Did Douglas get the anti-slavery vote in the South?

[TommyC1776]

Since Lincoln wasn't on the ballot in the South, did Douglas get the anti-slavery vote in the South?

[NewFederalist]

Probably not. Back in 1860 the parties distributed ballots NOT the state. In the South, Breckinridge WAS the Democratic nominee instead of Douglas. I doubt that any Douglas ballots were distributed just as none were distributed for Lincoln. If there were anti-slavery votes I would guess Bell got them although I don't have any evidence to back that up.

[jimrtex]

Probably not. Back in 1860 the parties distributed ballots NOT the state. In the South, Breckinridge WAS the Democratic nominee instead of Douglas. I doubt that any Douglas ballots were distributed just as none were distributed for Lincoln. If there were anti-slavery votes I would guess Bell got them although I don't have any evidence to back that up.

Douglas had a not insignificant share of the vote in the South.

AL 15% (pluralities in 6 counties, majorities in 2, mostly along the Tennessee, but also Mobile in a 3-way split).
AR 10%
DE 7%
FL   2%
GA 11% (pluralities or majorities in 6 counties, Augusta and areas to the W and NW).
KY 18% (7 counties, most to the south of Louisville, but also Campbell opposite of Cincinnati - where Lincoln got 12%).
LA 15% (3 counties Ascenscion, Assumption, Lafourche).
MD 6.6%
MS 5%
MO 36% (carried state)
NC 3%
TN 8% (carried Tipton, N of Memphis, very close second in Shelby and Hardeman counties in SE).
TX none.
VA 10%, Cabell, Monongalia in modern WV, Highland and Rockingham in VA west of the Blue Ridge.

[Dr. Cynic]

Actually, this race was run in sections... Lincoln and Douglas in the north... Breckinridge and Bell in the south, with occassional spots where Bell was on the ballot in the north and Douglas in the south... Breckinridge was not on the ballot in most Northern states, and Lincoln didn't recieve a single vote in the south.

[The Dowager Mod]

I think Bell did.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Hard to say, but considering that in both Kentucky and Virginia, Lincoln only got 1% of the vote, I think we can safely say that anti-slavery votes in the South were effectively non existant.

By the way, with the exception of New York, New Jersey, and Texas, both Douglas and Breckenridge were on the ballot, and Bell was on the ballot in all but NY, NJ, RI, and Minnesota.  It was only the Lincoln who was shut out to any large degree, being off the ballot in the 10 non-border slave states.

[jimrtex]

Actually, this race was run in sections... Lincoln and Douglas in the north... Breckinridge and Bell in the south, with occassional spots where Bell was on the ballot in the north and Douglas in the south... Breckinridge was not on the ballot in most Northern states, and Lincoln didn't recieve a single vote in the south.

Lincoln was the only candidate whose votes were restricted to one section.  The candidates received 5% of the vote in the following states (and they received enough to be counted in several other states).

Lincoln: CA, CT, DE, IL, IN, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, VT, WI
Douglas: AL, AR, CA, CT, DE, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, OH, OR, RI, TN, VT, VA, WI
Breckinridge: AL, AR, CA, CT, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MS, MO, NC, OR, TN, TX, VA
Bell: AL, AR, CA, CT, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MA, MS, MO, NC, TN, TX, VA
Fusion: NJ, NY, PA

SC excluded because the legislature selected the electors:

By region:

Lincoln: Non-slave 18/18; Slave 2/14
Douglas: Non-slave 18/18; Slave 10/14
Breckinridge: Non-slave 7/18; Slave 14/14.
Bell: Non-Slave 5/18; Slave: 14/14

[TommyC1776]

I heard that Douglas had the same view on slavery as Lincoln did?  as far as that it was wrong.  Didn't both men feel that way? whereas Breckenridge supported slavery and idk about Bell.

[gorkay]

Douglas and Lincoln didn't have the same views on slavery. That was what their famous debates were about when they ran against each other for the Senate. Douglas favored what he called "popular sovereignty", i.e., each state chose whether or not it wanted to allow slavery. Lincoln was anti-slavery but vague on his views as to what exactly to do about it, despite which the South viewed him as an outright abolitionist. As President he stated that his main objective was to preserve the Union, and if it took freeing all the slaves to do that, freeing some, or freeing none, he would do whatever it took. He chose the second course with the Emancipation Proclamation.

[Gustaf]

I heard that Douglas had the same view on slavery as Lincoln did?  as far as that it was wrong.  Didn't both men feel that way? whereas Breckenridge supported slavery and idk about Bell.

Bell and Douglas more or less agreed about slavery. Douglas himself was opposed to slavery while Bell was for it, but both believed in popular sovereignty, or the status quo, whereby each state would decide whether to allow slavery or not by itself. Breckinridge favored popular sovereignty, but also wanted to promote the extension of slavery into new territories and, eventually, new states. Breckinridge also wanted to repeal the laws that prevented the importation of new slaves, I believe. Lincoln opposed slavery and wanted to try to do away with it; his platform was less radical than he partially because a lot of anti-slavery people were afraid of exactly what happened, a civil war, and would have voted for Douglas had Lincoln come right out and declared that he would abolish slavery.

Lincoln's key stand was an absolute opposition to extending slavery to the territories, a position that only he and the Republicans held. This is what branded them as radicals, as it basically would mean a gradual stengthening of non-slave states.

[TommyC1776]

I heard that Douglas had the same view on slavery as Lincoln did?  as far as that it was wrong.  Didn't both men feel that way? whereas Breckenridge supported slavery and idk about Bell.

Bell and Douglas more or less agreed about slavery. Douglas himself was opposed to slavery while Bell was for it, but both believed in popular sovereignty, or the status quo, whereby each state would decide whether to allow slavery or not by itself. Breckinridge favored popular sovereignty, but also wanted to promote the extension of slavery into new territories and, eventually, new states. Breckinridge also wanted to repeal the laws that prevented the importation of new slaves, I believe. Lincoln opposed slavery and wanted to try to do away with it; his platform was less radical than he partially because a lot of anti-slavery people were afraid of exactly what happened, a civil war, and would have voted for Douglas had Lincoln come right out and declared that he would abolish slavery.

So was popular sovereignty the only difference the Northern Democrats and the Southern Democrats had?

[minionofmidas]

"Popular Sovereignty" meant, in practice, no further expansion of slavery. Which meant, an ever increasing freestater majority in the Senate. The doctrine was viewed by Southern fireeaters as essentially a form of abolutionism.