[Colonel Kangaroo]

I think you overestimate Republican hostility to the South. I'll grant that the was a violent intolerant extreme to the abolition movement, but being an anti-slavery Republican is not the same as being a supporter of John Brown and chaos. The readiness of much of the Republican party to "bind up the wounds" after a bitter civil war testify to that.

There is much to be praised about divided sovereignty in our federal system, but I strongly believe that the secessionists went too far in the other direction. Chaos and rampant state government is as much of a threat to freedom as rampant general government in Washington. I believe that Lincoln held the middle ground of prudence that the Founders envisioned.

[ought-six]

“I believe that Lincoln held the middle ground of prudence that the Founders envisioned.”

I don’t. I think Lincoln was a despot. I think the Founders would have been appalled at Lincoln. But we can agree to disagree.