Civil War History - Secession and PoliticsWas it Slavery, or was it States Rights? Perhaps it was the election of Lincoln? What were the real reasons for Southern Secession and what were the political issues in this time of war? Find your answers here in the Secession and Politics Disussion.
Rebalgray:
No. I wouldn't care to get into that sort of discussion. There is reason to believe that government should be left to those who have the interest and capability to govern, but that is a subject that gets way too deep into concepts and ideology that I'd rather do over a beer or three with close friends. In person. Face to face. No. But thanks for your interest. Maybe you could jump into the chat one day?
Ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
New YorkEvening Post, May 23, 1856, on the attack on Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts by Representative Preston Brooks of South Carolina.
"The excuse for this base assault is, that Mr. Sumner, on the Senate floor, in the course of debate had spoken disrespectfully of Mr. Butler, a relative of Preston S. Brooks, one of the authors of this outrage.
Has it come to this, that we must speak with bated breath in the presence of our Southern masters; that even their follies are too sacred a subject of ridicule; that we must not deny the consistendy of their principles or the accuracy of their statements? If we venture to laugh at them, or question their logic, or dispute their facts, are we to be chastised as they chastise their slaves? Are we, too, slaves, slaves for life, a target for their brutal blows, when we do not comport ourselves to please them?
The truth is, that the pro-slavery party, which rules in the Senate looks upon violence as the proper instrument of its designs...violence has now found its way into the Senate chamber. Violence lies in wait on all navigable rivers and all the railways of Missouri, to obstruct those who pass from the free states to Kansas."
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
"In the main, the press of the South applaud the conduct of Mr. Brooks, without condition or limitation. Our aprobation at least is entire and unreserved.
These vulgar abolitionists in the Senate are getting above themselves. They have been humored until they forget their position. They have grown saucy, and dare to be impudent to gentlemen! Now, they are a low, mean, scurvy set, with some little book learning, but as utterly devoid of spirit or honor as a peck of curs. Intrenched behind "privilege," they fancy they can slander the South and insult its Representatives, with impunity. The truth is they have been suffered to run too long without collars. They must be lashed into submission.
It is equally useless to attempt to disgrace them. They are insensible to shame; and can be brought to reason only by an application of cowhide or gutta percha. Let them once understand that for every vile word spoken against the South, they will suffer so many stripes, and they will soon learn to behave themselves, like decent dogs--they can never be gentlemen.
We trust other gentlemen will follow the example of Mr. Brooks, that so a curb may be imposed upon the truculence and audacity of abolition speakers.--If need be, let us have a caning or cowhiding every day. If the worse come to the worse, so much the sooner so much the better."
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
Richmond Enquirer: Advertisements for Substitutes (1862)
WANTED--A SUBSTITUTE for a conscript to serve during the war. Any good man over the age of 35 years, not a resident of Virginia, or a foreigner, may hear of a good situation by calling at Mr. GEORGE BAGBY'S office, Shockoe Slip, to-day, between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. A COUNTRYMAN
WANTED--Immediately, a SUBSTITUTE. A man over 35 years old, or under 18, can get a good price by making immediate application to Room No. 50, Monument Hotel, or by addressing "J.W.," through Richmond P.O.
WANTED--A SUBSTITUTE, to go in a first-rate Georgia company of infantry,under the heroic Jackson. A gentleman whose health is impaired, will give a fair price for a substitute. Apply immediately at ROOM, No. 13, Post-Office Department, third story, between the hours of 10 and 3 o'clock.
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
Neil:
The Evening Post and Enquirer editorials provide a most interesting contrast in attitudes. Thanks for both.
Ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
I noticed that trice and Battalion had posted some newspaper/editorials and remembered we had a thread for something like this buried amongst our numerous threads.
The idea was to let those editorials of the time speak for themselves, so I thought I would find it, add to it, and bring it back up to the top, sort-of-speak.
Besides, cruising through this old thread brings back some memories of when I first started here on the board.
Sincerely,
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
ART. VII.-THE MIND THAT HAS RULED AND DIRECTED THE UNION.
ONE of the Republican members of Congress the other day, whose name need not be mentioned, paid a tribute to the governing capacities of the South which may encourage her people should they ever think of setting up altogether for themselves. The only ridiculous part of the remarks, is, that which refers to the non-slave-holders of' the South, who are thought to be arrayed against their own hearths and homes.
"The population of the free States is over thirteen millions; of the slave States, over six millions. There have been eighteen presidential elections; twelve Presidents were slave holders, six were not, but Northern men with Southern sentiments. The slaveholders have held the Presidency for forty eight years - more than two-thirds of the entire period. No Northern man has ever been reelected; five of the slave owners have been. As far as the Presidency is concerned, the slave-owners have had more than their equal rights! There are over twenty millions of free people in the Union; the slave-owners numbered, in 1850, three hundred and forty six thousand and forty-seven. According to numbers, they should have had the Presidency but a single year; they have had it over forty-eight!
"Since 1809, the President pro tempore of the Senate has been a slaveholder, except Mr. Southard, of New Jersey, and Mr. Bright, of Indiana, for five or six years in all! And they were zealous adherents of the slave power! A single year was all they could claim upon the principle of equal rights!
"Since 1820, for thirty-eight years closing with the present Congress, slave-owners have been Speakers of the House for thirty years; and free-State men for only eight years! The Speaker, by the appointment of committees, controls the legislation of the country more than any other officer of the Government, and the committees never were appointed in so unfair and partisan a manner as in the present Congress!
"In the thirty-five Congresses, we have had twenty-two Speakers who were slave-owners, and twelve who were freeState men. What class of men have had more than their equal rights?
"Since 1841, slave-owners have held the office of Secretary of the Navy, except two years, up to the organization of the present Cabinet; and since 1849, a slave-owner has always been Secretary of War. The free States furnish most of the shipping and seamen for the navy, and most of the soldiers for the army; but slave-owners command them. Who have had more, in this, than their equal rights?
"Since 1789, up to the present Administration, the Secretary of State has been appointed fourteen times from slaveowners, and only eight times from free-State men. This is the first officer of the Cabinet, who has charge of the foreign relations of the country. What men have had more than their equal rights?
"In the Supreme Court, five of the nine judges, including the Chief Justice, have always been slave-owners, and only four from the free States, and these must be sturdy adherents of the slave power. So that one department of the Government has been forever exclusively in the hands of slave-owners. Is this giving the other citizens their equal rights? Nearly one hundred to one of the people of this country are not slaveowners, and more than three-fourths of the business of this court arises in the free States!
"There is a class of the people having more political power, than any other class of citizens - namely, the slave-owners. There are three hundred and forty-six thousand and forty-seven of them, including men, women, and children. They admit and boast that they have controlled the Government for sixty years, and do now. They own three million two hundred and four thousand two hundred and eighty-seven slaves. Three-fifths of them are counted; so that three hundred and forty-six thousand and forty-seven persons are counted as if they numbered in fact two million two hundred and sixty-eight thousand six hundred and nineteen in the scale of representation. These three hundred and forty-six thousand are counted nearly two million more than they are, because they own slaves. Instead of three Representatives in Congress, they have thirty, because they own slaves. But this is not all the political power they have. They control those States. The free whites in the slave States, not owning slaves, numbering five million eight hundred and thirty-eight thousand three hundred and fifty-seven, the great body of the people, do not seem practically to have any political power. Who ever heard of any of them being President, a Cabinet officer, a Senator, or a member of Congress, or a judge of the Supreme Court, or filling any other important office under this Government? The slave-owners, by their property and political privileges, are made the ruling class in those States. They control the press, and force submission to their will by a system of terrorism and constrained public sentiment.
The slave-owners, by their property and political privileges, are made the ruling class in those States. They control the press, and force submission to their will by a system of terrorism and constrained public sentiment.
Wow! And here I thought DeBow was on the Confederate side!
Ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
Wow! And here I thought DeBow was on the Confederate side!
Ole
He most definitely was a secessionist. It seems to include the piece by the Republican in his Review is maybe a little sign of arrogance, dontcha think?
I am not very clear on the article you posted here.
Is DeBow commenting on another? And is it a member of the US Congress or is he commenting on the Hinton Helper book? And is this article anywhere online where I can read it in its entirety?
Thanks,
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
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