Leonard Pitts:Civil War was all about slavery

News-Record.com ^ | 4.14.2010 | Leonard Pitts

[wolfcreek]

Ten years ago, I received an e-mail from a reader who signed him or herself "J.D." "I am a white racist," wrote J.D., "a white supremacist and I do not deny it."

From that, you'd suspect J.D. had nothing of value to say. You'd be mistaken. J.D. wrote in response to a column documenting the fact that preservation of slavery was the prime directive of the Confederacy. "I was most pleased to see you write what we both know to be the truth," the e-mail said. "I never cease to be amazed at the Sons of Confederate Veterans and similar 'heritage not hate' groups who are constantly whining that the Confederacy was not a white, racist government ..."

That argument, noted J.D. with wry amusement, plays well with "white people who want to be Confederates without any controversy."

[DomainMaster]

“Stop trying to deny what’s true, DM.”

You make a reference to a geographic adjective, and not a cause.

You should read with a little less bias.

[r9etb]

You make a reference to a geographic adjective, and not a cause.

Ah, yes.... as if there were any "property" other than slaves in play.

The Declarations of Secession were very clear that this was what they were talking about.

The gentlemen of Mississippi declared, "Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery - the greatest material interest of the world."

They stated that hostility to slavery "has grown until it denies the right of property in slaves...."

And they went on to say, "We must either submit to degradation, and to the loss of property worth four billions of money, or we must secede from the Union framed by our fathers..."

You should read with a little less bias.

You should stop lying to yourself. The Southerners themselves wrote down for you exactly why they were leaving. You just choose not to admit the truth of what they, themselves, said.

[DomainMaster]

“Ah, yes.... as if there were any “property” other than slaves in play.”

After admission into the Union, Texas experienced bloody Indian raids and some excursions into Texas by Mexican bandits. Although maintaining some troops on Texas soil, many in the state complained that the willingness of the administrations in Washington to protect their lands and properties was too weak. Practically the entire population was angered by the failure of the government to offer them the same protections as other states.

That is what they were describing.

You are still quoting the secession announcements, and you used a comment from Mississippi to try to prove your point, but regardless, you remain incorrect in your assertions.

Here is the official document, which says nothing about that to which you referred:

AN ORDINANCE to dissolve the union between the State of Mississippi and other States united with her under the compact entitled “The Constitution of the United States of America.”

The people of the State of Mississippi, in convention assembled, do ordain and declare, and it is hereby ordained and declared, as follows, to wit:

Section 1. That all the laws and ordinances by which the said State of Mississippi became a member of the Federal Union of the United States of America be, and the same are hereby, repealed, and that all obligations on the part of the said State or the people thereof to observe the same be withdrawn, and that the said State doth hereby resume all the rights, functions, and powers which by any of said laws or ordinances were conveyed to the Government of the said United States, and is absolved from all the obligations, restraints, and duties incurred to the said Federal Union, and shall from henceforth be a free, sovereign, and independent State.

Sec. 2. That so much of the first section of the seventh article of the constitution of this State as requires members of the Legislature and all officers, executive and judicial, to take an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States be, and the same is hereby, abrogated and annulled.

Sec. 3. That all rights acquired and vested under the Constitution of the United States, or under any act of Congress passed, or treaty made, in pursuance thereof, or under any law of this State, and not incompatible with this ordinance, shall remain in force and have the same effect as if this ordinance had not been passed.

Sec. 4. That the people of the State of Mississippi hereby consent to form a federal union with such of the States as may have seceded or may secede from the Union of the United States of America, upon the basis of the present Constitution of the said United States, except such parts thereof as embrace other portions than such seceding States.

Thus ordained and declared in convention the 9th day of January, in the year of our Lord 1861.

Source: Official Records, Ser. IV, vol. 1, p. 42.