Mr. Lincoln arrived in Washington and took up the reins of control. It soon became very evident that, so far as the Republican party is concerned, secession if properly managed is rather a benefit than a misfortune.
HENRY ADAMS
In his famous essay, “The Great Secession Winter of 1860-61,” Henry Adams wrote, “It appears very generally among our people that our theory of Government is a failure.” This failure manifested itself on February 18, 1861 when Jefferson Davis was sworn in as Provisional President of the Confederate States of America on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol. Two weeks later Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated 16th President of the United States at the East Portico of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. At that moment, America had two presidents instead of one. Two narratives instead of one. Two opposing armies instead of one united army.
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