Re: Nonmilitary Secession
cecil-fronsman bill (zzceci@acc.wuacc.edu)
Mon, 18 Apr 1994 14:00:17 ECT
I would agree with the points Brooks Simpson made on the impossibility of
non-military secession. Time was on the moderates' side -- not the
radicals'. Keep in mind that in the spring, the secessionists did not
have a consensus of southern white males that immediate disunion was
needed. The victories that they had won in the lower south came via
elections with significantly reduced voter turnout. There is reason to
believe that if voter turnout in say Georgia had been as high as in the
fall 1860 elections, the secessionists would have lost. If the
secessionists didn't find some way to mobilize large segments of
indifferent southern whites, they could well have lost whatever momentum
that they had. The crisis environment created after the confrontation at
Sumter was essential for getting the kind of broad support needed for
making a show of things.
Incidentally -- all H-CivWar people should tip their hats (keyboards?
terminals? whatever--) for the fine work our moderator did at the OAH.
Bill Cecil-Fronsman zzceci@acc.wuacc.edu
Department of History Office: (913) 231-1010 x1317
Washburn University Fax: (913) 231-1084
Topeka, KS 66621