popular sovereignty and slavery!

[TommyC1776]

Hey,

I read that Douglas was for popular sovereignty and Breckenridge was for slavery.  What's the difference between popular sovereignty and pro-slavery?  Isn't popular sovereignty where you decide what to do?  If so, why were the Southerner's upset with this?

From,

KucinichforPrez

[Dr. Cynic]

Well, it's not really as simple as all of that. Douglas believed it should be left up to the voters in each newly admitted state, while Breckinridge wanted slavery to be legalized in every newly admitted state.

The two men fought each other constantly over it, but that is not the main reason why the Democrats divided in 1860. They divided over the right of the state to leave the union. Northern Democrats opposed that, while Southern Dems supported it.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The problem with popular sovereignity from the Southern point of view was the lack of a territorial slave code.  Without such a code, it would be difficult to enforce one's rights over one's animate property and so it would be silly for a slaveholder to settle there until that was the case.  Douglas was willing to support popular soverignity but he wasn't willing to support a Federal slave code for the teritorries.

[TommyC1776]

Well, it's not really as simple as all of that. Douglas believed it should be left up to the voters in each newly admitted state, while Breckinridge wanted slavery to be legalized in every newly admitted state.

The two men fought each other constantly over it, but that is not the main reason why the Democrats divided in 1860. They divided over the right of the state to leave the union. Northern Democrats opposed that, while Southern Dems supported it.

If Douglas won the election would the South still have succeded?

[Dr. Cynic]

More than likely, Douglas would have prevented that for awhile, but his anti-slavery opinion would probably force the South out eventually.

[TommyC1776]

More than likely, Douglas would have prevented that for awhile, but his anti-slavery opinion would probably force the South out eventually.

He would've been in office for just a few months because I believe he died in 1861.  Now how would Herschel Johnson (assuming Douglas is elected but then dies) have handled slavery?

[Gustaf]

We're ignoring the fact that Douglas wouldn't have won then, I assume? His whopping result of one-and-a-half states is a good bit away from victory if you ask me...(while he did come close in a lot of states, Lincoln would certainly have carried a bunch of Northern states regardless and Breckinridge would have taken a lot of Southern ones.) It's very hard for me to see Douglas winning the election. I guess it could have been thrown to the House and in that case it would have been between Douglas and Bell, no? 

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Douglas could conceivably hope to take California (4EV), Illinois (11EV), Indiana (13EV), Oregon (3EV), and all of New jersey (+4EV) from Lincoln while hoping Bell does not takes Louisiana (6EV), Maryland (8EV), and North Carolina (10 EV) from Breckenridge nor Missouri (8EV).

That would make the result

Lincoln/Hamlin 145 EV
Breckenridge/Lane 72 EV
Douglas/Johnson 47 EV
Bell/Everett 39 EV

That would likely see Lane become VP and either the House refusing to elect a President althogether or after a number of ballots, select Douglas as a compromise.

[J. J.]

More than likely, Douglas would have prevented that for awhile, but his anti-slavery opinion would probably force the South out eventually.

He would've been in office for just a few months because I believe he died in 1861.  Now how would Herschel Johnson (assuming Douglas is elected but then dies) have handled slavery?

Johnson opposed succession at the state convention.

[Gustaf]

Douglas could conceivably hope to take California (4EV), Illinois (11EV), Indiana (13EV), Oregon (3EV), and all of New jersey (+4EV) from Lincoln while hoping Bell does not takes Louisiana (6EV), Maryland (8EV), and North Carolina (10 EV) from Breckenridge nor Missouri (8EV).

That would make the result

Lincoln/Hamlin 145 EV
Breckenridge/Lane 72 EV
Douglas/Johnson 47 EV
Bell/Everett 39 EV

That would likely see Lane become VP and either the House refusing to elect a President althogether or after a number of ballots, select Douglas as a compromise.

Ah, yes. When I said between Douglas and Bell I meant in the sense that it is hard to see either Breckinridge or Lincoln get enough support.