Lee Why didn't Lee refuse to obey an immoral order?

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ebg12

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Why did Lee obey the immoral order to take black people into slavery when ANV invaded PA? I thought the war was about the south wanting to be sovereign in their own right from the union? Why didn’t he say something like “no, the confederate army will not kidnap black people because we are fighting for our independence, not for the institution of slavery?” If he was so noble in his believes, couldn’t he stand up to the confederate government on returning free blacks to the south as a moral issue, as he stood up to the United States government to fight for the south as a moral issue?
 
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Why did Lee obey the immoral order to take black people into slavery when ANV invaded PA? I thought the war was about the south wanting to be sovereign in their own right from the union? Why didn’t he say something like “no, the confederate army will not kidnap black people because we are fighting for our independence, not for the institution of slavery?” If he was so noble in his believes, couldn’t he stand up to the confederate government on returning free blacks to the south as a moral issue, as he stood up to the United States government to fight for the south as a moral issue?

Because, as a part the armed forces of the so called Confederate States of America, the ANV was fighting for slavery. I agree with the above post, he didn’t think it an immoral order.
 
@ebg12 ,

You're trying too hard to assign blame to Gen. Lee and the Confederacy.

Slavery was the norm for the slaveholding South at the time and the North didn't really come around to the idea of slavery being immoral until much, much, later.

You shouldn't roll out such topics with a clear intent to incite rather than learn history concerning the period. The fact is, even the strongest supporters of Confederate Heritage on this forum do not propose slavery was a 'good' thing, even by those who claim the institution's legality (at the time) claim such.

Unionblue
 
@unionblue thank you for a mature and measured post. As a Mississippian, I hear about Slavery, Jim Crow and segregation from many people who fail to realize that I did not participate in any civil rights denial event in my life! The South has changed dramatically since the 1960's especially Mississippi! Come visit us and make your own decision about us instead of someone else's ideas!!!
Regards
David
 
@unionblue thank you for a mature and measured post. As a Mississippian, I hear about Slavery, Jim Crow and segregation from many people who fail to realize that I did not participate in any civil rights denial event in my life! The South has changed dramatically since the 1960's especially Mississippi! Come visit us and make your own decision about us instead of someone else's ideas!!!
Regards
David

@Ole Miss ,

I appreciate your kind words and fully agree with you the present day South is nothing like the slaveholding South of the 19th century.

The past is past, and we should all learn from it, without the emotional heat of some kind of historical blame game.

Sincerely,
Unionblue
 
Why did Lee obey the immoral order to take black people into slavery when ANV invaded PA? I thought the war was about the south wanting to be sovereign in their own right from the union? Why didn’t he say something like “no, the confederate army will not kidnap black people because we are fighting for our independence, not for the institution of slavery?” If he was so noble in his believes, couldn’t he stand up to the confederate government on returning free blacks to the south as a moral issue, as he stood up to the United States government to fight for the south as a moral issue?

Let me fix one sentence for you and this should answer your question.



"we are fighting for our independence to continue the institution of slavery"

I think that answers it
 
Let me fix one sentence for you and this should answer your question.



"we are fighting for our independence to continue the institution of slavery"

I think that answers it
So that I understand, black people were never captured in the north and taken to the south to be slaves because lee would not allow it?
 
I thought officer could refuse to obey illegal orders only. I am not sure an officer can refuse to obey an order they find immoral. An officer could resign rather that do things they find immoral.
Then why did lee not reign like he did from the United States Army?
 
Why did Lee obey the immoral order to take black people into slavery when ANV invaded PA? I thought the war was about the south wanting to be sovereign in their own right from the union? Why didn’t he say something like “no, the confederate army will not kidnap black people because we are fighting for our independence, not for the institution of slavery?” If he was so noble in his believes, couldn’t he stand up to the confederate government on returning free blacks to the south as a moral issue, as he stood up to the United States government to fight for the south as a moral issue?

It may be advisable and expedient to play with the same rule book when confronted by an aggressive and immoral enemy.
 
@ebg12 ,

You're trying too hard to assign blame to Gen. Lee and the Confederacy.

Slavery was the norm for the slaveholding South at the time and the North didn't really come around to the idea of slavery being immoral until much, much, later.

You shouldn't roll out such topics with a clear intent to incite rather than learn history concerning the period. The fact is, even the strongest supporters of Confederate Heritage on this forum do not propose slavery was a 'good' thing, even by those who claim the institution's legality (at the time) claim such.

Unionblue
What about the book Uncle Tom cabin? Wasn’t book discribe the evil of slavery before the civil war?
 
Why did Lee obey the immoral order to take black people into slavery when ANV invaded PA? I thought the war was about the south wanting to be sovereign in their own right from the union? Why didn’t he say something like “no, the confederate army will not kidnap black people because we are fighting for our independence, not for the institution of slavery?” If he was so noble in his believes, couldn’t he stand up to the confederate government on returning free blacks to the south as a moral issue, as he stood up to the United States government to fight for the south as a moral issue?
Please don’t think that I’m trying to defend Lee or condone the enforcement of slavery but who gets to decide what is a moral or immoral order? surely, any judgement made can only be deemed moral or immoral by the individual concerned and that alone would have to be based upon their own value base.
 
Could somebody please advise as to what the actual order was or who issued it? Is this related to the confederacy's position that it would not treat captured African American soldiers as POW's? But if that were the case, how would that apply to civilians?
 
What about the book Uncle Tom cabin? Wasn’t book discribe the evil of slavery before the civil war?
Now you have yet another cause of the ACW. This fictional novel written by a abolitionist it made northern blood boil, and blood pressures sky rocket.
 
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