The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 704 The scenery is the best here

It was still very cold in Washington in February. The Potomac River was still covered with thin ice, and the snow in the shadow of Capitol Hill had not yet melted. On the North Lawn of the White House, the tents set up by the Pennsylvania militia were crowded like gray mushrooms under the bare trees. The kerosene lamps hanging on the hitching posts swayed in the night, illuminating the signs that read "Free the Slaves" and "100% Tariff" and flickered.

"Add two more layers of sandbags!"

Lincoln, wrapped in an old woolen coat, ran his fingers over the bullet holes on the White House wall, which were left by the accidental discharge of a rifle by a southern militia three days ago. His shadow was cast on the wall by the firelight, elongated like a death god holding a scythe.

The Capitol Square in the south had become another world. The Mississippi militia brought by Senator Davis built a bonfire under the unfinished Washington Monument, and the aroma of barbecue mixed with the smell of whiskey drifted across Constitution Avenue. On their pinewood podium hung a huge map of the United States, with the eleven slave states painted red as bloody mouths, about to devour the blue territory of the north.

They also put up their own slogans, with signs saying "States' Rights First," "Oppose Tax Increases," and "47% Must Defeat 40%" posted everywhere.

"President Buchanan!"

Black, who had just succeeded Lewis as Secretary of State last December, suddenly opened the door of the Oval Office, and the telegrams in his arms fell out like snowflakes. The dozing president jumped up in shock and looked at his Secretary of State in panic.

"North Carolina militiamen robbed the armory. The governor of Pennsylvania has mobilized 47 state troops and announced that he would come to Washington to support Lincoln." Blake's voice was filled with tears. "Eleven southern state legislatures passed a resolution that 40% of the votes should be better than % of the votes!"

Douglas curled up in the sofa by the fireplace, holding an empty bottle in his hand. He was a moderate Democrat who took a middle-of-the-road approach, but now he was put on the spot by the radical Democratic Party in the South, making him in a dilemma.

The thing he regretted most now was probably competing with the radical Breckinridge for the Democratic presidential candidate. The second thing he regretted was that after losing the election with 47% of the votes, 7 percentage points ahead of Lincoln, he did not surrender immediately, and even tried to turn the tables by recounting the votes in several states where the votes were close.

As a result, radicals such as Davis, Breckinridge, and Hammond actually mobilized the militia and entered Washington!
Then Republican Lincoln was not to be outdone and also brought in Northern militia.
Now he couldn't give in. If he did, the Southern radicals gathered in Washington would not let him go. They might assassinate him first and then blame the North.
Now he heard Blake's words, and only murmured to himself: "Forty-seven to forty. Forty-seven to forty."

Suddenly, there was a sound of broken porcelain in the East Room of the White House. Twenty Democratic northern congressmen were arguing around the dining table - these "moderate" Democrats basically relied on the votes of farmers in their states to come to power.

The North of the United States also has agriculture, and Lincoln's high tariff policy will also hurt them - the agricultural production capacity of the United States is now extremely excessive, and the domestic consumption is simply not enough. Once the high tariff policy leads to retaliation from Europe, the strength of American agricultural products will be increased, and the farmers in the North of the United States will also explode!

As for the supply and demand of agricultural products, Victoria and Albert didn't care at all how many Indians and Egyptians starved to death!
In addition, after the reform of serfdom in Russia, Russia's agricultural output is increasing, which can well fill the gap left by the withdrawal of American products.

From a certain perspective, the Civil War in history did help the United States clear out its excess agricultural production capacity. However, the Civil War has not yet begun, and Lincoln's high tariffs are still on the way.

So these "moderate" Northern Democrats all wanted Douglas to come to power, but at the same time they did not dare to start a civil war.

After all, in their states, the Republican Party has a big advantage! And the martial virtues of the northern farmers can't compare to those of the "Old American Stars and Stripes" in the south - their grandfathers fought the War of Independence with the British, and they are considered American nobles! After that, they have always maintained the militia tradition, and they are full of martial virtues!
Most of the northern farmers were small farmers who had come from Europe, and they did not dare to compete with the old American flag. Instead, the factory owners and workers in the north were more courageous. The "small farmers" in the United States today were "rich farmers", the factory owners were capitalists, and the workers were proletarians. Therefore, once the Civil War broke out, the Northern Democratic Party, which relied on small producers in the north, was sure to be defeated.

The future of America will be a battle between northern factory owners and southern armed landlords!

As a result, these representatives of small producers in the northern United States are now in a dilemma. They don't know whether to fight or to be cowardly, and they are just chattering and arguing.

"Quiet!"

Secretary of the Army Floyd walked over quickly and shouted at the quarreling Northern Democrats. "Mr. President," he turned to look at Buchanan, who was slumped in his chair, "Mr. President, the 2nd Federal Artillery Company and the Marine Corps squad stationed at the Naval Academy have just arrived in Washington. Together with the District of Columbia militia, the number of troops under the command of the Army Department near the capital has increased to 1800."

1800 people. This is truly a “large army”!

But the U.S. federal government at that time was so weak that the entire U.S. Army had only 16000 people, of which less than 1000 were stationed near Washington. In addition, there was a small team of Marines and the District of Columbia Militia - the District of Columbia was directly under the jurisdiction of the federal government, and the District of Columbia Militia was naturally under the command of the President.

Now the number of militias mobilized by radical factions in both the North and the South is probably 20 to 30 times that.
"Has the Supreme Court's ruling come out? Where's the Attorney General? Go ask him." President Buchanan had no other options but to pin his hopes on the "authority" of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

When U.S. Attorney General Edwin Stanton arrived at the Supreme Court, he found Chief Justice Tony standing on the steps outside the Supreme Court, catching a cold draft. His black robe rustled in the wind and the door behind him was closed.

"How's that, Chief Justice?"

The Chief Justice of the United States of America glared at the Attorney General and replied in a solemn tone: "Four to four"

"Four to four?" Edwin Stanton's eyes went dark, and he thought to himself: Do you eight justices have a tacit understanding?
"Come with me!" Chief Justice Tony sighed, and walked into the most sacred Supreme Court of the United States with the U.S. Attorney General. As soon as they entered the door, they heard several justices arguing there!
"Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution makes it clear" "Fuck Section 1! The streets are now full of mobs with guns!"

"Let the vice president count the votes. Whoever he says will be the next president will be the next president!"

"If we admit that the votes in Congress were counted under the threat of guns"

“Are we going to watch Washington become a slaughterhouse?”

"If Breckinridge declares Douglas the winner, will Lincoln just let it go? There are quite a few northern militiamen in Washington!"

Several justices held different opinions, yet seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, and the case ended in a tie with four to four. It seems that they really understand the law!

At two o'clock in the morning, whale oil lamps were lit in the basement of the Library of Congress, located south of the Supreme Court.

"We have 40 guns," Davis circled the map in red pencil, "if we just put the big guns up."

"We still have 10,000 Southern militiamen carrying Minié rifles." Breckenridge licked his cracked lips. "The advantage is mine."

"What about the vote count on February 2th?" Xianfeng looked at Breckinridge expectantly.

"Leave it to me!" Breckenridge gritted his teeth and said, "47% can't lose to 40%."

"Dang Dang Dang"

The sudden ringing of the bell interrupted the conversation. The three rushed to the top floor of the Library of Congress and saw a sudden burst of fire from the direction of the White House! It seemed that the Pennsylvania militia that "occupied" the North Lawn of the White House suddenly launched an attack!
Federal soldiers had formed a human wall outside the White House in an attempt to prevent Pennsylvania militia from storming the White House.

"Damn it!" Breckenridge cursed, "Are they going to stage a coup? How dare they?"

"Let's go occupy Congress!" Xianfeng suddenly reminded, "The highest power in the United States lies in Congress, and you must be in the Senate to count the votes!"

Breckenridge nodded heavily and said to Davis: "Bishop Zhao is right. We must control Congress. We have the majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives!"

Not only did the Democratic candidates win 47 percent of the general election vote, they also took majorities in both houses of Congress—although many of those seats belonged to swing Northern Democrats.

But now it is not the votes but the guns that determine the future of America!
Davis clenched his fist and said, "I'll mobilize the troops right away!"

"Mr President!"

Senator O'Connor climbed up a building north of the White House, panting, holding a document in his hand: "We hope you can go to New York to take office in the north.

This is a joint statement from all Republican and Constitution Party members, who firmly support you, President. The advantage in Washington belongs to the Southerners!"

Lincoln did not accept the document. His eyes were fixed on the White House. The Pennsylvania militia that supported him were "spontaneously" clashing with the White House guards. He should have legitimately entered the white building and led America to greatness!

But now Lincoln clenched his fists tightly and couldn't say the word "go" for a long time.

At this moment, William Sherman, the leader of the Ohio militia, walked up quickly, glanced at O'Connor, and then came to Lincoln's side: "Mr. President, Breckinridge broke into the Capitol under the escort of 1000 Mississippi militia.

We can't beat them in Washington, so I suggest you leave Washington immediately with the members of Congress who are truly loyal to the U.S. Constitution!"

(End of this chapter)