Ney is an ‘idiot’ in the truest sense of the word.
The Confederate States of America seceded from the union over issues of states’ rights and an out-of-control federal government (sound familiar?).
Shortly after Lincoln’s election, Congress passed the highly protectionist Morrill tariffs.
That’s when the South seceded, setting up a new government. Their constitution was nearly identical to the U.S. Constitution except that it outlawed protectionist tariffs, business handouts and mandated a two-thirds majority vote for all spending measures.
SLAVERY WAS NOT THE ISSUE.
Furthermore, the Union was not on a great crusade to end slavery during the Civil War. Lincoln was soley concerned about the preservation of the Union. The abolition of slavery was just a fortunate by-product of the whole affair.
Lincoln’s quotes and writings were replete with references stating that slavery was not his concern during the war.
In President Lincoln’s first inaugural address, he said, “I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so.”
In an 1862 letter to the New York Daily Tribune editor Horace Greeley, Lincoln said, “My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and it is not either to save or destroy slavery.”
The politically correct crowd uses this issue to race-bait and to try and further their leftist unconstitutional agenda. If they were truly concerned about a flag representing slavery, they would be up in arms over the flying of the US flag. The institution of slavery existed far longer under the US flag than it did under the Confederate flag. I don’t see this uproar over the US flag, thus letting me know the issue is politically motivated and not based on principle.
(Some info courtesy of a Walter Williams article: http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/williams120298.asp )
In the 80 years prior to the rebellion the South had dominated all branches of the government. It it was out-of-control then it's because Southern leaders made it so.
Their constitution was nearly identical to the U.S. Constitution except that it outlawed protectionist tariffs, business handouts and mandated a two-thirds majority vote for all spending measures.
And yet one of the first acts of the confederate congress was to enact a tariff that was protectionist in nature. That constitution also guaranteed that no state could outlaw slavery and specifically protected slave imports. Some improvement.
SLAVERY WAS NOT THE ISSUE.
Not for the North, no. It was for the Southern leaders, and the single most important reason for their rebellion.
(Some info courtesy of a Walter Williams article...
Oh Lord. Why not quote Tommy DiLorenzo or the Kennedy brothers while you're at it. Can't quote the Southern leaders of the time because they'll disagree with you.
Great post! But they are not going to listen. It will go back to the same old arguement. The CW was fought to end slavery, blah blah blah.