ability of the South to do so was waning.In 1800 half of the population of the United States had lived in the South.But by 1850 only a third lived there and the disparity continued to widen.While northern industrial opportunity attracted scores of immigrants from Europe in search of freedom,the South's population stagnated.Even as slave states were added to the Union to balance the number of free ones,the South found that its representatives in the House had been overwhelmed by the North's explosive growth.The South found itself at the mercy of a government in which it no longer had an effective voice. Nothing but bitterness and bad feeling could come of it.From such a position it was a short step to the proposition that if a state or section of the countr no longer felt itself represented in,or fairly treated by the Federal Government, then it had the right to dissolve its association with that government.It could secede from the Union. Nothing but bitterness and bad feeling could come of it.From such a position it was a short step to the proposition that if a state or section of the country no longer felt itself represented in,or fairly treated by the Federal Government, then it had the right to dissolve its association with that government.It could secede from the Union. The whole mess went up in smoke in the presidential election year of 1860. The Democratic party split badly.Stephen Douglas became the nominee of the northern wing of the party.A southern faction broke away from the party and nominated Senator John Breckinridge of Kentucky.The remnants of the Whig party nominated John Bell of Tennessee. The whole mess went up in smoke in the presidential election year of 1860. The Democratic party split badly.Stephen Douglas became the nominee of the northern wing of the party.A southern faction broke away from the party and nominated Senator John Breckinridge of Kentucky.The remnants of the Whig party nominated John Bell of Tennessee. Into this confusion the new Republican party injected its nominee,Abraham Lincoln. ability of the South to do so was waning. In 1800 half of the population of the United States had lived in the South. But by 1850 only a third lived there and the disparity continued to widen. While northern industrial opportunity attracted scores of immigrants from Europe in search of freedom, the South's population stagnated. Even as slave states were added to the Union to balance the number of free ones, the South found that its representatives in the House had been overwhelmed by the North’s explosive growth. The South found itself at the mercy of a government in which it no longer had an effective voice. Nothing but bitterness and bad feeling could come of it. From such a position it was a short step to the proposition that if a state or section of the country no longer felt itself represented in, or fairly treated by the Federal Government, then it had the right to dissolve its association with that government. It could secede from the Union. Nothing but bitterness and bad feeling could come of it. From such a position it was a short step to the proposition that if a state or section of the country no longer felt itself represented in, or fairly treated by the Federal Government, then it had the right to dissolve its association with that government. It could secede from the Union. The whole mess went up in smoke in the presidential election year of 1860. The Democratic party split badly. Stephen Douglas became the nominee of the northern wing of the party. A southern faction broke away from the party and nominated Senator John Breckinridge of Kentucky. The remnants of the Whig party nominated John Bell of Tennessee. The whole mess went up in smoke in the presidential election year of 1860. The Democratic party split badly. Stephen Douglas became the nominee of the northern wing of the party. A southern faction broke away from the party and nominated Senator John Breckinridge of Kentucky. The remnants of the Whig party nominated John Bell of Tennessee. Into this confusion the new Republican party injected its nominee, Abraham Lincoln