wly formed Republican Party nominated Abraham Lincoln on principles that opposed the further expansion of slavery. Now with Lincoln being elected, the south really felt that expansionism was being threatened. They also felt that because expansion was so vital to the survival of slavery, and southern society, that their way of life was being threatened. Now they felt that there was nothing more that they could do. They believed that they should make a bid for independence by succeeding rather than face political encirclement. It was all described when a southern man said We have at last reached the point in our history, when it is necessary for the south to withdraw from the union. This has not been our seeking but we our bound to accept it for self - preservation. This was officially the end, and now the south wanted to succeed. Lincoln said that succession was illegal and said that he intended to maintain federal possessions in the south. Southerners hoped the threat of succession would force acceptance of southern demands, but it did not. Finally the day came when South Carolina adopted an ordinance of succession, December 20, 1860. Other states decided to follow, they included: Mississippi January 9, 1861, Florida January 10, Alabama January 11, Georgia January 19, Louisiana - January 26, Texas February, 1. On February 4 delegates from each of these states met in Montgomery, Alabama where they drafted a constitution for the Confederate States of America. This outraged the north and is what sent the U.S. in to a civil war Many different efforts were made to save the Union and prevent the war. James Buchanan believed the constitution did not allow the north to take any action against the south. An effort was made on February 4 by the Virginia legislature who called a conference of states at Washington D.C. Representatives were sent from 7 slave and 14 free states. An amendment was passed saying congress could never...
