Election of 1860

Key Words

Constitutional Union Party- a political party formed in 1859 of former Whig members wanting to support the Union of the United States.

Democratic-Republican Party- a major American political party of the early nineteenth century favoring a strict interpretation of the Constitution to restrict the powers of the federal government and emphasizing state’s rights.

Electoral College- the process by which the United States elects its president; votes are allotted to each state, rather than counting votes of individual citizens.

Kansas-Nebraska Act- an 1854 law that organised the territories of Kansas and Nebraska and gave states popular sovereignty.

Whig Party- a political party that wanted Congress to have more power than the president.

Abolition- the act of officially ending slavery

Partisan- a firm adherent to a party, faction, cause, or person.

Popular Sovereignty- a pre-civil war doctrine asserting the right of the people living in a newly organized territory to decide by vote of their territorial legislature whether or not slavery would be permitted.

Secession- a formal withdrawal from an organization.

American Civil Words- the 1861-1865 armed conflict between the United States and the 11 Southern states that formed the Confederate States Of America, commonly referred to as the Civil War.

Confederate States Of America- the 11 Southern states of the United States during their secession from the United States between 1860-1865: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates- the seven debates about slavery held in 1858 between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas as part of the campaign for the Illinois US Senate seat.

Sectionalism- an exaggerated devotion to the interests of a region.

The 1860 Election

The presidential election of 1860 centered on the issues of states’ rights and enslavement. The outcome of this election heavily influenced the future of the US. The election was a contest among the Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln, the Northern Democratic candidate Senator Stephan Douglas, the Southern Democratic nominee John Breckinridge, and the Constitutional Union Party nominee John Bell.

Abraham Lincoln and The Republican Party

For most of his political career, Abraham Lincoln served the state of Illinois as a member of the Whig Party. Like the other members of this party, Lincoln opposed enslavement. However, he did not support ending enslavement immediately. He preferred a gradual freeing of enslaved persons. He believed that enslavement would end as the nation's economy changed. But for enslavement to end this way, it could not expand in the South. Lincoln also favored compensating en slavers for their losses with federal funds.

Although Lincoln had strong political beliefs, he retired from political service in 1849 and returned full time to his law practice. Lincoln was known to be a fair and honest lawyer, making him one of the most successful lawyers in Illinois. Then, in 1854, Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed the voters of Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether to to permit enslavement in their respective territories. The act upset many people, including anti-enslavement members of the Whig Party. They met in Wisconsin in 1854 to form a new political party; The Republican Party. They named it the Republican Party in recognition of Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic Republican Party.

In 1856, the Republican Party ran its first candidates in the Northern States, establishing the party as the main challenger to the Democratic Party. The Republican Party focused on preserving the Union and opposing westward expansion of enslavement.

Lincoln came out of political retirement in 1856 to join the Republican Party. As he gained national recognition, he became the Republican’ Party’s presidential candidate.

The Democratic Party

In April 1860, Democrats held their national convention in Charleston. At this meeting, the Democrats from the South demanded that the party endorse a federal protection for enslavement. Democrats from the North disagreed. The Southerners left the meeting. The party then split into the North Democratic Party and the Southern Democratic Party.

Stephen Douglas

The Northern Democrats nominated Stephan Douglas as their candidate for the 1860 election.

In 1843, Douglas began his political career as a Democratic representative from Illinois. He was a good speaker who was popular in Congress. He supported the westward expansion of the US and the railroad. He thought that individual states should decide whether to allow enslavement. He supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act. As a result, anti-enslavement groups within the Democratic Party opposed him.

John Breckinridge

The Southern Democrats nominated Vice President John Breckinridge as their candidate for the 1860 election. John Breckinridge began his career as a Kentucky state representative in 1849. Two years later, he was elected to represent the state in the US House of Representatives. He became vice president in 1856 under James Buchanan.

Breckinridge wanted the practice of enslavement protected at the federal level. He did not think that states should decide the issue individually.

John Bell

Moderate Southern Democrats formed the Constitutional Union Party. They nominated John Bell as their candidate for the 1860 election.

John Bell was elected to the US House of Representatives for Tennessee in 1827. He served in his role until 1841 when he became secretary of war for President Harrison. After a few years of retirement from political life, he became senator in 1847.

Although an enslaver, Bell opposed the expansion of enslavement into the western territories. The Constitutional Union Party had no platform regarding enslavement. Rather, the party focused on supporting the Union and enforcing the Constitution.

The Outcome of the Election of 1860

The election of 1860 was like no other in US history. The country broke the contest into two parts. In the North, Lincoln faced Douglas. In the South, Breckinridge faced Bell.

On November 6, 1860, Republican Abraham Lincoln won all the Northern states except New Jersey. Overall, Lincoln received 40 percent of the popular vote. Breckinridge, the Southern Democratic candidate, won all the Southern states, Overall Breckinridge received 18 percent of the popular vote. Lincoln won the Electoral College.

The 1860 election split the country. It led to the secession of the Southern states from the Union. The way of life in the South relied on enslavement. Many Southern Whites did not want to change their way of life. The country was on the brink of civil war.

The Election of 1860

During the middle of the nineteenth century, the United States was close to civil war. The issue of slavery had increasingly divided the North and South. This led to violence and threats of secession. As candidates were selected for the 1860 election, different regional values and platforms emerged. Comparing the political platforms of the different parties is one way to understand these differences.

The US Before the 1860 Election

Since becoming independent in 1766, the US had grown divided over slavery. This issue affected many different parts of American society. The South relied on the inexpensive labor of enslaved people for its agricultural economy. The North, however, was often more industrialized and urbanized. Northern states also had more migration from Europe. All in all, the North had a larger labor force and a less-labor intense economy than the South. Therefore, the North had little need for enslaved labor.

The issue led to two major divisions within the US. Many Southerners believed that slavery was an important part of their culture. Northerners, on the other hand began to support the abolition of slavery. This led to more tensions as Northern states passed laws protecting escaped people and granting them basic rights. In 1857, the Supreme Court heard of the famous case of Dred Scott v Sanford. The court ruled that living in a free state did not guarantee a Black Person’s freedom.

Another issue was the expansion of slavery across newly admitted states. With the admission of new pro-slavery states, northern states feared that they would lose political power in Congress. They also saw slavery as immortal. In 1820, the Missouri Compromise was passed. This limited slavery to only Southern states. It also added Missouri as a slave state. The Dred Scott decision overturned this law. Rising tensions sometimes led to violence, as supporters of slavery clashed with abolitionist.

In this tense climate, the 1860 presidential election was a turning point for the country. One way to see how slavery affected the election is to examine the platforms of each political party. Platforms are the statements of goals and values that each party highlights in an election. Modern political parties like Republicans and Democrats still use them today.

Radical Republicans Seek Abolition

One of the political parties in the 1860 election was the Republican Party. This party was also known as the “Radical Republicans” because of its abolitionist views. The Republican Platform focused mainly on slavery.

It opposed expanding slavery into new territories

It opposed the trafficking of enslaved people between states.

Most importantly, it wanted to abolish slavery

Abraham Lincoln from Illinois was selected as a Republican Party candidate in 1860. He was from a newly admitted state. He was seen as controversial to Southerners. Focusing on the abolitionist platform, he concentrated his campaign on Northern states and those that were newly admitted. He appealed to these states because they already had little slavery. They also had a powerful abolitionist viewpoint. Lincoln and the Republican Party ended up winning the presidency. He won almost 40 percent of the vote. He won in California, Oregon, and all of the Northern states except New Jersey.

Popular Sovereignty and the Northern Democrats

The other major political party at the time was the Democrats. They were divided on their approach to slavery. The Northern Democrats nominated Stephen Douglas as their candidate for president. Douglas and the Northern Democrats supported popular sovereignty as part of their platform. They believed each individual state should be able to determine whether slavery would be allowed within the state. The federal government should not be the one to decide.

The platform also talked about fugitive enslaved people. Northern states often refused to return enslaved people who had escaped. These states opposed slavery. The Northern Democrat platform, however states the following.

“ That the enactments of the State Legislatures to defeat the faithful execution of the Fugitive Slave Law, are hostile in character, subversive of the Constitutions, and revolutionary in their effect”

This section was important. Douglas and the Northern Democrats viewed enslaved people as property. They believed that the failure of states to return enslaved people was against the Constitution. In the end, Douglas wanted the North and South to compromise over the issue of slavery.

Douglas received the second-highest number of total votes. However, he had the fewest number of electoral votes. He won only the state of Missouri and part of New Jersey. One reason for this is that he and Lincoln both competed for votes in the North. Lincoln appealed to the abolitionist. Douglas appealed to Northerners who wanted to avoid war with the South.

Southern Democrats Support Slavery

When political parties nominate a candidate for president, they hold a convention. At the first convention held by the Democrats, they could not agree on a candidate. Douglas claimed he had the right number of votes. However, another group of Democrats held a second convention. There, the Southern Democrats nominated John C. Breckenridge.

Douglas wanted compromise between the North and South. Breckenridge and the Southern Democrats wanted to protect the institution of slavery. A similarity between both groups of Democrats is the identical wording in their platform about the Fugitive Slave Acts.

The two parties differed on the admittance of new states and the status of slavery. The Southern Democrats rejected the idea of the Missouri Compromise. Instead, they wanted new states to determine if slavery was legal according to their state constitutions. this is evident in the wording of their platform.

During the election, Breckenridge won most of the Southern states, including the recently admitted state of Texas. The appeal of the Southern Democrats came form their pro-slavery policies and the strong support of slavery in the South at this time.

Constitutional Union Seeks the Status Quo

One other party ran during the 1860 election. The Constitutional Union Party selected John Bell as its candidate. The main goal of this party was not to address the issue of slavery. It wanted to reaffirm the importance of the US Constitution. Members argued that the other political parties were too partisan and divided. This approach is evident in their platform as well.

Bell got limited support in the election. He won the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia. The party’s platform represented a halfway point between Lincoln and Breckenridge. This reflected in the states Bell won. They were geographically located between those won by Southern Democrats and the Republicans.

The Election of 1860 Changes the Nation

The United States presidential election of 1860 was a pivotal event in US history. The election took place on November 6, 1869. Four candidates ran for the presidency. These candidates included the following:

The election included agenda items such as tariffs and the transcontinental railroad. The main agenda a item of the election was slavery. Some candidates supported the use of slavery while other candidates did not. The outcome of this election would either support or end the use of slavery.

Sectional Party Politics

Sectionalism over slavery was a large issue leading up to the 1860 election.

The Democratic Party

From April to May 1860, the Democratic Party held a convention in Charleston, South Carolina. The agenda item was slavery. Most Democrats in the Southern states sought to maintain slavery, while most Democrats in the Northern states argued for popular sovereignty. They argued that the people of each state or territory should determine the status of slavery . In contrast, most Democrats in Southern states argued they had the right to maintain slavery in all federal territories and states.

Southern Democrats were hesitant to support the presidential nominee Stephen A Douglas. Douglas did not support the use of slavery. As Douglas’s popularity grew, dozen of delegates from Southern states left the convention and refused to vote. A second convention was held in Baltimore, Maryland, from June 18 to 23. Many Southern Democrats did not attend or vote. As a result, Douglas was nominated as the Democratic candidate. In response, Southern Democrats met and nominated John C Breckinridge. Both claimed to be the Democratic candidate. Douglas ran as the Democrat nominee and Breckinridge ran as the Southern Democrat nominee.

The Republican Party

The Republican convention was held in Chicago, Illinois on May 16-18. The Republican Party was relatively new. It had formed in the 1850’s after opposing the spread of slavery into US territories. The party did not call to end slavery in states where it already existed. It sought to prevent slavery from expanding into new Union states. William H Seward of New York and Abraham Lincoln of Illinois ran for the candidate nomination. After a close series of votes between Seward and Lincoln, Lincoln won the Republican nomination. Lincoln received 350 votes and Seward received 11.5 votes.

The Constitutional Union Party

The Constitutional Union Party was also a relatively new party. It had formed to unite the sectional divisions between the North and South over slavery. It sought to heal the divisions created by the issue of slavery. The party platform was based on the US Constitution. The party did not declare a formal platform. The goal of the party was to uphold the Founding Father’s ideas, as written in the Constitution. The platform appealed to many of the border states, such as Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri. in 1860, John Bell of Tennessee was nominated as the Constitutional Union’s presidential nominee.

The Campaign

During the early 1800s, presidential candidates often did not formally campaign. Breckinridge gave one speech. Bell campaigned on the claim that he could save the Union from a possible secession if Lincoln was elected. But his lack of clarity on slavery did not give him enough support. In the end, the focus of the campaign was on two candidates: Lincoln and Douglas.

Abraham Lincoln vs. Stephen A Douglas

Lincoln spent most of his time prior to the election in his hometown of Springfield, Illinois. Lincoln was an Illinois state legislator and a US House Representative. As a House Representative, he spoke out about slavery. Lincoln was against slavery expanding into new territories. In 1858, he ran for the Illinois US Senate seat against Douglas. During this time, Lincoln and Douglas engaged in a series of seven debates over slavery. The debates are known as the Lincoln-Douglas debates. In the debates, Lincoln spoke of the moral injustice of slavery and attacked the concept of popular sovereignty. The debates and speeches were printed as a book in 1860. There were also used as a campaign tool leading up to the presidential election. Republican Party members of and citizens used Lincoln’s speeches to campaign for him in parades and rallies.

Unlike Lincoln, Douglas did campaigns in the North and the South. He gave a series of campaign speeches in favor of the Union. His campaign aimed to gain the support of Northern and Southern voters.

Presidential Election of 1860 Results

The 1860 presidential election result were as follows:

Based on the number of popular votes and the Electoral College votes, Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election. Southern Democrat Breckinridge came in second, with 72 Electoral College votes. Lincoln won the Northeast, the Midwest, and the Pacific Coast states of California and Oregon. Lincoln did not gain any votes from the Southern states aside from Virginia. Historians who have studied the election indicate that fewer than 50% of the Electoral College votes came from the original thirteen colonies.

On November 6, 1860, Lincoln won the presidential election. Between Lincoln’s win and his inauguration on March 4, 1861, six states seceded from the Union. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union on December 20, 1860. The South Carolina Declaration of Secession was written.

Soon after South Carolina seceded, 10 states from the South seceded from the Union. These states included the following:

These states combined with South Carolina formed the Confederate States of America. the elected Jefferson Davis as their president. With the secession, the chain of events that led to the American Civil war had begun.