoral votes in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. Because of fusion tickets and sectional difficulties, none of the candidates was on every ballot in all 33 states. While Lincoln is thus a minority President in the popular vote with just over a third of the ballots, he does receive a majority of the electoral votes, 180 to 123 for the other three candidates combined. Douglas’ poor electoral showing but high popular vote is due in part to the fact that he was the leading opponent to Lincoln in the populous North, where in some states Douglas and Lincoln were quite close.

While all the results show sectional voting to some extent, those of Lincoln and Breckinridge are the most pronounced. Only Bell carries his home county in the voting. Lincoln carries all the free states but none of the slave states. While trying to play down the radical label, the Republicans have been considered radical in the entire slave state area. In New Jersey Lincoln has four electoral votes to three for Douglas.

Mr. Lincoln spends the day in Springfield seeing visitors and receiving reports by telegraph. By 10 p.m. victory seems near, but there is still doubt — until Pennsylvania comes in Republican. As the victory is confirmed the President-elect visits the Watson Saloon, where a hundred female voices sing, “Ain’t you glad you joined the Republicans? Joined the Republicans, Ain’t you glad you joined the Republicans, down in Illinois?” At Democratic headquarters gloom sets in. In Mobile, Alabama, Douglas is in the office of the Mobile Register arguing with its editor that the results do not mean secession. But the senator’s attitude is described as “hopeless.”

For the Senate the voters decide that the Republicans will have 29 seats to 37 in opposition. In the House there will be 108 Republicans to 129 others. But soon, with secession, and some realignment, the Republicans will gain workable margins.

[Doug64]

November 7, Wednesday

At Charleston, South Carolina, the palmetto flag raises in defiance of the election of Lincoln. That city’s authorities arrest a Federal officer for trying to transfer supplies from the Charleston Arsenal to Fort Moultrie. Business is largely suspended and crowds fill the streets to read the bulletin boards. Some cheer for a Southern Confederacy. A judge tells his court, “So far as I am concerned, the Temple of Justice raised under the Constitution of the United States is now closed. If it shall never again be opened I thank God that its doors have been closed before its altar has been desecrated with sacrifices to tyranny.”

Indignation meetings are held in many Southern communities and victory meetings in many Northern communities.

At Springfield congratulations pour in to Lincoln at his State House office.

[Rich]

The intro failed to mention that southern fascists kept Lincoln off the ballot in southern states and used fascist methods to stop men voting for him in what would become the border states.

[One Degree]

I didn’t think it would take long for liberals to see the danger of having a day to day history lesson on the civil war. Their fantasies they rely on for propaganda don’t stand up to the realities. Ban the truth.

[Potemkin]

Spoiler: show

The South loses.

[Heisenberg]

I didn’t think it would take long for liberals to see the danger of having a day to day history lesson on the civil war. Their fantasies they rely on for propaganda don’t stand up to the realities. Ban the truth.

But not to be tedious in enumerating the numerous changes for the better, allow me to allude to one other -- though last, not least. The new constitution has put at rest, forever, all the agitating questions relating to our peculiar institution -- African slavery as it exists amongst us -- the proper status of the negro in our form of civilization. This was the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution. Jefferson in his forecast, had anticipated this, as the "rock upon which the old Union would split." He was right. What was conjecture with him, is now a realized fact. But whether he fully comprehended the great truth upon which that rock stood and stands, may be doubted. The prevailing ideas entertained by him and most of the leading statesmen at the time of the formation of the old constitution, were that the enslavement of the African was in violation of the laws of nature; that it was wrong in principle, socially, morally, and politically. It was an evil they knew not well how to deal with, but the general opinion of the men of that day was that, somehow or other in the order of Providence, the institution would be evanescent and pass away. This idea, though not incorporated in the constitution, was the prevailing idea at that time. The constitution, it is true, secured every essential guarantee to the institution while it should last, and hence no argument can be justly urged against the constitutional guarantees thus secured, because of the common sentiment of the day. Those ideas, however, were fundamentally wrong. They rested upon the assumption of the equality of races. This was an error. It was a sandy foundation, and the government built upon it fell when the "storm came and the wind blew."

Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner- stone rests upon the great truth, that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery -- subordination to the superior race -- is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth.

[Rich]

I didn’t think it would take long for liberals to see the danger of having a day to day history lesson on the civil war. Their fantasies they rely on for propaganda don’t stand up to the realities. Ban the truth.

I presume this a response to my post.

In which case you are the one engaging in fantasy. I do not wish to close the thread I welcome it. As a member of the far centre, I am happy to debate with left, right and establishment centre. I am a Liberal and as such I of course condemn the Rupublican's support for tarrifs, however Lincoln was absolutely right:

A democratic multicultural house can not stand!

[One Degree]

Just like today, they had arguments to ‘rally the people’ and ‘arguments of political philosophy’ they felt were above the common man’s understanding and therefore down played to the public. To select such a quote from that time as evidence would be no different than using one of Trump’s tweets as evidence of his entire philosophy today.

@Rich No it was not directed at you specifically. I just anticipated objections as soon as I read the first post.

[Heisenberg]

Just like today, they had arguments to ‘rally the people’ and ‘arguments of political philosophy’ they felt were above the common man’s understanding and therefore down played to the public. To select such a quote from that time as evidence would be no different than using one of Trump’s tweets as evidence of his entire philosophy today.

You're absolutely right. It was ridiculous for me to cite a speech by one of the signers of the Confederate constitution explaining precisely why the Confederacy seceded as evidence of why the Confederacy seceded.

[One Degree]

You're absolutely right. It was ridiculous for me to cite a speech by one of the signers of the Confederate constitution explaining precisely why the Confederacy seceded as evidence of why the Confederacy seceded.

I never said it was ridiculous, just that it only emphasizes one facet to justify political philosophy today. Was racism the only issue this election? Was it fought and decided solely on that basis? Would it be fair for future history to report it as so?

[Doug64]

I never said it was ridiculous, just that it only emphasizes one facet to justify political philosophy today. Was racism the only issue this election? Was it fought and decided solely on that basis? Would it be fair for future history to report it as so?

Slavery wasn't the only issue during the election, but it was the issue that caused the Deep South to secede.

[One Degree]

Slavery wasn't the only issue during the election, but it was the issue that caused the Deep South to secede.

Meh, that could be considered a matter of semantics. It was definitely the intrusion too far on state’s rights, but to say slavery was the sole issue is misleading imo.

[Doug64]

November 8, Thursday

“The tea has been thrown overboard, the revolution of 1860 has been initiated,” states the Charleston, South Carolina, Mercury in commenting on the election.

[Doug64]

November 9, Friday

In the last few months of his administration, President James Buchanan faces a dilemma. He is opposed to secession but feels powerless to prevent it. His Cabinet is split pro- and anti-secession. General Winfield Scott has given advice which includes setting up four nations out of the present United States. On November 9 the President, nearly seventy, calls a Cabinet meeting to plan the State of the Union message. Mr. Buchanan asks the opinion of his Cabinet on responses to the threat of secession. The President himself proposes a general convention of the states, as provided by the Constitution, to plan some sort of compromise. Secretary of State Lewis Cass of Michigan speaks in favor of the Union, condemning secession and advocating the use of force. Attorney General Jeremiah Sullivan Black of Pennsylvania also strongly opposes secession and favors sending a force to Charleston. Postmaster General Joseph Holt of Kentucky opposes secession but is not in favor of a convention. Howell Cobb of Georgia, Secretary of the Treasury, thinks disunion necessary, desirable, and legal. Jacob Thompson, Secretary of the Interior from Mississippi, says any show of force by the government will move Mississippi to disunion. Secretary of War John B. Floyd of Virginia is opposed to secession at this time because he thinks the Lincoln administration will fail. Secretary of the Navy Isaac Toucey of Connecticut favors the constitutional convention.

The papers of the nation are taking their stand, their editorial comment a reflection of their section and politics. However, the New York Tribune leads important journals in proposing that the “erring sisters” be allowed to go in peace: “We hope never to live in a republic whereof one section is pinned to the residue by bayonets.”

[Doug64]

November 10, Saturday

The legislature of South Carolina passes a law calling for a convention to meet at Columbia December 17 to consider the question of secession from the Union. US Senators James Chesnut, Jr., and James H. Hammond of South Carolina resign their seats in the Senate. South Carolina is now in the forefront of the secession movement, with other deep South states following, while middle South and border states are waiting and watchful.

In Springfield Mr. Lincoln is still reluctant to speak as he writes, “I could say nothing which I have not already said, and which is in print, and open for the inspection of all. To press a repetition of this upon those who have listened, is useless; to press it upon those who have refused to listen, and still refuse, would be wanting in self-respect, and would have an appearance of sycophancy and timidity, which would excite the contempt of good men, and encourage bad ones to clamor the more loudly.”

A clamor there is, but on both sides. While Mr. Lincoln remains silent, many talk in print or in loud voices. Secession is now inevitable; go, and good riddance! No, others say, secession can never happen.

[Doug64]

November 12, Monday

The financial market in New York experiences heavy selling with a sharp drop in prices.

[Rich]

So can anyone explain to me why it was so evil for the Confederates to want maintain slavery, when it had become so productive and useful, helping provide affordable clothing for ordinary working people, but it wasn't evil for the majority of the founders to want maintain slavery in order to provide cheap tobacco?

Or more specifically how do these anti Dixie racist bigots justify tearing down Confederate monuments while leaving up monuments to the founder slave owners?

[One Degree]

Only 5% of Southerners owned slaves. If you look at the last chart here...
https://faculty.weber.edu/kmackay/stati ... lavery.htm
You can see virtually all the slaves were owned by a small fraction of that 5%.
I have read the arguments about how this doesn’t matter and everyone benefitted from slavery and therefore fought the Civil War for the sole purpose of preserving it. I call bullshit. This is the equivalent of saying I would fight a war for a few rich men to own Cadillacs.
Our history is very distorted by the winners and further distorted by the civil rights movement. You don’t kill people over slaves you don’t own. You will kill them to have the right to make your own decisions.

[Rich]

You will kill them to have the right to make your own decisions.

Filthy Confederate lies. The Confederate Constitution took away the right of the States to choose whether they have slavery. It wasn't the decision of Dredd Scott that the Yankee freedom fighters objected to, but the accompanying declaration that took away the right of local communities to choose whether they wanted slavery.

[One Degree]

Filthy Confederate lies. The Confederate Constitution took away the right of the States to choose whether they have slavery. It wasn't the decision of Dredd Scott that the Yankee freedom fighters objected to, but the accompanying declaration that took away the right of local communities to choose whether they wanted slavery.

The Yankees were fighting for Southern state’s rights? Lmao.
BTW My direct ancestors fought out of Illinois for the North and were almost certainly part of the Underground Railroad, so I have no reason to spread Confederate lies.