Quote:
Originally Posted by Sailor Steve
Can you show that at all?
I guess you missed the last big Civil War thread, though you were a member at the time. I'll save myself a lot of trouble by pasting what I wrote last time.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...9&postcount=47
To repeat the bottom line of what I said then: Every State that published their reasons put slavery at the very top of the list. How many of them mention the taxation you spoke of?
When exactly did Grant say that? here is a link to actual quotes from the man, including his memoirs, in which he did indeed attribute the war to slavery.
http://www.freedomsgateway.com/LinkC...BQ%3D&tabid=79 |
I don't have time to respond in detail or read your threads, but will later.
I have found arguing the CW is much like arguing religion or what bible verses mean. If we're not able to put ourselves into the culture and mindset of the time, we'll never understand it. Today historians and people debate, calling the other side false and claim facts as myths. Most important we must know slavery was economic wealth and we can understand the southern mind set better if we replace the word slavery with "economic wealth"
Few are aware that there was a large movment to gradually end slavery in the south before the war, just like up north, but along came the radical
abollitionists. Buchanan stated,
"Before [the abolitionists] commenced this agitation, a very large and growing party existed in several of the slave states in favor of the gradual abolition of slavery; and now not a voice is heard there in support of such a measure."
Many southern politicains made strong statements regarding tariffs, you'll find more facts simply searching "tariffs of the 1800's." Compare the number, you'll see the south paid the majority of tariffs and this money was used mostly to support northern industry, fishing, RR's, etc...
The big issue for the South was the loss of equal representation, they were already far behind in the electoral vote, with new states being free, they felt they would soon face economic ruin. Lincoln won, even though he wasn't even on the ballot in most southern states.
When Lincoln won, his call for troops to invade the south nailed the coffin shut. Most felt only congress could do such. The remaining southern states refused to send troops called upon, calling this action illegal, then one by one they left the union and the rest is history.
Slavery wasn't a southern institution, it was a US one that existed since our conception, there was a wrong and right way to deal with it.