Sometimes, I think it is regrettable that this ticket carried only three states. We might have avoided a bloody civil war AND put slavery on a path to obsolescence.
Bell was basically a spoiler - idea was to draw enough electoral votes to deny majority candidates (Lincoln, Breckenridge, Douglas)
Election devolved into 2 contests Lincoln-Douglas in North, Bell-Breckenridge in south
Lincoln and Douglas were anathema in south , Repubicans did nt even campaign as would have been lynched
Bell vs Breckenridge in south - Bell to draw votes was forced to declare support for slave code in territories
which made him poison in north
Won in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, came close in Maryland
Objective was draw away enough electoral votes to throw election to House
Everett, the VP candidate was Senator from Mass, hoped to be elected by the Senate and run country while others duked it out in House