Why I Love History

"I have said that any man who attempted by force or unparliamentary disorder to obstruct or interfere with the lawful count of the electoral vote should be lashed to the muzzle of a twelve-pounder and fired out of a window of the Capitol. I would manure the hills of Arlington with his body!" - Gen. Winfield Scott, on his concern that the electoral college might not vote as they aught on the eve of Lincoln's inauguration. (February, 1860)

This isn't the first amazing quote from these books I'm reading, but I felt of all the ones I've read, it best highlighted what I love about this time period. Though, there was another amazing one a few pages ago:

"Mr. President, Massachusetts has not yet spoken directly on [the Crittenden Compromise]. But I feel authorized to say - at least I give it as my opinion - that such are the unalterable convictions of the people, they would see their State sunk below the sea and become a sandbank before they would adopt these propositions." -Charles Sumner, to lame duck President Buchanan, a month before Lincoln's inauguration. The Crittenden Compromise was the last serious attempt to offer the South a compromise, after the deep South seceded in December and January, 1860.

Our ancestors were cool. :)