Replies

quoted: "Cooper notes that when two Northerners visited Jefferson Davis during the war, Davis insisted "the Confederates were not battling for slavery" and that "slavery had never been the key issue" (Jefferson Davis, American, p. 524)."

Why Davis would lie about this is obvious -- because slavery was the sticking point that kept European powers like Britain & France from openly supporting the Confederacy.

Nevertheless, the truth is that Davis was not a 1860 Fire Eater and so Davis began the Corwin amendment in December 1860 as a proposal for "compromise" legislation guaranteeing slavery, hoping to keep his home state of Mississippi from seceding.

"December 1860 Compromise Proposal by Jefferson Davis of Mississippi

Resolved, That it shall be declared, by amendment of the Constitution, that property in slaves, recognized as such by the local law of any of the States of the Union, shall stand on the same footing in all constitutional and federal relations as any other species of property so recognized; and, like other property, shall not be subject to be divested or impaired by the local law of any other State, either in escape thereto or of transit or sojourn of the owner therein; and in no case whatever shall such property be subject to be divested or impaired by any legislative act of the United States, or of any of the Territories thereof."

But Davis' proposals were rejected by Republicans and so Mississippi did declare secession, their official "Reasons for Secession" document making clear that slavery was the only major issue:

"Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery-- the greatest material interest of the world.
Its labor supplies the product which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of commerce of the earth.
These products are peculiar to the climate verging on the tropical regions, and by an imperious law of nature, none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun.
These products have become necessities of the world, and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization.
That blow has been long aimed at the institution, and was at the point of reaching its consummation.
There was no choice left us but submission to the mandates of abolition, or a dissolution of the Union, whose principles had been subverted to work out our ruin."

So Jefferson Davis' home state made perfectly clear why they seceded -- Davis himself was not part of that, tried to prevent it with a Corwin-like proposal, but Davis' proposal was rejected by Republicans.

After seven Deep Cotton South states declared secession, Democrats tried again with numerous proposals, all rejected by Republicans, until RINO Corwin's proposal, still rejected by the majority of Republicans, but just barely enough RINOs (lead by Senator Seward) supported unanimous Democrats to pass it.
Corwin may (or may not) have helped keep Border South states from seceding in 1861.

Bottom line: when Democrat Jefferson Davis claimed secession was not about slavery, he was simply lying, being a Democrat, doing what Democrats by their natures do -- concocting nonsense to explain the inexplicable and justify the unjustifiable.

Jefferson Davis was an extremely difficult man in his temperament. He was stubborn, held public grudges with his peers and subordinates and was simply an arrogant man..

While in Congress his stubbornness and arrogance had others
in the Senate calling him “Majesty Davis’’.

A journalist once wrote of him by saying that Davis was ‘’unforgiving as a Spaniard to those whom he fancies his foes’’.

His own wife Varnia said of him that he was a ‘’nervous dyspeptic by habit’’.

If it can be said that the strength of a group depends on the will of it’s leader, well, Jefferson had the will alright but he didn’t have the way.

With people that is.

Little wonder the Confederacy fell apart.

I see BroJoeK is pushing more of his crackpot PC Revisionist theories in a desperate attempt to explain away Jefferson Davis’ own words said during the war. He’ll take Stephens’ word as gospel but clearly Davis must be lying when he expresses the opposite sentiments. Must be! Because if not, that would call the whole PC Revisionist premise into question and clearly we can’t have that.