USH Lincoln trial

How would you describe your political career before becoming vice president of the Confederacy?

I was in the Georiga legislature and in the House of Representative for many year.I supported states’ rights and tried to avoid conflict. I defended slavery as a constitutional right but I didn’t support breaking up the Union unless absolutely necessary.

What role did you play in the debates over secession in Georgia and the wider South?

I was against immediate secession and I argued that Georgia should remain in the Union and try to secure its rights through political means.  

How were your opinions on secession received by citizens and fellow leaders?

Some people from Georgia agreed with me about secession likely leading to war but others thought I was overly cautious and accused me of being weak and disloyal to Southern interests.

What were your initial thoughts about Abraham Lincoln when he was elected in 1860?

At first, I didn’t trust him politically and his policies and thought that they didn’t justifiy a rush to disunion

How did you communicate your understanding of Lincoln’s likely policies to Southern audiences?

I gave public speeches like the Union speech in 1860 where I said that Lincoln couldn’t lawfully harm the South’s institutions. I argued that the South was “safe in the Union” for the moment.

What factors shaped your belief at the time about whether Lincoln posed an immediate threat to the South?

Lincoln’s public statements, promising not to interfere with slavery in existing states; the Constituoon, which limited the president’s authority; and the balance of power in congress where the South still had significant influence

How did your perspective shift once Lincoln began taking action as president?, and why is that

“Lincoln’s troop call after Fort Sumter convinced me war was certain and pushed me from opposing secession to supporting the Confederacy.”

How would you describe the efforts made by Southern leaders to pursue negotiation or compromise with the federal government?

Many southern leaders attempted negotiation before resorting to secession. We had conventions, sent commissioners, and appealed to Congress to find a peaceful solution.

What compromise proposals did you believe had the potential to prevent secession or delay conflict?

I believe accepting the Crittenden Compromise and enforicng the Fugitive Slave Act would have given the South enough security to remain in the Union.

How did Lincoln’s response to these compromise attempts impact the possibility of a peaceful settlement?

“By rejecting compromise, Lincoln convinced many Southerners they would lose power, lose constitutional protections, and live under a hostile government—making secession far more likely.”

How do you believe the handling of Fort Sumter affected the chances of avoiding war?

It made war almost inevitable since Lincoln’s refusal to withdraw federal troops from the fort signaled that he didn’t recognize the Confederacy’s independence

Based on your experience at the Hampton Roads Peace Conference, what opportunities for ending the war existed, and how did Lincoln’s terms affect them?

After Lincoln’s responses during the Hampton Roads Conference, I didn’t think there were that many opportunities for peace since he wasn’t open to any compromises which eliminated the possiblity of ending the war through dipolomacy.

In your view, what specific actions could Lincoln have taken to reduce tensions during the secession crisis?

“He could have supported the Crittenden plan, guaranteed noninterference with slavery, and eased federal pressure on Southern forts to reduce tensions.”

If you believed that Lincoln didn’t plan to abolish slavery in the South, why did you later claim that his actiosn justified secession?

Beacause of his later conduct, his handling of federal forts and mobilization of troops showed that he wanted to use force to prevent the South from choosing its own path

If the Confederacy hadn’t fired first at Fort Sumter, would there have still been a battle?

Maybe not at first but the presence of a fortified fort was something a new nation couldn’t accept if it wanted its own territory

Isn’t your criticism of Lincoln motivated by defending your own actions?

No, my criticism is based on how his actions influenced the course of events

Since many Southern leaders demanded protections for slavery’s expansion, wouldn’t that make compromise difficult?

It only made compromise difficult because the Republican Party refused any arrangement that respected what the South believed to be its constitutional rights

In your Cornerstone Speech you said that slavery was a foundation of the Confederacy so weren’t they motivated by protecting slavery?

Slavery was just one factor, so were states’ rights, self government, and resistance to abuse of federal power

Since the Confederacy rejected reunion at Hampton Roads, wouldn’t that make peace impossible?

We wanted to negotiate and without asking for independence, no meaningful peace terms were possible.

If you originally opposed secession, why did you later accept the position of Vice Presient of the Confederacy?

I believed it was my duty to serve my state and I hoped I could help guide the government and help prevent them from making bad decisions