Ok this is an idea I been playing with for a few weeks and frankly I'm not trusting my thought process on this. Anyways Preston Brooks strikes Charles Sumner hard enough to kill him during the canning.
The Canning of Sumner was a major moment in American political history during the lead up to the civil war. Brooks OTL was charged with assault and found guility but only fined 300 dollars with no jail time. But with Sumner being dead ITL, I see Brooks charged with manslaughter and more heavily fined with jail time. Assuming he doesn't skip town and return to South Carolina. If he does skip town I don't see South Carolina sending him back north.
What I'm trying to figure out what would the northern reaction would be. I was thinking of a unity ticket between the newly formed Republican Party and the Know Nothings. Not sure who would be at the top of that ticket. But I think a unity ticket between the Republicans and Know Nothings would see the Republicans carry what Fremont had in OTL along with Maryland(8 EV), New Jersey (7 EV), Illionis (11 EV) and California (4 EV). That's enough to get this ticket up to 144. The reason I feel good about these states flipping is because IOTL putting what the Know Nothings and Republicans had would see these states flip. Well possibly Maryland might break to the Dems, but that still 136.
But I want to know if between a unity ticket and Sumner dying would it be enough to flip Pennsylvania with its 27 EV to the Republicans and give them the election. Or what about Indiana and its 13 EV. If either Pennsylvania or Indiana goes to the Republican ticket its game over for the Democratic Party as even if Maryland goes Dems, the Republicans still get a 149 EV victory.
Personally I'm leaning to John McLean or Nathaniel Banks being POTUS. McLean and Banks is anti-slavery, but Brooks did kill a man on the senate floor. So I'm leaning to the south being pissed, but not doing anything stupid like in 1860. Now when they reject Lecompton Constitution, then I see the shit hitting the fan. But I'm not sure. So thoughts?
The Canning of Sumner was a major moment in American political history during the lead up to the civil war. Brooks OTL was charged with assault and found guility but only fined 300 dollars with no jail time. But with Sumner being dead ITL, I see Brooks charged with manslaughter and more heavily fined with jail time. Assuming he doesn't skip town and return to South Carolina. If he does skip town I don't see South Carolina sending him back north.
What I'm trying to figure out what would the northern reaction would be. I was thinking of a unity ticket between the newly formed Republican Party and the Know Nothings. Not sure who would be at the top of that ticket. But I think a unity ticket between the Republicans and Know Nothings would see the Republicans carry what Fremont had in OTL along with Maryland(8 EV), New Jersey (7 EV), Illionis (11 EV) and California (4 EV). That's enough to get this ticket up to 144. The reason I feel good about these states flipping is because IOTL putting what the Know Nothings and Republicans had would see these states flip. Well possibly Maryland might break to the Dems, but that still 136.
But I want to know if between a unity ticket and Sumner dying would it be enough to flip Pennsylvania with its 27 EV to the Republicans and give them the election. Or what about Indiana and its 13 EV. If either Pennsylvania or Indiana goes to the Republican ticket its game over for the Democratic Party as even if Maryland goes Dems, the Republicans still get a 149 EV victory.
Personally I'm leaning to John McLean or Nathaniel Banks being POTUS. McLean and Banks is anti-slavery, but Brooks did kill a man on the senate floor. So I'm leaning to the south being pissed, but not doing anything stupid like in 1860. Now when they reject Lecompton Constitution, then I see the shit hitting the fan. But I'm not sure. So thoughts?