Persistence of Partisanship.

The outbreak of war prompted a strong bipartisan expression of Unionism. After a highly publicized visit to the White House, Stephen A. Douglas declared from his home in Chicago that "There can be no neutrals in this war, only patriots —or traitors." But Lincoln entered office determined to govern as a Republican president, not as the head of a coalition. He did not invite any active Democrats to join his cabinet, although he carefully balanced the group between former Whigs and former Democrats. Patronage remained the glue of partisanship, and Lincoln proved to be a master at accommodating different factions. On the other hand, military appointments—also an important form of patronage—called for special bipartisan handling, and Lincoln was careful to recognize the applications of qualified Democratic commanders. Although party lines thus remained important, the Republicans enjoyed...