they saw slaveholders as oligarchs. they believed that small d democracy was at stake. they didn't believe it existed in the south because of the oligarchy rule there. they believed there was a larger project in north america, saving the handywork of the founders and chastising the oligarchs. they also looked across the ocean and said, democracy hasn't worked anywhere. the resolutions of the late 1840s failed everywhere. democracy is in retreat. if it's going to be saved anywhere, it has to be here, and if these oligarchs can destroy the nation because their candidate wasn't elected in an election no one said was crooked, they didn't like the result then the oligarchs, anarchists and monarchs will be able to say we told you. >> we all thought lincoln said it, and then. we capture who is still very widely held among the white loyal citizenry. so i can't even give credit for going to war, most of them, to limit -- the democrats certainly didn't. 45% of the north are democrats. they're not on board with anything. >> it's that other democratic party in that other century. >

they saw slaveholders as oligarchs. they didn't see them as part of the tradition from the founding generation. they believed small d democracy was at stake. they didn't believe it existed in the south because of the oligarchy rule. they believed there was both a larger project in place in north america, that is, saving the handiwork of the founders and chastising these oligarchs, but they also looked across the ocean and said this -- democracy hasn't worked anywhere. the revolutions of the late 1840s failed everywhere. democracy is in retreat. if it's going to be saved anywhere, it has to be here. and if these oligarchs can destroy the nation just because the presidential candidate they favored wasn't elected in an election that no one said was crooked, they just didn't like the result. then the oligarchs and the aristocrats and the monarchists are going to be able to say we told you people aren't capable. we all think lincoln said it and everybody said oh-a that must be the case. but in fact, even barely literate soldi