Chapter 704 The scenery here is the best

It was still very cold in Washington in February, the Potomac River was still covered with thin ice, and the snow had not melted in the shadow of Capitol Hill. On the north lawn of the White House, the tents raised by Pennsylvania militia were squeezed under the bare street trees like gray mushrooms. The kerosene lamps hanging on horse stakes swayed in the night, illuminating the placards of "Liberation of Black Slaves" and "Tariff 100%" flickered.

"Add two more sandbags!"

Lincoln was wrapped in an old tweed coat and his fingers slashed the bullet marks on the White House wall - which were left by the rifle of the southern militia three days ago. His shadow was thrown on the wall by the flames, and it looked like a god of death holding a sickle.

The Capitol Square in the south has now become another world. Senator Davis brought Mississippi militias to set up a bonfire under the unfinished Washington Monument. The aroma of barbecue mixed with whiskey alcohol floated across Constitution Avenue. On the podium they built with pine wood, there was a huge map of the United States. Eleven slave states were painted with red paint and bloody mouths, and were about to swallow the blue territory in the north.

They also put out their own slogans, "State power is supreme", "Oppose tax increases" and "47% must defeat 40%" are all over the place.

"President Buchanan!"

Black, who had only succeeded Lewis, who had resigned and ran away in December last year, suddenly pushed open the door of the Oval Office, and the telegram in his arms fell like snowflakes. The dozing president jumped up in shock and looked at his Secretary of State in a panic.

"North Carolina militia robbed the armory. The governor of Pennsylvania has mobilized 20,000 state soldiers and declared to come to Washington to support Lincoln." Black's voice was crying, "The eleven southern state legislatures passed a resolution, believing that 47% of the votes should be better than 40% of the votes!"

Douglas curled up in the sofa by the fireplace, holding an empty wine bottle in his hand. He was a moderate Democrat, taking the middle route between the muddy ones, but now he was baked by the Democratic radicals in the south, causing him to be in a dilemma.

The thing he regrets most now is probably to compete with Breckenridge, a radical, for the Democratic presidential candidate and the second regret is that after losing the election with a 47% vote rate, he did not stand up and surrender immediately, and he also tried to turn the tables through recounts from several states with close votes.

As a result, Davis, Breckenridge, and Hammond and other radicals actually launched militias into Washington!

Subsequently, the Republican Lincoln was not willing to be outdone and brought northern militias.

Now, he can't give in. He wants to retreat. Then the southern radicals gathered in Washington now cannot let him go! Maybe he will be assassinated and then blame him first.

At this moment, he heard Blake's words and just muttered to himself: "Forty-seven to forty. Forty-seven to forty"

The sound of porcelain shattering suddenly came from the East Hall of the White House. Twenty Democratic Northern lawmakers were arguing around the dining table - these "moderate" Democrats basically came to power by the votes of farmers in the state.

There is also agriculture in the northern part of the United States, and Lincoln's high tariff policy will also hurt them - now the United States' agricultural production capacity is extremely oversupply and cannot be consumed at all in the country. Once the high tariff policy attracts revenge from Europe, it will give some intensity to the American agricultural products, and farmers in the northern part of the United States will also have to explode!

As for the supply and demand of agricultural products, Victoria and Albert don’t care how many Indians and Egyptians starve to death!

In addition, after the Russian serfdom reform, Russia's agricultural product output is rising, which can well fill the vacancy after the withdrawal of American products.

From a certain perspective, the Civil War in history has helped the United States clear out the excess agricultural production capacity. However, the Civil War has not yet begun, and Lincoln's high tariffs are still on the way.

So all these "moderate" Northern Democrats hope that Douglas can go. But they also dare not fight a civil war.

After all, in their state, the Republican Party has a great advantage! Moreover, the martial ethics of the northern peasants cannot compare to the "old American star-striped banners" in the south - the grandfathers of that group of people fought the War of Independence with the British, and they are considered American nobles! Since then, they have maintained the tradition of militia and have abundant martial ethics!

Most of the northern farmers are small farmers who have been brought from Europe, and they dare not compete with the old American star-striped banner. On the contrary, the northern factory owners and workers are more brave - the current American "small farmers" belong to "rich peasants", the factory owners are capitalists, and the workers are proletarians. Therefore, once the Civil War begins, the Northern Democratic Party, which relies on the small producers in the north, will surely defeat it.

In the future, America will be the northern factory owners and processing workers and the southern armed landlords compete with each other!

Therefore, the representatives of these small American producers are in a dilemma now. They don’t know if they should fight or be cowardly, so they are chattering and quarreling there.

"Quiet!"

Army Secretary Floyd walked quickly and roared and stopped the group of Northern Democrats who were quarreling. "Mr. President," he turned to look at Buchanan who was sank in his chair. "Mr. President, the 2nd Federal Artillery Company and the Marine Corps squad at the Naval Academy have just arrived in Washington, plus the District of Columbia militias now commanded by the Department of the Army near the capital has increased to 1,800."

1,800 people. This is really a "army"!

But the US federal government in this era is so weak. The entire US Army has only 16,000 people, of which less than 1,000 are stationed near Washington. In addition, there is a small team of Marines and District of Columbia militias - the District of Columbia is directly under the federal government, and the District of Columbia militias are naturally commanded by the president.

Now the number of militia mobilized by radical militants from both the north and the south is probably twenty or thirty times that of this.

"Has the Supreme Court's ruling come out? Where is the Attorney General? Go and ask." President Buchanan himself had no idea and could only pin his hopes on the "authority" of the Supreme Court's justice.

When U.S. Attorney General Edwin Stanton arrived at the Supreme Court, he found that Chief Justice Tony was standing on the steps outside the Supreme Court door to drink the northwest wind. The black robe was blown by the cold wind, and the door behind him was closed.

"How is it? Chief Justice."

The Supreme Court of the United States of America glared at the Attorney General and replied in a sacred and solemn tone: "Four to Four"

"Four to four?" Edwin Stanton's eyes darkened and he thought to himself: Are you eight justices tacitly understanding?

"Come with me!" Justice Tony sighed and took the US Attorney General into the most sacred Supreme Court in the United States. As soon as he entered the door, he heard several justices quarreling there!

"Article 2, paragraph 1 of the Constitution is clearly stated"

"Fuck the first one! Now the streets are full of gun-holding mobs!"

"Let the vice president go to count the votes. He said whoever is the next president will be the next president!"

"If you admit this kind of accounting vote under the pressure of the gun"

"Do you want to watch Washington become a slaughterhouse?"

"If Breckenridge announces Douglas' victory, Lincoln will give up? There are quite a few northern militias in Washington City!"

Several justices held their own opinions, and seemed to have to understand each other, and they tied with four to four. It seems that they really understand the method!

At two o'clock in the evening, the basement of the Library of Congress, located south of the Supreme Court, was lit with whale oil lamps.

"We have 40 cannons in our hands," Davis circled the map with a red pencil, "as long as we set up the cannons."

"We still have ten thousand southern militia carrying Miner rifles." Breckenridge licked his chapped lips, "The advantage lies in me."

"The vote counting on February 6th" Xianfeng looked at Breckenridge with anticipation.

"Pack to me!" Breckenridge said gritting his teeth, "47% can't lose to 40%"

"Dangdangdang"

The sudden sound of bells interrupted everyone's secret conversation. The three of them rushed to the top floor of the Library of Congress and saw a fire suddenly rising from the direction of the White House! The Pennsylvanian militia who seemed to have "occupied" the north lawn of the White House suddenly attacked!

Federal soldiers have pulled out human walls outside the White House, trying to stop the Pennsylvanian militia from rushing into the White House.

"Damn it," Breckenridge cursed, "Do they want a coup? They dare."

"Let's go and occupy Congress!" Xianfeng suddenly reminded, "The highest power of the United States is in Congress, and you must be in the Senate to count votes!"

Breckenridge focused heavily and said to Davis: "Bike Zhao is right. We must control Congress. We are the majority in the Senate and House of Representatives!"

The Democratic candidate not only won 47% of the election vote, but also won the majority of the Senate and House of Representatives - but many of them belong to Northern Democrats with a swaying position.

But what determines America's future now is no longer votes but guns!

Davis clenched his fist: "I'll go and dispatch troops now!"

"Mr. President!"

Senator O'Connor panted and climbed up a building north of the White House with a document in his hand: "We hope you can take office in New York, the north.

This is a joint statement from all Republican and Constitutional lawmakers. They are all firmly supporting you. President, the advantage of Washington belongs to the Southern!”

Lincoln did not accept the document. His eyes were just staring at the White House. The Pennsylvanian militia who supported him were "spontaneously" clashing with the White House guards. He should have just entered the white building with justification and led the United States to greatness!

But now Lincoln clenched his fists tightly, and he couldn't say the word "go" for a long time.

At this moment, William Sherman, the leader of the Ohio militia, stepped up, glanced at O'Connor, and then came to Lincoln: "Mr. President Breckenridge broke into the Capitol under the escort of 1,000 Mississippi militiamen.

We can't beat them in Washington, so I suggest you leave Washington immediately with a member who is truly loyal to the U.S. Constitution!"
Chapter completed!