The Summer of 1860

There came a time when the political system was unable to deal with the pressures brought on it by the political differences which divided the nation. By April of an election year, there were men who had decided that the moderate course which had guided the nation for four score and four years was no longer acceptable to them. In the arena of politics, calculations were made, votes were counted, and positions were staked out. The people of the country were not willing to believe that the extremist on either side were really willing to carry out their threats. Their leaders knew this, but when power is at stake, the will of the people is one of the last true considerations…