One of my primary arguments. It was an ex post facto rationalization for sending men to stop other men from gaining Independence. Just such an occurrence as was predicted in Anti-Federalist paper # 29.
Thirdly, the absolute command of Congress over the militia may be destructive of public liberty; for under the guidance of an arbitrary government, they may be made the unwilling instruments of tyranny. The militia of Pennsylvania may be marched to New England or Virginia to quell an insurrection occasioned by the most galling oppression, and aided by the standing army, they will no doubt be successful in subduing their liberty and independency. But in so doing, although the magnanimity of their minds will be extinguished, yet the meaner passions of resentment and revenge will be increased, and these in turn will be the ready and obedient instruments of despotism to enslave the others; and that with an irritated vengeance. Thus may the militia be made the instruments of crushing the last efforts of expiring liberty, of riveting the chains of despotism on their fellow-citizens, and on one another. This power can be exercised not only without violating the Constitution, but in strict conformity with it; it is calculated for this express purpose, and will doubtless be executed accordingly.
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But the Congregationalist Yankee conservative nature of my moral upbringing just cannot conceive of anyone thinking it was OK to buy and sell another human.
But would you buy their freedom? If I recall properly, a slave cost about $7,000 dollars. Those people who bought them spent that money when the industry was legal, and billions of dollars of saved wealth was invested into this industry, and then stripped from them with no compensation when it was made illegal. Those loses were not suffered equally, but borne completely by people who had done nothing illegal at the time.
I suppose it was a lot easier to rob them and kill them than it was to pay them, because the moral diversion of "Slavery is now Bad" can always be used to cover up the murder and robbery thus justified.
Long post, but that’s how I came to my thinking on the civil war.
Much insight can be discerned in your thoughts on the subject. Not something you've considered lightly.
My thinking is another borrow from Lincoln. When it comes to a war of principles, "One war at a time."
The first principle of this nation is that there is a God given right to separate from a larger Union. That ought to be the primary focus of discussion rather than Slavery, which was condoned by the Union until a group of them tried to escape.
except wage war against their own country.
Slaves probably averaged, in 1860, about $750. Total value of all slaves was around $3B. Which was about 48% of all wealth in the South, and around 19% of all wealth in the country.