I guess I should have said "ignited" the fires of secession. But as I just said to George there was only one cause to South Carolina's secedeing. Lincoln being elected. They did not threaten secession about any other subject except this.

Now Jefferson Davis and the others wre threatening secession all the time, the Northern States hreatened secession because of Taney's decision over the Missouri Compromise, but no one seceded until Lincoln was elected.

I have asked myself, several times, what was it about Lincoln that caused such a split in the Union? Why wre the Southern States so against one man that they left the Union over his election. I believe his 1859 speech is it.