How come, if the North was so despotic and abusive of Southern economic interests for so long, the Confederates were willing to stay in the Union if the Northern Democrat Buchanan won, but had to bolt if a Republican won, be in Lincoln or Fremont before him? I mean if it was all about money shouldn’t they have seceded regardless?
Who said Despotic? You must be listening to BroJoeK's mischaracterization of what I say.
I mean if it was all about money shouldn’t they have seceded regardless?
Have you ever heard the expression "Straw that breaks the Camel's back?" I think they saw the election of Lincoln as proof that they were never going to get what they considered a fair shake, so added to other complaints about their relationship with the USA, they had had enough.
But you still mischaracterize the point about money. The North went to war to stop the loss of the money. Their monetary incentive was far more desperate than that of the South. For the South, increased profits was only part of it, but for the North, massive and serious losses was far more significant.
The South left because they had had enough of the lopsided deal they had been living with, and the constant vituperation directed at them from big city Liberals.
The North saw the direct losses of the Southern trade, and future losses caused by European direct trade with the South and the Midwest.