Lincoln President-Elect
Abraham Lincoln and the Great Secession Winter 1860-1861
INTRODUCTION
The "Great Secession Winter of 1860-1861," to use the memorable phrase Henry Adams coined, has often been regarded among professional scholars and ordinary Americans alike as Abraham Lincoln's historical Achilles' heel -- the vulnerable soft spot, in an otherwise sterling reputation.
Although he has long and almost universally been regarded as America's greatest president, the story persists that in the months leading up to his inauguration, Lincoln not only failed to do all that was required to prevent secession and war, but made his mighty challenge all the more difficult by souring the public he had just been elected to lead.
According to this interpretation, Lincoln remained silent for far too long after his victory, emboldening traitors and dismaying supporters, dithered on the vital issues of slavery and states' rights, all but ignored blatant treachery in the South, and then made his way to Washington offering a series of bumbling, inconsistent speeches that veered toward compromise on the sectional crisis one moment, and tow ... read full excerpt from: Lincoln President-Elect: Abraham Lincoln and the Great Secession Winter 1860-1861 ebook
