Russell Williams
Well-Known Member
In a recent letter to the editor a writer pointed out, correctly, that the United States government entered the Civil War to preserve the union, not to end slavery. The writer neglected to point out that, according to their own declarations of the causes of secession, several southern states left the union in order to protect slavery. The state declarations of causes of secession can be found at
http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/primarysources/declarationofcauses.html
The Georgia state declaration includes the following statement " For the last ten years we have had numerous and serious causes of complaint against our non-slave-holding confederate States with reference to the subject of African slavery. They have endeavored to weaken our security, to disturb our domestic peace and tranquility, and persistently refused to comply with their express constitutional obligations to us in reference to that property."
The Mississippi state declaration includes the following: " These products are peculiar to the climate verging on the tropical regions, and by an imperious law of nature, none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun. These products have become necessities of the world, and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization."
The South Carolina declaration states, in part, " (the northern states ) have denounced as sinful the institution of slavery; they have permitted open establishment among them of societies, whose avowed object is to disturb the peace and to eloign the property of the citizens of other States. They have encouraged and assisted thousands of our slaves to leave their homes; and those who remain, have been incited by emissaries, books and pictures to servile insurrection.
In Texas the statement reads in part: That in this free government *all white men are and of right ought to be entitled to equal civil and political rights* [emphasis in the original]; that the servitude of the African race, as existing in these States, is mutually beneficial to both bond and free, and is abundantly authorized and justified by the experience of mankind, and the revealed will of the Almighty Creator, as recognized by all Christians"
Therefore, while it is true that the North fought to preserve the Union it is also true that at least some of the south states that left the union gave as their primary reason for doing so the need to protect their rights to keep their very expensive slave livestock.
It has also been pointed out that there were black people who fought to preserve the Confederacy. It is not explained why white people were willing to fight alongside of creatures that they regarded as valuable livestock. Again, why would white southern soldiers fight alongside the "valuable human livestock" that, in their minds, was certainly was in no way equal to white people?
Just to clarify. I do not agree with those in the confederacy who insisted the backs were created by God as an inferior type of people, nor do I agree with those who insisted that slavery is the "reveled will of the Almighty Creator".
,
Russell Williams
http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/primarysources/declarationofcauses.html
The Georgia state declaration includes the following statement " For the last ten years we have had numerous and serious causes of complaint against our non-slave-holding confederate States with reference to the subject of African slavery. They have endeavored to weaken our security, to disturb our domestic peace and tranquility, and persistently refused to comply with their express constitutional obligations to us in reference to that property."
The Mississippi state declaration includes the following: " These products are peculiar to the climate verging on the tropical regions, and by an imperious law of nature, none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun. These products have become necessities of the world, and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization."
The South Carolina declaration states, in part, " (the northern states ) have denounced as sinful the institution of slavery; they have permitted open establishment among them of societies, whose avowed object is to disturb the peace and to eloign the property of the citizens of other States. They have encouraged and assisted thousands of our slaves to leave their homes; and those who remain, have been incited by emissaries, books and pictures to servile insurrection.
In Texas the statement reads in part: That in this free government *all white men are and of right ought to be entitled to equal civil and political rights* [emphasis in the original]; that the servitude of the African race, as existing in these States, is mutually beneficial to both bond and free, and is abundantly authorized and justified by the experience of mankind, and the revealed will of the Almighty Creator, as recognized by all Christians"
Therefore, while it is true that the North fought to preserve the Union it is also true that at least some of the south states that left the union gave as their primary reason for doing so the need to protect their rights to keep their very expensive slave livestock.
It has also been pointed out that there were black people who fought to preserve the Confederacy. It is not explained why white people were willing to fight alongside of creatures that they regarded as valuable livestock. Again, why would white southern soldiers fight alongside the "valuable human livestock" that, in their minds, was certainly was in no way equal to white people?
Just to clarify. I do not agree with those in the confederacy who insisted the backs were created by God as an inferior type of people, nor do I agree with those who insisted that slavery is the "reveled will of the Almighty Creator".
,
Russell Williams
