II. Firebells

H. "Critical Year" of 1860

1. Democratic Convention in Charleston Apr. 23

• S. Dem. sought federal slave code in platform (Wm Yancey's Alabama Platform)
• N. Dem. sought popular sovereignty and Supreme Court ruling on power of territorial leg over slavery
• Popular sovereignty platform passed - Yancey and 49 from 8 states walked out
• Yancey speech for "a new revolution" and crowd cheer for the "Independent Southern Republic"
• Douglas failed to win 2/3 remaining delegates - to meet again in Baltimore
• 2nd southern walkout of 110 delegates, would meet in Richmond
• Baltimore convention nominated Stephen Douglas, but party split

2. Constitutional Union Party met May 9

• created by Old Whigs strongest in upper South
• nominated John Bell of TN

3. Republican Convention in Chicago May 16

• fear of choosing anyone too radical - Chase of Ohio, Seward of NY
• Seward had opposed 1850 Compromise, gave Higher Law speech, Irrepressible Conflict speech 1858
• Lincoln was moderate (slavery was moral evil but only to be contained), former Whig, railsplitter
• platform emphasis on economic program: protective tariff (esp. PA), homestead, rivers & harbors, railroads)
• PA and lower North shift to Lincoln

4. Southern Democrats met in Richmond June 11

• nominated John C. Breckinridge of KY

5. 1860 Election campaign

• Lincoln vs. Douglas in the North
• Breckinridge vs. Bell in the South
• solid Republican platform
• no fusion for Dem except Texas (Bell/Douglas won 24% vote)
• growing hysteria in South, but Repub refused to take threats seriously
• racism strong in North - NY Repub legislature sought amendment to elim. $250 property qualif for blacks, but only won 37% (yet Lincoln won 54% vote)
• slavery impt in upper North, economy in lower North
• Repub won Oct. state elections in PA, IN, IL

6. Lincoln won Nov. election

• 180 vs 123 electoral votes
• carried every free state except NJ
• won because strong antislavery coalition in North
• Charles F. Adams: "the great revolution has actually taken place... The country has once and for all thrown off the domination of the slaveholders."
• South perceived threat, began secession