[rockrr]

I am reminded of the words of Benjamin Franklin: "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."

If Lincoln had not prevailed in preserving the union, there would be no United States today. Of course there also would be no Confederate States Of America.

The individual states, so weakened by the catastrophic internal struggle would likely have been overrun by French or British forces and our republic dissolved.

[outdriving]

"If Lincoln had not prevailed in preserving the union, there would be no United States today. Of course there also would be no Confederate States Of America.

The individual states, so weakened by the catastrophic internal struggle would likely have been overrun by French or British forces and our republic dissolved."

You have absolutely no way of knowing any of that. We all could be far better off, as far as anyone knows. You've got 145 years of history to play with.