Final answer:
By spring 1861, southerners had largely concluded that no further compromise with the North would succeed, largely due to the secession of states, Lincoln's unwavering stance on slavery in the territories, and the failure of proposed compromises like the Crittenden Compromise.The correct answer is option d).
Step-by-step explanation:
By the spring of 1861, most southerners had concluded that no additional compromise with the North would succeed. This conclusion was a result of multiple factors, including the failure of the Crittenden Compromise, Abraham Lincoln's election without a single southern vote in the Electoral College, and the earlier secession of several southern states which set a precedent that compromise was unlikely to alter. Even attempts to broker peace and avoid a costly war through moderation fell short as the secessionist movement gained momentum.
Despite the efforts of some to find a peaceful solution, the insistence on safeguarding states' rights and maintaining the institution of slavery led to an impasse. Many in the North, including newly elected President Lincoln, viewed secession as illegal, and despite varying opinions on the matter, Lincoln's administration would not yield on the issue of slavery expansion into the territories. Thus, the prospect of compromise faded as both sides entrenched themselves in their respective stances leading up to the outbreak of the Civil War.