THE SOUTHERN REBELLION: Movement of Troops to the Relay House; A Movement Upon Harper’s Ferry Expected; Editorial: The Message of Jefferson Davis (5/6/1861)

Gen. BUTLER has been engaged here for two days, with Gen. SCOTT and the Secretary of War, arranging the details of some important movements.

When the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment were ordered yesterday to prepare for a march at any hour after 2 o'clock in the morning, no one knew in which direction they were to go, and the anxiety to learn their destination, with the hurry and confusion of so sudden a preparation for march, made the scene last evening in their quarters a very exciting and novel one. The men seemed much to prefer something to do than to be lying about the Capital with little exercise and a scarcity of food for want of means to cook it properly.

At a very early hour this morning they left the Capital, with all their baggage equipments, and proceeded to the depot, where they took the train for the Relay House. One regiment now at the Junction are ordered to join them at that point, and one from Annapolis. Two of the three regiments doubtless reached the Relay House at about noon. They are to have a full park of artillery from Annapolis. This will make about three thousand men at that point; and if needed they will be rapidly reinforced. Their destination, then, from that point is not positively known, but it is most probable that they are to cooperate with Fort McHenry and the troops sent around from Annapolis on Thursday, and Gen. PATTERSON on the Pennsylvania side, to open the route through Baltimore, and keep it open. This will concentrate about twenty thousand men near Baltimore, from whence to Harper's Ferry it is but a short distance.

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1855-1860: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: Sometime in the future.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

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To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous New York Times thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3956439/posts

"Editorial: The Message of Jefferson Davis – 3-4"

Commenting on Jefferson Davis' recent speech to the Confederate Congress:

"...Mr. Davis enumerates various acts on the part of the National Government which justify the rebellion of the South -- and among them, of course, are the enactment of fishing bounties and tariff laws.
But the chief source of injury and danger is the hostility manifested by the people in the Northern States to the institution of Slavery as it exists in the Southern States.
Mr. Davis dwells at length on this subject, talks much of the non-rendition of fugitive slaves, and makes the usual false charge that the Northern states intend to interfere with and overthrow the domestic institutions of the South.
He forgets that the States that have engaged in this rebellion are States that never lost fugitive slaves at all; and that the very first leaders in the revolt have openly declared that the matter of Slavery was only a pretext through which to accomplish a movement fully determined on thirty years ago..."

Here our editors point to the importance of slavery to Jefferson Davis as a reason for secession, but then notices that other secessionists (i.e., Fire Eaters) declared slavery was only the pretext used to accomplish purposes first set 30 years before.
That would be the Nullification Crisis of 1830 to which President Andrew Jackson responded by threatening South Carolina's leaders with hangings for treason.

The 1830 Nullification Crisis was caused by the Tariff of Abominations and so some of our Lost Causers claim that tariffs were the "real reason" for secession, even though none of the earliest "Reasons for Secession" documents mention tariffs, much less DiogenesLamp's so-called "money flows from Europe".

Here's the truth -- even in 1830 the "Tariff of Abominations" was not a powerful enough political issue to drive Southern voters to declare secession.
So Southern leadership (i.e., Fire Eaters) shifted their attention to slavery and Southern fears of abolitionism.
And that was a powerful enough reason to move Cotton South voters to secession.

Therefore, slavery the Southern voters' "real reason", regardless of whatever ulterior motives some of their Democrat leaders may have held.

It's the same today with Democrats endlessly decrying alleged "white supremacy" or "global warming" or "income inequality" -- such slogans motivate voters and get Democrats elected.
And that's all Democrats truly care about.
They will do literally anything to prevent Republicans from acquiring effective control in Washington, DC.

"Editorial: Europe and the Union – 4"

Quoting Secretary of State Seward instructions to a US ambassador in Europe:

"There is not now, nor has there been, nor will there be any -- the least idea existing in this Government, of suffering a dissolution of this Union to take place in any way whatever...
Tell M. Thouvenel that the thought of a dissolution of this Union, peaceably or by force, has never entered into the mind of any candid statesman here, and it is high time it be dismissed by statesmen in Europe."

To which our editors respond: "This is language to which the American people will most heartily and energetically respond.
The purpose it expresses is theirs, and they will see that it is carried out."

At least as of this date in history, Northerners seem united in defense of the Union.

"Slavery and the Rebellion: Conservative Attitude of the Government – 6"

Here our Washington correspondent discusses the fate of slavery in the Civil War.
First he notices that Gen. Butler (of all people!) has been returning runaway slaves to their "owners".
Presumably this was in Maryland which specifically voted against secession and therefore still enjoyed the governments protection of their "property".

Next he reports that Confederates are using black men -- both freed & slaves -- not only for building fortifications, etc., but also to bear arms.
At this he chortles: it means Confederates are already short of white manpower.
The reality is, there may have been some black troops early-on in some Confederate regiments.
But it didn't last long and as the war progressed only those who could pass for "white" remained.

In this report there is, as yet, no mention of colored Union troops.

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