Final answer:
During Georgia's 1861 debate over secession, Unionists and secessionists disagreed about Abraham Lincoln's election based on their stance on secession and the preservation of states' rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the 1861 debate over secession in Georgia, Unionists and secessionists disagreed about Abraham Lincoln's election. Unionists were against secession and did not support Lincoln's election. They believed that secession would lead to the destruction of the southern way of life and that the Republican Party, to which Lincoln belonged, did not intend to abolish slavery in states where it already existed.
On the other hand, secessionists supported Lincoln's election as it provided them with the opportunity to leave the Union and protect their states' rights, including the right to own and take their property (referring to slavery) wherever they wanted.