An eloquently stated case. You are correct, of course, about arguing with some people, whether they be Progressives or claim to be conservatives right here on FreeRepublic. It’s a waste of time. I am reminded of the old adage: “Never argue with a fool, lest he pull you down to his level and then beat you just from his abundance of experience.”
Insofar as your points regarding the Confederacy — I noted earlier in the thread that the Confederacy stood up to the tyranny of the Federal Government “however imperfectly.” I have not suggested that the Confederacy was a utopia, that their institutions were sacred, nor that they had the “moral” high ground on every issue. I certainly believe they DID on most issues Constitutional and with regard to the role of the States and the Federal Government — but the concept of Slavery was the huge Achilles heel of the Confederacy in every way. I certainly don’t deny that. (Incidentally, neither did Generals “Stonewall” Jackson nor Robert E. Lee). Those who opposed slavery, however, overemphasize it’s role in “the late unpleasantness” in order to justify the aggression of the “Union.”
The questions that CAN be rationally discussed are — could slavery have been peacefully ended WITHOUT war? And, how prominent was slavery in the South in 1861? Was slavery a growing or dying institution? And most importantly — SEPARATE the issue of slavery — Can a FREE people of a given State or region come to the place that they must throw off the yoke of tyranny placed upon them by an ever-growing, unrestrained central government that will not adhere to the lawful limits they once pledged to defend?
If not — I submit we are arguing about the wrong war — and we should immediately sue for reconciliation to return as subjects to the throne of the Queen of Great Britain.
You arguing with yourself?
Can you quote either man on that?
The questions that CAN be rationally discussed are — could slavery have been peacefully ended WITHOUT war? And, how prominent was slavery in the South in 1861? Was slavery a growing or dying institution?
The answer to number one would be how many years would it take before the South would no longer be willing to secede to defend their institution. Conceivably it could have been decades before the South would be willing to do away with it peacefully. The answer to the second was very prominent. And the answer to the third was that it was growing.