What Was Lincoln's Position In What Point To Secede?

When new of Lincolns’ election spread, South Carolina called a Convention to take the state out of the Union. Within the next six weeks there were six other states following suit.1 In December of 1860 there were three different positions developing in the South. The first position was “immediate secession.” This was the most drastic view because they believed each state should secede on its own and should not wait for the entire South to agree on a decision. The second position was “cooperation” this position wanted to wait until there was a mutual response from the entire South regarding Lincolns’ election. This group eventually divided into the secessionists, ultimatumists and conditional unionists. They all agreed that on secession but did not agree on how and what point to secede. The
Because of this the seceding states increased their militia and confiscated federal arsenals. Most secessionists believed their reaction was legal and constitutional. 4 The South took these measures because they were afraid of the extinction of slavery.5 The South began to think of situations of what Republicans might do. Some thoughts were the Republicans would exclude slavery from the territories, Lincoln would pick Republican Justices for the Supreme Court, which would devastate the South, Congress would take back the Fugitive Slave Law so slaves would escape to free territories, and they thought slavery might be demolished in D.C.6 During this time Lincoln told his southern friends that his presidency would not hinder slavery in the states or D.C. He told them that he would not change slave trade and he would apply the Fugitive Slave Laws. He also told his friends that he would talk to the North about modifying personal liberty laws. However the South was still seceding because Republicans believed slavery was wrong and no compromise or promise would change