Final answer:
True, the Crittenden Compromise failed because Republicans, led by President-elect Lincoln, refused to compromise on the expansion of slavery into the territories, adhering to their party principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the Crittenden Compromise failed because Republicans refused to give in on the question of slavery is true. Before Abraham Lincoln's inauguration, Senator John J. Crittenden proposed a compromise that required northern concessions on slavery. However, Lincoln and the Republicans opposed any extension of slavery into the territories, standing firm on the party's principles which had just won them the election. This refusal was based on the belief that acquiescing would be tantamount to surrendering to those they had defeated and would signify the end of the Republican Party and the government principles they stood for.