[watwut]

> Secession started after Lincoln was elected, but before he took office, what actions could he have taken? His abolitionist rhetoric was enough to trigger a civil war. That's a pretty big boat rock.

There was no risk of abolishing slavery at the moment. And pro-slavery side scored series or political victories prior war, partly due to own increasingly heated rhetorics.

Real question about whether slavery or not was limited to new territories. And that was primary about long term risks - new territory means new state to vote.