The Election of 1860 was one of the final key events that took place prior to the Civil War of 1861. This election was a battle between four candidates, each of which had a unique position on slavery. Slavery was reaching a tipping point and the South was making tacit threats to secede from the Union if a pro-slavery candidate was not elected. The most prominent of these candidates was the victor, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was a Republican representative who supported the end of slavery in new territories but also the continuation of slavery in states where it already existed. This philosophy was not a reflection of Lincoln's beliefs on the matter. Rather, it was a campaign platform that most Americans could get behind. Lincoln's true intentions for slavery were revealed when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation in the midst of the Civil War. In this great but brief speech, Lincoln made it clear that he opposed slavery regardless of what state the practice took place in. However, it must be stated that Lincoln was not an abolitionist and he did not believe blacks were equal to whites. When Lincoln emancipated the slaves, it was a tactical endeavor to turn slaves against the South and encourage them to help the North. This misconception about Lincoln persists today but it originally occurred when he was first elected. In fact, the South, through misinformation, believed Lincoln was against slavery, which caused them to secede.
Speaking of the South, this region of the United States was represented by two candidates in the 1860 Election. The first southern candidate was Democrat Stephen Douglas. Douglas agreed with Lincoln on the continuation of slavery where it already existed. His contrast with Lincoln was his views on popular sovereignty. Douglas believed that new states should decide whether they would have slavery rather than the ban proposed by Lincoln. Douglas only won the state of Missouri electorally but won 29% of the popular vote. In contrast, Lincoln won 40% of the popular vote but got 18 states. The following generalization can be reached about voters in 1860: every northerner who did not vote for Lincoln voted for Douglas. Douglas himself was from the north and he represented the same state as Lincoln: Illinois. Douglas and Lincoln gained their popularity together in 1858 because they had a public debate over the issue of slavery that gained national attention.
The final candidate of the South was John Breckinridge. Breckinridge won the second most electoral votes but only won 16% of the popular vote. By winning North Carolina and every state south of North Carolina it was clear that Breckinridge was the poster boy candidate for slavery. Breckinridge supported popular sovereignty and supported federal slave codes for all states. This legislation would effectively solidify slavery further into law which was a dream for the South.
The final candidate in the election is largely forgotten by history because of his message. John Bell was a third-party candidate who campaigned on keeping the country united by avoiding the issue of slavery all together. Running under the Constitutional Union Party, Bell gained the support of the border states. These states practiced slavery but did not want a Civil War because it would hurt their states the most. As I mentioned earlier, the message of unity is overshadowed in history because conflict simply attracts more attention.
The long term implications of the 1860 election and the following Civil War were numerous and included: a firm stance against slavery, a shift away from the idea of State's Rights/Federalism, and the expansion of freedoms to a greater percentage of Americans.
If you would like to read more on the Election of 1860, please see the links below:
https://www.lincolnshrine.org/exhibits/election-of-1860/
https://www.history.com/news/5-things-you-may-not-know-about-lincoln-slavery-and-emancipation
https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/election-of-1860
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