Compromise of 1856

[Jerseyrules]

So I saw this TL on althistory.wikia.com, http://althistory.wikia.com/wiki/The_Compromise_of_1856.  It got me thinking: is there a snowball's chance in Hell that Fillmore could get the election thrown into the house, the emerge as a compromise candidate?  Could the Civil War be avoided?  Would the American Party live on past 1856, or would Fillmore be forced into the GOP or run as the Constitutional Union candidate in 1860?  Could he win if he ran for re-election?  Thanks for your help.

[Jerseyrules]

Please help; it's for a school project I'm doing

[Indy Prez]

sure will just let me study up

[Jerseyrules]

sure will just let me study up

I'm sorry, but it's due soon and the teacher already hates me. I Appreciate you at least commented.

[Indy Prez]

On it now

[Indy Prez]

First of all, Buchanan would not ahve been able to ignore the anti-slavery remnants of the Whig/American party. He would have to pick a vocal aboiltionist as his running mate and basically adopt a 'Know Something' platform on slavery, favouring States' Rights. This is pretty hard to do so his election seems unlikely. American party Speaker fo the House would never allow Fillmore's compromise election as the former President had closed the anti-slavery delegations at their convention. So even if he did run with an anti-slavery running mate on the ticket, it would effectively split the Republican vote in the North, just hurting Fremont more and bolstering Buchanan's EV.

[Indy Prez]

I see his 2nd Presidency, improbable as it was, being much the same as Buchanan's: one of alienating compromises and indecision.

[Communists For McCain]

It should be noted, rather ironically, that Millard Fillmore....the well known pragmatist and compromiser that he is, was nominated to the rather reactionary American Party.
In fact, I believe that a lot of the American Party's strength didn't actually come from home brewed nativists, but from disillusioned politicians from the Whig and Democratic Parties.  Ironically, the party went from being a secret anti-immigration movement to a neo-Whig like party.  It should be noted that the Whig Party initially was more of an "anti-Jackson" coalition than it was a party of economic nationalism, which is why the Nullifiers allied with them in 1836 as did Hugh L. White and John Tyler ,who would later get into trouble with the Whigs over his policies as president.

Very interesting the politics of pre-Civil War America.

[Californian Tony]

It should be noted, rather ironically, that Millard Fillmore....

You meant Mallard Fillmore, didn't you ?

[Jerseyrules]

It should be noted, rather ironically, that Millard Fillmore....

You meant Mallard Fillmore, didn't you ?

Nope

[Jerseyrules]

It should be noted, rather ironically, that Millard Fillmore....the well known pragmatist and compromiser that he is, was nominated to the rather reactionary American Party.
In fact, I believe that a lot of the American Party's strength didn't actually come from home brewed nativists, but from disillusioned politicians from the Whig and Democratic Parties.  Ironically, the party went from being a secret anti-immigration movement to a neo-Whig like party.  It should be noted that the Whig Party initially was more of an "anti-Jackson" coalition than it was a party of economic nationalism, which is why the Nullifiers allied with them in 1836 as did Hugh L. White and John Tyler ,who would later get into trouble with the Whigs over his policies as president.

Very interesting the politics of pre-Civil War America.

I agree completely; this is why the Whig National Convention chose unanimously to renominate him in 1856.

[Jerseyrules]

I see his 2nd Presidency, improbable as it was, being much the same as Buchanan's: one of alienating compromises and indecision.

His first presidency was all about compromise, including the Compromise of 1850, which ironically kept the union together for quite some time.  He also was a pragmatic negotiator, and he was great with the crises in South and Central America, as well as with reparing relations with Europe.  He was kinda like the Richard Nixon of the 1800's.  Almost everyone thought he was wrong on something, though almost everyone approved of him at least 50% of the time.

[Jerseyrules]

First of all, Buchanan would not have been able to ignore the anti-slavery remnants of the Whig/American party. He would have to pick a vocal aboiltionist as his running mate and basically adopt a 'Know Something' platform on slavery, favouring States' Rights. This is pretty hard to do so his election seems unlikely. American party Speaker of the House would never allow Fillmore's compromise election as the former President had closed the anti-slavery delegations at their convention. So even if he did run with an anti-slavery running mate on the ticket, it would effectively split the Republican vote in the North, just hurting Fremont more and bolstering Buchanan's EV.

Well Fremont was an extremist, a Radical Republican at their finest.  So, perhaps he picks Houston, Seward, or Lincoln as his running mate, Pierce wins renomination after a many-ballot fight, and Fremont picks an extremist runnig mate allowing Fillmore to run as a Unionist moderate.

[Jerseyrules]

I really appreciate you guys' help, but just one more question: let's just say that he wins two terms in his own right, serving until March 4, 1865, winning in a landslide in 1860, with the country behind him, and sweeping the South against Douglas (maybe they adopt the Crittenden Compromise, with some watered-down civil liberties laws, perhaps phasing out slavery by the 1880's/90's.  Is their still a Civil War?

[CathKhan]

Well with slavery phasing out & the Crittenden Compromise, there shouldn't be.

[Jerseyrules]

Well with slavery phasing out & the Crittenden Compromise, there shouldn't be.

Alright thanks Cathcon!

[Californian Tony]

It should be noted, rather ironically, that Millard Fillmore....

You meant Mallard Fillmore, didn't you ?

Nope

--- inside joke.

[crypto-fascist superhero]

run as the Constitutional Union candidate in 1860?

The Constitutional Union Party were just the renamed Know-Nothings.

[Jerseyrules]

It should be noted, rather ironically, that Millard Fillmore....

You meant Mallard Fillmore, didn't you ?

Nope

--- inside joke.

I know, I have seen the comic, hence the winky face

[Jerseyrules]

run as the Constitutional Union candidate in 1860?

The Constitutional Union Party were just the renamed Know-Nothings.

Exactly.  Would the know nothing party survived with its candidate elected president?

[Californian Tony]

It should be noted, rather ironically, that Millard Fillmore....

You meant Mallard Fillmore, didn't you ?

Nope

--- inside joke.

I know, I have seen the comic, hence the winky face

http://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=145747.msg3167516#msg3167516 if you're interested.

[Jerseyrules]

It should be noted, rather ironically, that Millard Fillmore....

You meant Mallard Fillmore, didn't you ?

Nope

--- inside joke.

I know, I have seen the comic, hence the winky face

http://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=145747.msg3167516#msg3167516 if you're interested.

Thanks I've been trying to rediscover this for quite sometime!