[4CJ]

My point was that the unpopularity of the Republican Party in the South until the 1960s was not because of Reconstruction, but because it never had any support in the South even prior to the Civil War, as evinced by the Republican ticket getting ZERO votes in ten of the eleven states which would secede.

Just as I stated that there were abolitionists and union supporters in the South. The lack of votes for Lincoln had to be because his economic policies hurt Southerners - not a lack of support for abolistion/union.

The war waged against innocent civilians and Reconstruction plunder of the South is what devasted the South, and hardened their hearts toward the "Republican" Party.

Thomas Jefferson led the Democratic-Republican Party, which is closer to today's Republican platform of limited government than the Lincolnian platform of Whiggery.

[Grand Old Partisan]

You're missing the point -- not just mine but yours too. You posted to me on this thread because you were insisting that Lincoln received ZERO vites in the ten southern states because he was not "on the ballot" instead of the real reason, about which you now agree with me, that the Republican Party's lack of support dates from before the Civil War, not from Reconstruction.

So again, you are agreeing with me now.