Favorable or Unfavorable #235: Daniel S Dickinson

[vcczar]

DS Dickinson of NY is now obscure, but he was significant leading up to the CW since he led the faction of the Dems in NY (by far the largest state) that was friendly to Southern Dems.

My belief is that had Dickinson been the 1860 Dem nominee that they had a chance at beating Lincoln and probably pushing back a Civil War until 1864 or 1865. This isn't to say that Dickinson would have been or would not have been a good president. That he was a pro-war Dem means he probably would be more aggressive than Buchanan was if the war started with him as president. I see Dickinson taking the Douglas states (since Dems unified), flipping his homestate NY, and winning the states that Lincoln got under 50%, so flipping NJ, CA, and OR. This sends the election to the US House; however, so it would involve getting the Constitutional Union Party to drop out. Lincoln's victory was pretty strong when you consider this. Dickinson would have likely been acceptable to the South--he wasn't divisive as SA Douglas, and as a figure who wanted to lock out Barnburners from the NY Dems--he would seem sufficiently committed to opposing abolitionists. That Dickinson is from NY is huge for anyone hoping to defeat Lincoln. The issue was that Douglas had control of the majority of Northern Dems...it was a sort of "it's my turn" scenario. Dickinson was probably too much of a hybrid between Douglas and Breckinridge to really satisfy either faction of the national Dems as a nominee, although he'd have been a good compromise candidate to stall secession. 

His actions:

Dickinson, Daniel S	1845	Emerges as leader of the conservative faction of of the NY Dems (Hunkers), who disliked the abolitionist faction (Barnburners)
Dickinson, Daniel S	1847	resolution to approve popular sovereignty
Dickinson, Daniel S	1852	Dem cand for pres, withdraws his name, allowing Pierce to get the nomination
Dickinson, Daniel S	1860	Dem candidate for pres for both Northern and Southern Dems; Supports Breckinridge in the general
Dickinson, Daniel S	1861	Pro-Union War Democrat, despite having voted for Breckinridge
Dickinson, Daniel S	1864	Received support for VP nom on Lincoln's ticket as they wanted a pro war Dem VP

[ConservativeElector2]

From your introduction, I had expected he had voted for Douglas instead of Breckinridge. 

[vcczar]

7 minutes ago, ConservativeElector2 said:

From your introduction, I had expected he had voted for Douglas instead of Breckinridge. 

No, he thought Douglas was too divisive for 1860. He may have also thought Breckinridge would stand up against abolitionists. Who knows really. Dickinson was probably more in line with Buchanan and Pierce than Douglas, who was more moderate. 

[ConservativeElector2]

5 hours ago, vcczar said:

No, he thought Douglas was too divisive for 1860. He may have also thought Breckinridge would stand up against abolitionists. Who knows really. Dickinson was probably more in line with Buchanan and Pierce than Douglas, who was more moderate. 

Thanks! Yeah your mentioning of Dickinson's chance at beating Lincoln made me think he might have been seen as a moderate.

[vcczar]

2 hours ago, ConservativeElector2 said:

Thanks! Yeah your mentioning of Dickinson's chance at beating Lincoln made me think he might have been seen as a moderate.

No. Not really a moderate. He’s kind of like a natural piece between Douglas and Breckinridge to unify Democrats to have a chance. They’d still have to convince Const Union to drop out, even with unification and NY, NJ, CA, and OR. If the election goes to the House, Lincoln still wins most likely. Dickinson would be too conservative for the general but just right for the convention. I don’t think there really was a way for Lincoln to lose that election, but if he did, it would have been Dickinson + Cons Union folding or losing support to Dems. That only happens if Dickinson opposes secession openly, which could cost Deep South support. But who knows.