"As division over the fate of slavery swept the US leading up to and following the 1860 election, border slave states like Kentucky found themselves literally caught in the middle. This collection showcases the discourse that followed the election and sheds light on the Bluegrass State's political thought processes as it considered joining its Deep South sister states in secession. The volume includes addresses by Governor Beriah Magoffin; Senator John J. Crittenden's December 1860 address proposing a Constitutional solution to secession; speeches by various proponents and opponents of the Crittenden amendment; various Constitutional amendments proposed by Kentuckians; and documents related to the second session of the Thirty-Sixth Congress, the Washington Peace Conference of 1861, and the Border Slave State Conference. With a lengthy introduction and questions for discussion, the work is both a valuable resource for historians and suitable for the classroom"--