Alabama Governor's Slavery Blunder

CBS News ^ | 4/5/05

[Crackingham]

Confederate heritage groups got excited when Gov. Bob Riley's annual proclamation designating April as Confederate History and Heritage Month dropped a paragraph saying slavery was the cause of the Civil War. The groups were pleased because they consider that description of slavery historically inaccurate. Their excitement, however, was short lived.

"It was a mistake," said Jeff Emerson, the governor's communications director, on Monday. He said he did not know how the mistake was made.

Emerson said the governor was unaware of the deletion until The Associated Press contacted his office. The governor quickly reissued the proclamation with the paragraph on slavery restored, and posted it on his Web site.

"That makes Bob Riley look very inconsistent and inept," said Roger Broxton, president of the Confederate Heritage Fund.

State Rep. Oliver Robinson, House chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, was pleased that Riley withdrew the version of the proclamation that makes no mention of slavery.

"To me, the members of the Black Caucus, and the majority of black citizens of Alabama that would be a disgrace," he said.

For many years, Alabama governors have signed proclamations designating April as Confederate History and Heritage Month. When Riley became governor in January 2003, he used the same proclamation as his predecessor, Democratic Gov. Don Siegelman.

It contained a paragraph that says "Our recognition of Confederate history also recognizes that slavery was one of the causes of the war, an issue in the war, was ended by the war, and slavery is hereby condemned... "

[GOPcapitalist]

And legislative sessions was less than 3 months.

Actually, the Morrill Tariff was introduced in December 1859 for a session that lasted until the next June. The southerners held it off through parliamentary moves for the entire session from December 5, 1859 to June 25, 1860 - almost seven months, not three.

Thirty Senators could easily tie up all business for an entire session if it were something so vital to their interests that they were willing to seceed from the Union.

And they did tie up all business on the Morrill bill for an entire 7 month session and all but the last two weeks of a second three month session. There comes a point, however, when all delay maneuvers are exhausted. The Republicans had picked up seats in the new incoming senate and also had two new members coming from Kansas, so holding it off further in the next session would have been an uphill battle.

[GOPcapitalist]

Correction. They held it off even longer from December 5, 1859 to June 28, 1860 - the senate stayed in session a couple days after the House adjourned that year.

[Ditto]

You must think that Gov. Pickens sent engraved invitations to the Union Navy for the Spring Ball in Charleston.

Don't know about that, but he did send hand written invitations for his milita to attack Washington DC.

"Raise the Flag, & Go!"

South Carolina Governor F. W. Pickens to Gen. James Simons of the 4th Brigade, S.C. Militia.

State of South Carolina
Head Quarters. 20th April 1861

Dear Genl:

The Navy yard at Norfolk is all in flames -- Baltimore unanimous on our side, and all communications with Washington cut off -- & only 5,000 troops in Washington -- it can be taken.

Troops are meeting from Augusta to Norfolk & will be there before we start.

Send Gregg immediately with as many as he can get -- wait not a moment, or we are ruined. I will send companies as fast as possible. Let Gregg start immediately with as many possible -- no delay -- for God sake make every thing move. Let Kershaws start with as many companies as he can get immediately. I have seen Beauregard, & he is sending the detailed orders.

We will be disgraced if Georgia gets there before we do. Raise the flag, & go -- My whole heart is with you. Washington is cut off -- and if we could march on it we could take it -- as Baltimore is a unit for us and Maryland rising. They are alarmed in Va. Genl. Taliaferro & Letcher both telegraph me this morning to push forward.

Truly,

[mac_truck]

Was that actually written on the offical stationary of the state of South Carolina? [So much for 'Let us go in Peace'...]

[Non-Sequitur]

I do not deal in non-sequiturs. They are essentially dishonest.

You deal with me all the time, are you saying that I'm dishonest? Or are you saying that you can't imagine a situation where the south would allow the North to dictate what they could do with their slaves?

[Non-Sequitur]

The Northeastern states were rapidly moving forward toward the future of industrial capitalism that many Southerners found distasteful; the South remained proudly and even defiantly rooted in their status quo.

The status quo of plantation agriculture dependent on slavery.

When secessionists announced that they were acting to preserve traditional rights and values, they were speaking the truth.

The sure were, so long as we're clear that they were talking about their slaves.

They wanted to protect their constitutional liberties against the northern threat to overthrow them.

Couldn't have the Yankees doing something as ridiculous as hindering slavery, could we?

With complete sincerity the South separated to preserve its version of the Republic of the Founding Fathers -- a government of limited powers that protected the rights of property and whose constituency comprised an independent ownership citizenry undisturbed by large cities with undesirable living conditions, demanding factory jobs, restless workers, and increasing class conflict.

And promptly installed the big government, constitution trashing regime of Jefferson Davis, with his control of industries, interference with states rights, and seizure of private property.

The accession to power of the Republican party, with its ideology of competitive egalitarianism and government assisted capitalism, was a signal to the South that the northern majority had turned irrevocably toward this frightening, revolutionary future.

Can't have that equality and capitalism, can we?

Therefore secession was a pre-emptive counterrevolution to prevent the Black Republican revolution from engulfing the South.

Unilateral secession, as practiced by the southern states, was illegal.

[GOPcapitalist]

Have you noticed how much the Tu Quoque Parrot's latest squacks resemble those throwaway lines that Wlat used to append to all his posts? Perhaps he's taken up a perch on one of the rafters in a certain Georgia horse stable, causing him to learn and thus squack back what he hears all day...or at least what he hears in between Wlat's voluntary refusals of the "emancipation proclamation."

[Ditto]

Do you see Walt in your dreams? Is he hiding under your bed?

[Ditto]

Was that actually written on the offical stationary of the state of South Carolina?

Looks like it to me. I recall reading a quote from the time that said something like;

"South Carolina --- To small to be a nation. Too large to be an insane asylum."

Gov. Pickens sure looked like the lead inmate running things there.

I also read that Pickens was elected by a secret ballot of the State Legislature, not by the people in a general election. And to be a member of the SC legislature, you had to own slaves. Interesting how the Democrats "fixed" things in those days. Sounds like New Jersey today. The Democrat Party traditions continues --- they just deal the race card from the other side of the deck now.

[GOPcapitalist]

Do you see Walt in your dreams? Is he hiding under your bed?

1. Can't say that I have seeing as he was your friend and not mine, and 2. I'm sure he's hiding somewhere but I guarantee you it isn't any bed other than the straw kind.

[Non-Sequitur]

Do you see Walt in your dreams? Is he hiding under your bed?

He does seem to obsess about him, doesn't he? Maybe he afraid that Walt might come back?

[Ditto]

He does seem to obsess about him, doesn't he?

Sure looks that way. Or maybe it's just a way to make keystrokes when they have no rebuttal.

[PeaRidge]

Oh, yes, Pa Kettle. And hello Mom.

[Non-Sequitur]

"South Carolina --- To small to be a nation. Too large to be an insane asylum."

That was James Pettigru.

[PeaRidge]

Thank you for that timeline on the Morrill tariff and the changing political landscape in the Congress.

More than one historian has stated unequivocally that the secession came due to the pending change in power in Congress and reapportionment.

[Non-Sequitur]

More than one historian has stated unequivocally that the secession came due to the pending change in power in Congress and reapportionment.

And more than one historian has looked at the speeches and documents of the time and stated unequivocally that the single most important reason for the southern secession was defense of their institution of slavery. But you guys dismiss them as either commies or incredibly biased.

[PeaRidge]

"Don't know about that, but he did send hand written invitations for his milita to attack Washington DC."

A threat never to materialize. However, let's do remember why the mission was considered...Lincoln's act of War!

A Proclaimation: April 19

"I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, with a view to the same purposes before mentioned, and to the protection of the public peace, and the lives and property of quiet and orderly citizens pursuing their lawful occupations, until Congress shall have assembled and deliberated on the said unlawful proceedings, or until the same shall ceased, have further deemed it advisable to set on foot a blockade of the ports within the States aforesaid, in pursuance of the laws of the United States, and of the law of Nations, in such case provided.

“For this purpose a competent force will be posted so as to prevent entrance and exit of vessels from the ports aforesaid."

[Ditto]

More than one historian has stated unequivocally that the secession came due to the pending change in power in Congress and reapportionment.

And thousands have stated unequivocally, that slavery was the cause.

[Ditto]

A threat never to materialize. However, let's do remember why the mission was considered...Lincoln's act of War!

It was Davis who ordered the first shots fired at the flag, not Lincoln. Lincoln responded exactly the way his oath of office required him to respond.

As to the threat never "materializing" only the timely arrival of Pennsylvanian and Massachusetts troops made the south reconsider invading Washington. Troops that were there as a result of Lincoln calling out the militia.

[PeaRidge]

"You deal with me all the time, are you saying that I'm dishonest?"

Getting a bit paranoid, there, non?

"Or are you saying that you can't imagine a situation where the south would allow the North to dictate what they could do with their slaves?"

The Constitution did not allow any one section to dictate to another, unless permitted by law. There was no federal law against slavery.