[DiogenesLamp]

They had not entered upon the anti-slavery crusade with the feeling that animated the abolitionists; their “oral” sentiments were only borrowed for the occasion. The elections being over, they had no further use for them.

This conforms with what I have learned from reading other material on the subject. "Slavery" was an election tactic, and the powers that were didn't really care about slavery. It was a pretense just to gain power.

It was a con, and the 1860 Republicans were the party of the Con. All they cared about was government power, because so many connected people were gaining their wealth through control of government policies and spending.

Same then as today, with only the party names reversed.

Thank you for finding that. I had not previously seen this material, though I was familiar with Ward Hill Lamon, specifically regarding the arrest warrant for Judge Taney.

[woodpusher]

I was familiar with Ward Hill Lamon, specifically regarding the arrest warrant for Judge Taney.

Lamon's book addresses the arrest warrant for CJ Taney at page 341,

After due consideration, the administration determined upon the arrest of the chief justice. A warrant or order was issued for his arrest. Then arose the question of service. Who would make the arrest and where should be his imprisonment?

It was finally determined to place the order of arrest in the hands of the United States Marshal of the District of Columbia.1338 This was done by the president with instruction by him to use the marshal’s own discretion about making the arrest unless he should receive further orders from Mr. Lincoln. This writ was never executed, and the marshal never regretted the discretionary power delegated to him in the exercise of his official duty. The power of the president for making arbitrary arrests became at this time a question of greater importance.

The cited marshal was, of course, Ward Hill Lamon.

"Slavery" was an election tactic, and the powers that were didn't really care about slavery. It was a pretense just to gain power.

When the GOP was founded in 1854, the Whig Party was in its death throes, and it died in 1856. It was largely the former Whig membership, and the Whig Party rebranded. The nascent GOP needed a wedge issue upon which to campaign. They found one and ran with it.