Suspension of Civil Liberties

[unionblue]

Friends,

An update on this thread for your viewing pleasure.

http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/ope...2/lincoln.html

Unionblue

[unionblue]

Friends,

At other threads on this board, much has been said about Lincoln and the suspension of the writ of habeus corpus and the loss of rights of those in the North. Here are a few examples of loss of liberty in the South and the loss of civil rights.

When it came to for some states to vote for or against secession in the border and Southern states, it sometimes took real courage to express your views or cast your vote.

John J. Neely, of Tennessee, a farmer and schoolteacher, recounted: "At the time of the election the feelings of the community had been worked up to a fever heat. The district was almost unanimously Democratic. I was known as an outspoken Union man. I lived within about a mile of the polls. Threats were made that if I did not go to the polls and vote for ratification (for secession) I would be killed." In order to save his life he voted against his convictions.

Several pacifistic Mennonites from Rockingham County, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley, cast pro Union ballots but were then escorted back to the polls by armed secessionists, who compelled them to change their votes.

A few brave souls nevertheless refused to bend to community pressures. Starling Proctor of Orange County, North Carolina, denounced by a Confederate lieutenant for being "a darned old Union son of a *****" who "ought to be hung," went after his tormentor and "knocked him down with a hoe." Joseph R. Thompson, a farmer and distiller from Rutherford County, Tennessee, defiantly voted against ratification of the secession ordinance. A few days before the June 1861 election he was told that "no Union man would be allowed to vote" in the district where he lived. "That made me angry and excited," he recalled. "I had never been deprived of my right to vote any way I pleased and I never intended to be. I did not know but I might have trouble and therefore took my gun with me to the polls. At the door of the house where the election was being held I met one of my neighbors, a strong secessionist, and he said to me: 'Joe how are you going to vote?' I said 'I am going to vote as I **** please.' I voted against ratification." Young Amasa Hough also voted against ratification in Loudoun County, Virginia. When secessionist then threatened to hang him, Hough swam across the Potomac River on election night to reach safety in Maryland.

States Rights, indeed! And this is only a small example of secessionist attempts at denying citizens of their rights to vote their own minds and convictions.

Unionblue

[thea_447]

This makes interesting reading. It concerns New York and Lincoln's handling of it during the War.
http://www.southernevents.org/lincolnWar.htm

Much of this has been hashed through before but it never hurts to refresh one's memory.

[unionblue]

Thea,

Another site bent on re-writting history. There are a few more books out there that give an entirely different point of view on the Draft riots of 1864 and do not throw the US Army and city police in the role of evil occupation forces.

Going to the main page of the site the article was listed on was a nice eye-opener, especially the 'nice' poem Dees and the Southern Poverty Law Center. After reading that, no way could I take anything the site said seriously.

I am in the process of reading a book called, Remembering Jim Crow, in which African-Americans tell about life in the segregated South. Some of the stories talk about Reconstruction after the Civil War and are pretty amazing.

I would rather base my research on something like this, than say a book like, The South Was Right!, which I have read and find nothing more than a flimsy sham at historical 'fact'.

But, the article on the site gave me a chance to compare notes with other books and articles I have read on the subject and at least made me feel I had done proper memory retention on the area.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

[thea_447]

Ah Neil, I see you saw the spoof on Morris Dees, head of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

We in the South have been blessed with his hypocritical tone about Southerners and their heritage while instilling hatred for the entire white population for many years so the song, "Morris Disease" is rather appropriate, in some circles.

Except for the fact that he's a white Jesse Jackson, he preys on the black man and feeds off of trying to incite tension where none exists. We are bombarded in our Sunday newspapers with the society pages full of his various homes and their accoutrements.

I had the honor to hear that little ditty sung at a SCV Fall Muster by the composer, Larry Smith. Everyone had a good laugh.

Personally I'm hoping that Larry will take time to write a verse or two about the honorable Judge Myron Thompson. He would have fit right in with the Radical Republicans way back when, except of course, he's black and they wouldn't have accepted him, just given him lip service to look good.

I suggest you read other books too, as well as the site I suggested on Rhode Island..That's a real eye opener about John Brown. And don't forget The Strange Career of Jim Crow.

Till we meet again...

[unionblue]

Thea,

Are you a member or such of the SCV? As to the book on Jim Crow, I have it on order and plan to read it as soon as my library gets it in.

Unionblue

[thea_447]

My husband joined the SCV about a year ago after I had researched his family's genealogy and he became enthralled with the history of the WBTS. I have always had a love of history so it's nice that he shares this interest with me now. (He's always interested in what's being said on the boards here.LOL)

His great grandfather and my great grandfather served in the CSA. I would like to think that perhaps they met at Chickamauga or some of the other battles in which they were both present.

I sent out all the invitations, etc. for this year's Fall Muster as a favor to a friend of ours. It was held at Alabama's Confederate Museum in Marbury and we had a wonderful time. A new museum has just been built and you can walk the grounds,have picnics, see the cemetary, and at least 3 times a year we drive up there just to see the 2nd largest tulip tree in Alabama, planted pre-Revolutionary war, I believe.

[thea_447]

Neil,
I found this article on Morris Dees which may help you to understand more fully why he is not appreciated here. He promotes hatred and lives an absolutely lavish lifestyle on monies given to him and his organization in good faith.
http://www.dixieinternet.com/page28.html

[unionblue]

Thea,

I have read the article and will do more research on Mr. Dees, but I consider the article from the site one point of view, not a final judgment on the matter of Dees character. One article does not a case make, as I seem to recall that a lot of 'bad' articles have been written on some pretty famous persons throughout history.

Thanks for the info and the link.

I would like to point out that the way you may feel about Dees is exactly the way I feel about Thomas DiLarenzo and his book, "The Real Lincoln." Just going to have to look into Dees a bit more and make up my own mind.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

[thea_447]

That sounds fair, Neil. You read some more about Dees and the SPLC.
You are certainly welcome to draw your own conclusions. One thought here: while we can only read and draw conclusions about dead people, I've lived in the South and I have observed first hand what Mr. Dees is capable of...

And, for your courtesies to me past and present, I am now willing to tell you that, having read more and more, I can agree (yes, Neil, don't faint!) with you about Thomas DiLorenzo. When he's on the mark, it's alright but when he misses, it's by a country mile and over 65 per cent of the time his miss-steps are catastrophic. I am unwilling to say the same about Charles Adams. As far as figures go, he's good. The Kennedy brothers write for a Southerner's heart, not for historical merit, in my opinion. Because of you and Tommy, and others, I find myself drawn more and more to the earliest writings I can lay hands on.

Now, having said my piece, let me check the other threads to see if you've thrust a bayonet my way!

By the way, what has happened to Halloween? I only had two tiny tricksters tonight, accompanied by their dads, one little one dressed as a soldier and the other a tiny bumblebee. I guess nobody feels safe anywhere now and I live in a court (two cul de sacs down each side) with my house on a hill in the center. We know EVERYBODY in this neighborhood...very sad.

Till we meet again,