Re-read for comprehension of what your mega-jerk "authority" is actually saying.
It's clear that his adversary, the object of his alarm, is the People themselves.
Some adversary, for a faithful servant of the People.
Paludan had earlier in the book noted that slave owners were relocating to the western territories and new states. He also noted that the that the Democrat Party was the last "national" political institution, after the demise of the southern Whigs. As such, to maintain national political power, the southern Democrats had an inordinate influence on the Democrat party. Paludan was noting that the pro-southern, secessionist mentality was not restricted to the South.
"Re-read for comprehension of what your mega-jerk "authority" is actually saying."
Why don't you read the book for yourself? You seem like a literate person. I see that you, too, subscribe to the NC school of ad hominem attacks.