Why was the South in such a hurry to leave?

MikeyB

Sergeant
Joined
Sep 13, 2018
Why not give Lincoln a year and see how he governs? And if he goes on an antislavery crusade, then secede and fight. Weren't all of 1860 Lincoln's statements to the effect that I have no intention of interfering with slavery? Not to mention the fact that Lincoln is not an emperor and the South still has legitimate governmental institutions (and conservative Northern Democratic allies. Maybe even a conservative supreme court? Taney was still Chief Justice) to use to block any radical changes to the peculiar institution. So why did they feel that Lincoln, a guy who wasn't campaigning on abolishing slavery (at least I don't think) and who only cared about preserving the Union, would be so unreasonable that they just had to leave?

Was this just a SC thing? Perhaps the other 10 states WERE willing to give Lincoln a shot? And its just that after SC seceded, things unraveled and escalated so quickly and Southern honor forced their hand into solidarity?

Look forward to any thoughts!
mike
 
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