December 14, 1860 (Friday)

An article yesterday in the New York Times by Richard Striner on "How Lincoln Undid the Union."  How Lincoln Undid the Union 

"At the precise moment that a compromise to rescue the country seemed at hand, the incoming president worked aggressively to block it."

"The Crittenden compromise consisted of a package of constitutional amendments and congressional resolutions, all of which would be 'unamendable.'  The amendments would protect slavery in all the slave states, permit slavery to spread to all federal territories below the line of 36 degrees, forbid Congress from abolishing slavery on federal property within a slave state, prevent Congress from interfering with interstate slave trade, and indemnify owners of runaway slaves who could not be recovered under the Fugitive Slave Law."

"The Crittenden compromise won immediate praise; many politicans hailed it as a gesture of supreme wisdom that could forestall secession...But Lincoln...was not among those admiers, and he had taken preemptive action to undermine it.  In the days leading up to its release he sent out a flurry of letters to congressional Republicans, giving orders to oppose any compromise...'hold firm as with a chain of steel.' "

"Lincoln's object had always been to save the Union his way:  with the institution of slavery on course for 'ultimate extinction.' "

"Lincoln meant to guarantee that his American 'house' would be united in the right way----with slavery on course for extinction----not the wrong way, with slavery spreading."