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How the Civil War Could Have Been Avoided
vanity | 10/31/01 | vanity

Posted on 10/31/2001 4:13:33 AM PST by smolensk

Being one who definitely thinks that our Civil War was an unnecessary loss of life and property, I have finally figured out how the South could have averted war, and stopped Northern aggression in its tracks.

You see the South possessed a 'secret weapon' that it didn't realize it had. What the South should have done, in the late 1850's, is to have realized that slavery was a dying institution anyway and that it could get by for the time being with half or a third less slaves than it had.

The South could have granted immediate freedom to half of its slave population with the condition that after manumission they couldn't remain in the South, but would have to move up North. If politically astute, the South could have 'spun' this relocation requirement as simply a way of spreading 'diversity' to the North.

With this, the abolitionist movement up North would have stopped 'dead in its tracks', in my opinion, and over 700,000 lives would have been saved, and all slaves would have been gained freedom anyway before 1900 due to international pressure.


TOPICS: Editorial; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: dixie
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To: Puppage
For 40 years I have argued the point you made. But, now I think both sides of the argument are true: the Civil War WAS about slavery for the North (misguided as that was--note the date and exceptions to the Emancipation Proclamation); the War of Northern Aggression WAS about State's Rights for the South.
161 posted on 11/02/2001 4:45:33 AM PST by jammer
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To: LLAN-DDEUSANT
Oh yeah, you are dealing with reality here, sure. What is the cotton crop in PA today with all that modern equipment?

Haven't a clue what you are talking about here??? I said nothing about cotton crops in PA (Pennsylvania I presume). I did say that back in the 1800's there was lots of corn raised in PA however.

If the South is so terrible, why are so many northerners clamoring to relocate down there? I would think that you couldn't tolerate all the ignorance you claim is present there? Or do you have the grandiose notion that you are coming down there to 'civilize' us?

Take a look around many of your great northern cities, especially in the 'rust belt'. Boy, what a fine example of northern know how and industry. I live in Cincinnati and relocated up here from Austin, TX. The newest mall here was built in 1975 whereas in Austin, there are 3 or 4 malls newer than this.

I don't think I possess as much vitrial hatred as you northerners do when you have come face to face with your own prejudices. The fact is that you may have fought a war to end slavery, but you wanted it ended so that other people had to deal with it. You wanted to keep your (not referring to you as an individual) hands 'clean' of the problem that 'you' fostered and profitted from.

While you were educating a few blacks in your glorious Massachusetts on one hand, slave ships were sailing regularly to go and capture some more poor souls to bring them here and sell them to your southern brothers.

As long as this was profitable, you didn't have a problem with your southern brothers 'addiction', but when the South had enough slaves so that they were self-replicating, it wasn't profitable for you anymore so you starting 'casting stones'. You know what the Bible says about 'casting stones'.

The fact is that northerners were just as guilty as southerners. Southerners can admit their guilt and complicity, but northerners can't seem to face up to theirs and get very indignant when we try to point it out to you.

And I noticed that you seemed to be 'tougue tied' regarding my statement showing that southerners were more literate than northerners even when going to school for 40% shorter school terms.

Also, you can't seem to fathom that where there was slavery, northern 'entrepenuers' couldn't come in and set up their 'wage labor' systems that had poor Irish and German immigrants living in inner city scalor just to earn enough to eat something.

At least the Southern planter took care of his slaves 'from cradle to grave'.

You can't even face up the discrimination that northerners exibited toward Catholics who immigrated here and all the jealously over labor that existed in northern cities.

And, everyone knows that people are much more open and friendly down South than up north (speaking of anal retentiveness). I never realized how much this was true until ti moved, for the first time in my life, to north of the MD line.

I meet a black lady just last night when I took my mother in for physical therapy. She was about my age and was from Meridian, Miss. She said that she couldn't wait to retire and move 'back home'. She doesn't like all the 'know everything' yupppies up here, and the way most people avoid eye contact (just some of what she mentioned that she doesn't like). We had a really enjoyable conversation talking and reminiscing about life down south and how much better it is that up here.

I hope to be joining my daughter in Atlanta within the year.

166 posted on 11/02/2001 7:02:02 AM PST by smolensk
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To: LLAN-DDEUSANT
Don't worry LadyJD, when you do cite a book or quote from one, LLAN-DDEUSANT just 'pooh-poohs' it or changes the subject. References don't mean anything to him/her. Only 'his' references have any authority.
167 posted on 11/02/2001 7:03:39 AM PST by smolensk
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To: LLAN-DDEUSANT
The sons of the North went instead into business and built the nation.

This is odd DDEUSANT, I would have taken you as one who would have agreed that this nation was built on the 'backs of the slaves'.

What else is odd, is that if there weren't any slaves up north, and the south was backward and unproductive, and all the slaves were down south, then how can blacks today claim that this nation was built on their 'backs'? This logic amazes me.

168 posted on 11/02/2001 7:06:23 AM PST by smolensk
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To: Non-Sequitur
No, taken in context of today's society there is no difference between what Early did and what Sherman did. But, as many historians fail to do, they fail to interpret events of a certain time in terms of social morays and customs AT THE TIME they happened.

For example, today it would be shocking (I assume) if thousands of Indians were rounded up and marched across the country, but it was accepted by society then.

To assign blame, I feel that one has to view an atrocity in terms of whether it was an atrocity in the time period it was perpetrated in.

You see, you jump sky high over what Early did, but yet you conveniently ignore the many laws (there were enforced) that exisited in northern localities (at the same time) which were very discriminatory to blacks and Indians, and you probably don't even see the hypocrisy of the discrimination against Catholics that existed up north in that time.

Take PITA for example, if things continue in the direction they are headed, in 50 years, it may be unthinkable to use chimpanzees for laboratory tests when now, and in the past, it was an accepted practice. People's views change, and what and what isn't an atrocity has to be evaluated in terms of the perceptions of society in the time they happened.

169 posted on 11/02/2001 7:18:07 AM PST by smolensk
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To: Non-Sequitur
Oh, and read the book before you base everything you assume on a short and brief review on a website. Don't depend on what others say, read it for yourself. You will find that many women did end up in servitude up north in order to find work. Don't jump to such 'trigger happy' conclusions.
170 posted on 11/02/2001 7:20:05 AM PST by smolensk
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To: smolensk
You have a strange view of debate. - We must believe your unsupported opinions, or be branded 'charlatans'.
[Which is an odd, almost paranoid charge. Who has tried to con or swindle you?] - Weird.
173 posted on 11/02/2001 7:34:47 AM PST by tpaine
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To: smolensk
You complain, quite rightly, about the racism that was endemic in the North but choose to ignore the fact that the south didn't bother learning from it. Look into the Black Codes that were in place in every southern state by the end of 1865. The restrictions they placed on Blacks returned them almost to a state of slavery. Northern states made it illegal for Blacks to live there and after the war many southern towns and counties did the same. Race riots in New York in 1863? Race riots in Memphis and New Orleans in 1866. You were no better than the North, worse in some ways because the Black Codes returned every Black person to a state appreaching slavery, even those who had been free before the war. Even those who had fought for the south during the war. And don't blame them on reconstruction because they predated reconstruction by over a year and were parially responsible for it. And then when reconstruction was over, the Jim Crow laws began. So please don't jump on any moral high horse and pretend that you all were any more tolerant than the North was. I ain't buying it.
176 posted on 11/02/2001 9:19:33 AM PST by Non-Sequitur
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To: smolensk
That 'brief review on a website' was by the author herself. Who better than she would know what her book contained. Her description differs a lot from your claims.
177 posted on 11/02/2001 9:21:31 AM PST by Non-Sequitur
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To: 2/75 RANGER
That's a wise decision on your part, friend.

Yes. As Schiller said, "Against stupidity the God's themselves contend in vain."

Still not documenting your claims, I see.

178 posted on 11/02/2001 9:23:51 AM PST by Non-Sequitur
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To: LLAN-DDEUSANT
Re your 165:

Ill Deuce you really are a walking crime against humanity but here is a brief piece from Scott Goldsmith that appeared in last week's Times Examiner newspaper. Read it and then go play with the other little ILL CHIHUAHUAS, Non-Sense and TeeBeeTee.

Of course, as you do so, you must realize that you are unfit to lick the boot of the lowliest private soldier in McGowan's Brigade.

Samuel McGowan

by J.S. Goldsmith

Samuel McGowan was born in the Laurens District of South Carolina, and graduated from South Carolina College in 1841.

He then moved to Abbeville to study and practice law. John C. Calhoun also began his career in Abbeville. McGowan had his first military experience and combat as part of the Palmetto Regiment in the Mexican War of 1846-1848. McGowan became the hero of the Palmetto Regiment, and was cited for gallantry in action near Mexico City.

He returned to Abbeville after the Mexican War, married Susan Carolina Wardlaw, and built a house which still stands on Magazine Street. They raised six children.

McGowan was appointed by the Governor in 1860 as one of four Brigade Generals for the defense of the state. At the outbreak of hostilities with the North in April, 1861, McGowan led a brigade that captured Fort Sumter. He saw action at the battle of First Manassas in Virginia. McGowan and his men fought heroically in the bloody Seven Days Campaign of June 25-July 1, 1862.

On June 27, McGowan was wounded while fighting at Gaines Mill. He refused to leave his regiment. The commanding General, A.P. Hill, recognized McGowan and the 14th South Carolina for their gallantry at both Gaines Mill and Frayser's Farm.

He was also wounded at the battles of Chancellorsville, the Wilderness and Spotsylvania. During the Battle of Second Manassas, McGowan led his men in a counterattack which succeeded in stabilizing Stonewall Jackson's line. He was with General Lee.at Appomattox in April, 1865. Thus, General McGowan experienced the war from beginning to end, and with many major battles in between.

While with his men awaiting surrender at Appomattox, he galloped his horse up and down his line, "weeping unashamedly."

Since he was on the field of combat, he did not accompany President Jefferson Davis when the Confederate cabinet and Generals met for their last Council of War in Abbeville on May 2, 1865.

After the War, Brigadier General Samuel McGowan returned home to Abbeville and took an active part in the redemption of the State from the long years of carpetbagger's rule and reconstruction.

As one of the famous Red Shirts*, he summed up the final days of Radical Republican rule: "We had a hell of a time."

*Hampton and his Redshirts is available in inexpensive reprint from CROWN RIGHTS BOOKS.

179 posted on 11/02/2001 12:53:53 PM PST by LadyJD
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To: LLAN-DDEUSANT
LLAN-DDEUSANT You are one very SICK individual and I hope I never meet you.

Nor will I correspond with such a twisted and hateful individual as you are. You are a psychopath (which I know you don't realize).

I've been in the Navy as a naval avaitor and was a Lieutenant when I got out. In all my days in the service, I never met anyone as filled with hatred toward people from the southern part of the United States.

It makes me wonder if there are many more like you who have the vitriolic feelings of hatred that you harbor?

I am guessing that if people on this list met you in person and knew more about your background, there would be much that would be very shocking and pathetic.

And for your information, in my parting from you, I moved up here to live by my sister and help take care of my ailing mother. I am a computer person and can move around pretty easily. My mother has since passed away, and now I'm ready to leave the north - there is nothing here I want or need, and my standard of living was much higher down south where houses and food (and about anything else) were at least 25% less and I made the same amount of money. So much for your hateful theory.

People like yourself are truly pathetic and is why this country is headed you know where in a handbasket.

180 posted on 11/02/2001 1:16:57 PM PST by smolensk
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