[DoodleDawg]

It was not a problem to the founders of the United States Constitution. And it is not a problem for me.

But it was a mathematical impossibility in 1860, and would be impossible today as well. You don't consider that a problem?

The founders wrote into the constitution a supermajority requirement to peacefully adopt an amendment.

Your were looking for a reasonable explanation why no attempt to end slavery through Constitutional amendment was tried before the Southern rebellion. The answer is that it was mathematically impossible, and everyone knew it. Everyone, apparently, except you.

[jeffersondem]

“Your were looking for a reasonable explanation why no attempt to end slavery (peacefully) through Constitutional amendment was tried before the Southern rebellion.”

For the purpose of this post, let's stipulate Lincoln could not get the necessary votes to amend the United States Constitution and abolish slavery peacefully.

That would leave only one way to accomplish his aspirations as outlined in the House Divided speech: use the military to violently overthrow the constitution and its slavery provisions.

First, he would need a pretext for war. His navy found that in the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. I mean, the Fort Sumter Incident.