The politics in the United States during the 1850's were, to put it mildly, a gigantic trainwreck. They were divisive, polarized, and increasingly violent (as Bleeding Kansas would be able to tell you), and a famous part of it were threats of secession by the South, which, despite a long track record on the part of the Pierce and Buchanan administrations to bend their backs backward in order to cater to their ridiculous demands regarding slavery, for some reason felt oppressed as political opinion in (and the population balance of the nation leaned towards) the North turned increasingly against the morally abhorrent institution they were so despicably keen on. As well, they were utterly against any sort of abolitionist - even one like Lincoln who was chosen by the Republicans precisely because he was a moderate on the slavery question before the war - occupying the White House, which turned the previously fringe secessionist movement into political reality (no doubt helped by the fact that people like President Buchanan stoked the flames by speaking out against voting Republican by claiming the South would secede if they won).
But the abolitionist extremists (by contemporary standards, anyways; no use applying modern standards to the situation) were not the only ones involved in this total mess. There were also those aforementioned secessionists, those who supported secession even before 1860's results made it popular. The Fire-Eaters, as they were called, were the most extreme Southerners, fanatically devoted to the cause of slavery and all that entailed, the ones who were open with their threats of secession. Just as the South did not want any sort of abolitionist in the White House, neither would the North be very keen on a Fire-Eater in the White House. Not to say the North wasn't racist, it most certainly was, but the political movement of the Fire-Eaters was Southern nationalism at its heart and Northerners would hardly ever elect one president. Breckenridge's 1860 candidacy was the closest thing to a proper Fire-Eater candidate there ever was, and he was never going to win. And where a united North could elect an abolitionist on its own if it so wanted, the South could never have forced a Fire-Eater president. So a nominating convention would never nominate one, because they would be a sure loser.
But nonetheless, the question dangles there: what would happen if a Fire-Eater ended up as president? How would the North react? I don't think the North would secede (it was always Southerners who threatened this) short of somehow engineering a full-on collapse of the US, but if a Fire-Eater president decided to actively pursue some of the aims of the movement (God knows what one of them could have with the Dred Scott decision) the North could have a particular reaction to this. Possibly a civil war, not of the South seceding to defend slavery, but of the North revolting for a change in government to keep slavery out of their states. Possibly a very drastic change in government on top of that, if they develop specific grievances (the slave power theory could possibly even engender a major reform movement).
As for how it could happen, the main question is, if the North wouldn't accept a Fire-Eater president, perhaps they would accept a Fire-Eater VP, who then ascends to the presidency (points if the president is murdered by a Southern extremist, thus stoking Northern fears). Could this happen? The most obvious place for this to happen and then lead to a general election win is, I think, the 1856 Democratic National Convention. John Quitman, a notorious Fire-Eater was apparently a VP contender; I could see his nomination happening if Stephen Douglas manages to win the nomination that year and needs Southern buy-in for his bid, which Quitman would most certainly provide. And the GOP is still very new and Democratic opposition still sufficiently divided between the Republicans and Know-Nothings that even a ticket featuring Quitman could very well win anyway.
Thoughts?
But the abolitionist extremists (by contemporary standards, anyways; no use applying modern standards to the situation) were not the only ones involved in this total mess. There were also those aforementioned secessionists, those who supported secession even before 1860's results made it popular. The Fire-Eaters, as they were called, were the most extreme Southerners, fanatically devoted to the cause of slavery and all that entailed, the ones who were open with their threats of secession. Just as the South did not want any sort of abolitionist in the White House, neither would the North be very keen on a Fire-Eater in the White House. Not to say the North wasn't racist, it most certainly was, but the political movement of the Fire-Eaters was Southern nationalism at its heart and Northerners would hardly ever elect one president. Breckenridge's 1860 candidacy was the closest thing to a proper Fire-Eater candidate there ever was, and he was never going to win. And where a united North could elect an abolitionist on its own if it so wanted, the South could never have forced a Fire-Eater president. So a nominating convention would never nominate one, because they would be a sure loser.
But nonetheless, the question dangles there: what would happen if a Fire-Eater ended up as president? How would the North react? I don't think the North would secede (it was always Southerners who threatened this) short of somehow engineering a full-on collapse of the US, but if a Fire-Eater president decided to actively pursue some of the aims of the movement (God knows what one of them could have with the Dred Scott decision) the North could have a particular reaction to this. Possibly a civil war, not of the South seceding to defend slavery, but of the North revolting for a change in government to keep slavery out of their states. Possibly a very drastic change in government on top of that, if they develop specific grievances (the slave power theory could possibly even engender a major reform movement).
As for how it could happen, the main question is, if the North wouldn't accept a Fire-Eater president, perhaps they would accept a Fire-Eater VP, who then ascends to the presidency (points if the president is murdered by a Southern extremist, thus stoking Northern fears). Could this happen? The most obvious place for this to happen and then lead to a general election win is, I think, the 1856 Democratic National Convention. John Quitman, a notorious Fire-Eater was apparently a VP contender; I could see his nomination happening if Stephen Douglas manages to win the nomination that year and needs Southern buy-in for his bid, which Quitman would most certainly provide. And the GOP is still very new and Democratic opposition still sufficiently divided between the Republicans and Know-Nothings that even a ticket featuring Quitman could very well win anyway.
Thoughts?
