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Lincoln's opponent, Gen. George McClellan, favored a more lenient approach to the South than the Republicans did; he also was not supportive of Republican plans to abolish slavery through military force. If he had won, probably the South would have received more generous terms when the war ended and the end of slavery would have been delayed. It is possible (though by no means certain) that this would have avoided some of our later problems. For example, the South might have recovered sooner economically and a more carefully thought out approach to emancipation might have prevented the relegation of most of the freed men to share cropping, which was really just another form of slavery. However, the times were so tumultous and violent that it might not have made any difference who won the election. After all, Lincoln was assassinated, and McClellan might have been, too.

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11y ago

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