The Failure of the Crittenden Compromise & The Inauguration of War.

In his work, The Old Guard, C. Chauncey Burr addressed myriad issues related to the development and prosecution of the Civil War. In this case, he addressed the Crittenden Compromise.

The Crittenden Compromise proposed a series of constitutional amendments proposed in Congress in 1860 to ameliorate friction between proslavery and antislavery factions. One of the compromises, for instance, would have permitted slavery in the territories south, but not north, of latitude 36°30′N.

While holding promise, the Crittenden Compromise failed. Burr highlighted two senators' thoughts about the failure.

August Glen-James, editor

. . . a two-thirds vote for the Crittenden resolutions in this Chamber would have saved every State in the Union but South Carolina.

Senator Douglas, in the Senate, Jan. 3 1861:

“I believe this (his plan) to be a fair basis of amicable adjustment. If you of the Republican side are not willing to accept this, nor the proposition of the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Crittenden), pray tell us what are you willing to do? I address the inquiry to the Republicans alone, for the reason that, in the Committee of Thirteen, a few days ago, every member from the South, including those from the Cotton States (Messrs. Davis and Toombs), expressed their readiness to accept the proposition of my venerable friend from Kentucky, Mr. Crittenden, as a final settlement of the controversy, if tendered and sustained by the Republican members. Hence the sole responsibility of our disagreement, and the only difficulty in the way of an amicable adjustment, is with the Republican Party.”

Senator Pugh, of Ohio, on the same occasion as Douglas above:

“The Crittenden proposition has been endorsed by the almost unanimous vote of the Legislature of Kentucky. It has been endorsed by the Legislature of the noble old Commonwealth of Virginia. It has been petitioned for by a larger number of electors of the United States than any proposition that was ever before Congress. I believe in my heart, to-day, that it would carry an overwhelming majority of the people of my State; ay, sir, and of nearly every State in the Union. Before the Senators from the State of Mississippi left this Chamber, I heard one of them, who now assumes at least to be President of the Southern Confederacy, propose to accept it and maintain the Union, if that proposition could receive the vote it ought to receive from the other side of this Chamber. Therefore, of all your propositions, of all your amendments, knowing as I do, and knowing that the historian will write it down, at any time before the 1st of January, a two-thirds vote for the Crittenden resolutions in this Chamber would have saved every State in the Union but South Carolina. Georgia would be here by her representatives, and Louisiana also—those two great States, which at least would have broken the whole column of secession.”—Globe, page 1,380 (the “Globe” reference in original).