We have all of these ACW figures in play (except Lincoln): Seward, Chase and Sumner withdraw from the Republican contest to favor Fremont.
The North American Party features a Fremont vs. Banks effort, with an agreement in which Banks is to throw the nomination to Fremont.
Somehow, our shiftless historians are loath to make connections among these personalities and events four years later.
Is it not "natural politics" that Lincoln's hand would be forced to find a place for Fremont, the bigger and better Republican star? That he would try to capture the support of Fremont's backers for his own administration?
Is it not natural that Fremont's star backers would support him in the early war?
Is it not natural that Lincoln would try to hamper Fremont politically? That his wrongdoing would backfire into a Fremont reinstatement? That after the reinstatement he would continue to undermine Fremont?
What seems logical and natural to us seems fantasy and science fiction to the consensus historians.
