- Joined
- Aug 25, 2012
I know many hate these what if question, but give this one a try.
What if Douglas had done better and carried enough states so the 1860 presidential election would have when to the House of Representatives to pick a president? I am going to all the electoral votes of California, Illinois, Oregon, Wisconsin, Oregon, and Iowa to the Douglas column. This gives us:
Lincoln 150 Electoral College votes
Breckenridge 72
Douglas 42
Bell 39
Who does the House elect president? The Republic party lack enough votes in the House (118 need 120) to elect Lincoln.The Democrats do not have enough votes to elected either Douglas or Breckenridge. The Constitutional Union Party (Bell) and the Union Party hold the winning votes. this is how I see it, but what do you think would happen.
1. If the House votes in Lincoln the South secedes
2. If the House votes in Douglas the South secedes and Douglas attends to stop them, so Civil War again.
3. If the House votes in Breckenridge the South may or may not secede. If they do leave, Breckenridge allows them to go and we avoid the Civil War. Perhaps the border states stay in the union perhaps not. Breckenridge may or may not give the U.S. Territories to the Confederacy but probably would allow the Territories to vote to stay of leave.
4. The House votes in Bell and the South probably secedes. It is unknown how Bell did not support disunion but how would handle secession is unknown.
I could see the Northern States accepting either Douglas or Bell as president, but I am not sure they would accept Breckenridge especially if he let the Southern State secede and take most of the Territories with them. The South did not like either Douglas or Bell so was a Breckenridge presidency the only way to avoid the war?
What if Douglas had done better and carried enough states so the 1860 presidential election would have when to the House of Representatives to pick a president? I am going to all the electoral votes of California, Illinois, Oregon, Wisconsin, Oregon, and Iowa to the Douglas column. This gives us:
Lincoln 150 Electoral College votes
Breckenridge 72
Douglas 42
Bell 39
Who does the House elect president? The Republic party lack enough votes in the House (118 need 120) to elect Lincoln.The Democrats do not have enough votes to elected either Douglas or Breckenridge. The Constitutional Union Party (Bell) and the Union Party hold the winning votes. this is how I see it, but what do you think would happen.
1. If the House votes in Lincoln the South secedes
2. If the House votes in Douglas the South secedes and Douglas attends to stop them, so Civil War again.
3. If the House votes in Breckenridge the South may or may not secede. If they do leave, Breckenridge allows them to go and we avoid the Civil War. Perhaps the border states stay in the union perhaps not. Breckenridge may or may not give the U.S. Territories to the Confederacy but probably would allow the Territories to vote to stay of leave.
4. The House votes in Bell and the South probably secedes. It is unknown how Bell did not support disunion but how would handle secession is unknown.
I could see the Northern States accepting either Douglas or Bell as president, but I am not sure they would accept Breckenridge especially if he let the Southern State secede and take most of the Territories with them. The South did not like either Douglas or Bell so was a Breckenridge presidency the only way to avoid the war?