Jeff Davis a Traitor? BUNK!

Neil, I disagree for this reason. Lincoln was dead 5 days after the surrender of Lee. He could not "let em up easy" as 6 of his peers was letting him down easy and then throwing dirt in his face.

Reconstruction took 11 years. During that time, for seven years every Confederate was disenfranchised, while the newly freed, mostly illiterate black male was given the vote, given lands that had belonged to their former masters, and the only reason that the Confederates were not tried is Seward, Stanton, and the other evil cronies of HARD RECONSTRUCTION did not want the issue of the legality of secession tried in the courts (e.g., by trying the Confederates as traitors, the issue of secession would have arisen, therefore the trial would have turned to the rights of the states to secede, which the Republican party could not tolerate.)

Therefore, this argument is like a sieve, it don't hold water.

my best, my dear old friend,
Old Reb

[unionblue]

Ron, just can't give "that man" a break can you?

So, when President Lincoln talked to General Grant right after the fall of Richmond about how to handle upcoming possible surrenders of Rebel forces, that phrase, "let 'em up easy" had no impact on how Grant granted or made up surrender terms. That Sherman gave Lincoln no mind when he too negotiated with a defeated and helpless enemy and gave them terms so generous that the War Department tried to reverse them until Sherman told them to go to hell. That Lincoln's second inaugural address where he says, "let us bind up the nation's wounds" were not directed also to his now reunited countrymen of the south.

It's just too **** bad the man was 'let down easy' as perhaps reconstruction under Lincoln might have let the South up a bit more 'easy'.

Guess we'll both just have to be satisfied with the result of his death and the fact of a brutal reconstruction period for the South.

Not denying that Lincoln's plan of reconstruction was better and his concept of letting "us" up easier was infinitely better. What I am saying is, plan and up front, the Federal government decided that just defeating us on the battle field was not punishment enough. The South had to feel true retribution. And 11 years of having martial law declared on your state was a good start.

As a factoid, did any one reading these posts know that in the State of Mississippi, in the year 2002, that any law that affects voting in the state, passed by the Congress of that state, and signed by the governor of that state automatically goes directly to the US Supreme Court for a hearing before it can become a law?

truth...

best regards
old reb

[jgallagher109]

Ok, you know old reb that I normally just watch from behind the rocks, but you've got to elaborate on that voting law factoid! How did this become so? Do you mean even, say, a redistricting bill would automatically go to the USSC? That seems absurd!

Jim

Jim,
Following the passage of the Jim Crow laws in Mississippi (Alabama, Georgia and Lousiana) in the late 1800's, laws which basically placed such restrictions as requiring voters to be able to read and write, understand the ballots (remember Florida, 2000?), etc., the Federal government determined that Mississippi was still failing at Reconstruction. With that in mind, a law was passed, I wish I knew which of the US codes it is, which requires that in Mississippi, when a law passes its elected representatives, that affects voting, including redistricting, it must undergo US Supreme Court review, because it would end up there anyway, based on today's liberal interpretation of minority rule.

That law is still in effect.

oldreb