Civil War not about slavery?!?!

[konradv]

It is not safe ... to trust $800 million worth of Negroes in the hands of a power which says that we do not own the property. ... So we must get out ..." — The Daily Constitutionalist, Augusta, Ga., Dec. 1, 1860

"[Northerners] have denounced as sinful the institution of slavery. ... We, therefore, the people of South Carolina ... have solemnly declared that the Union heretofore existing between this State and other States of North America dissolved." — from "Declaration of the Causes of Secession"

"As long as slavery is looked upon by the North with abhorrence ... there can be no satisfactory political union between the two sections." — New Orleans Bee, Dec. 14, 1860

"Our new government is founded upon ... the great truth that the Negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race is his natural and moral condition." — Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, March 21, 1861

Leonard Pitts: What was the Civil War about? Listen to voices of the Confederacy - baltimoresun.com

 

[Oddball]

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."

~Abraham Lincoln

Lies my teacher told me: everything ... - Google Books

 

[editec]

Like most modern wars the root cause was pure economics.

In this case it was the economics of slavery.

Sans the capital invested in slaves, the South was broke, and they know that was eventually going to happen if they stayed in the Union.

The war was not motivated by states rights, nor were tariffs the primary concern of the seccessionists.

It was all about their inevitable bankruptsy if they lose their value of their slaves.

We ought to have found some way to prevent it. Perhaps purchasing the slaves freedom would have worked, but the aristos which ran the South were very comfortable running a feudal society and did not want to join the rest of mankind that was shedding that kind of now very far outdated societal contract for the modern capitalistic social contract that was developing not only in the North but in most of the rest of Europe, too.

 

[konradv]

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."

~Abraham Lincoln

Lies my teacher told me: everything ... - Google Books

What's your point? The Confederate states obviously left over slavery per the OP. Lincoln wanted to save the Union in anyway possible, but that doesn't change the underlying cause of the war. The quote, while interesting, is basically irrelevant on that point.

 

[Truthseeker420]

Would the Southern States had stayed in the union the noth offered to compensate the south for ending slavery?

 

[JWBooth]

Would the Southern States had stayed in the union the noth offered to compensate the south for ending slavery?

As compensated enfranchisement was never considered we will never know. It was successful elsewhere. Those places that did it didn't have the added problem of one section using tariff policies to enrich itself at the expense of the other.

 

[Oddball]

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."

~Abraham Lincoln

Lies my teacher told me: everything ... - Google Books

What's your point? The Confederate states obviously left over slavery per the OP. Lincoln wanted to save the Union in anyway possible, but that doesn't change the underlying cause of the war. The quote, while interesting, is basically irrelevant on that point.

The point is that slavery wasn't the central issue....Lincoln's ego was.

 

[konradv]

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."

~Abraham Lincoln

Lies my teacher told me: everything ... - Google Books

What's your point? The Confederate states obviously left over slavery per the OP. Lincoln wanted to save the Union in anyway possible, but that doesn't change the underlying cause of the war. The quote, while interesting, is basically irrelevant on that point.

The point is that slavery wasn't the central issue....Lincoln's ego was.

Goofiness only gets you so far. Now you're just getting boring. Funny who thanked you for the post. If you want to shill for that side more power to you, I don't have the time for that kind foolishness.

 

[JWBooth]

The point is that slavery wasn't the central issue....Lincoln's ego was.

A problem which an actor cured for him on this date in 1865.
Sic Semper Tyrannis.

 

[Gunny]

It is not safe ... to trust $800 million worth of Negroes in the hands of a power which says that we do not own the property. ... So we must get out ..." — The Daily Constitutionalist, Augusta, Ga., Dec. 1, 1860

"[Northerners] have denounced as sinful the institution of slavery. ... We, therefore, the people of South Carolina ... have solemnly declared that the Union heretofore existing between this State and other States of North America dissolved." — from "Declaration of the Causes of Secession"

"As long as slavery is looked upon by the North with abhorrence ... there can be no satisfactory political union between the two sections." — New Orleans Bee, Dec. 14, 1860

"Our new government is founded upon ... the great truth that the Negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race is his natural and moral condition." — Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, March 21, 1861

Leonard Pitts: What was the Civil War about? Listen to voices of the Confederacy - baltimoresun.com

It wasn't about slavery. BUT .... why didn't you just comment on one of the many threads on this topic already here?

How many times do we have to fight this damned war, anyway?

I've already made note of the fact that there are those who know the actual facts that created the war, and there are those that choose to willfully blind themselves thinking the war was fought over slaves.

 

[LostAmerican]

Sorry but I couldn't find a video of this classic Saturday Night Live sketch:

Host: Good evening. I'm Lawrence Flyshacker, and welcome to, "The Real Story." Tonight we continue our series on the U.S. Presidents. You know history often whitewashes itself? For example, for years it was thought that Thomas Jefferson was a man, and that his wife slept around... whereas we now know the opposite to be true. Tonight we'll go behind another of history's myths to learn, "The Real Story."
Abraham Lincoln: [Lincoln enters Ford's Theatre box, loudly and apparently drunk] Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me! Excuse me. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh.
[plops into his seat]
Abraham Lincoln: Sorry I'm late, guys, but I was freeing some Negroes! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
General: That's perfectly all right, Mr. President.
Abraham Lincoln: [Throwing his arm around his wife's shoulders] Hey, hey, hey, is this a First Lady or WHAT, huh? I just hope I'm her first man!
Mary Lincoln: Abraham, please, the play!
Abraham Lincoln: Oh, I've seen it five times, Mary...
Theatre patron: Yeah, well, some of US haven't!
Abraham Lincoln: [stands up and jeers him] Oh, well, hey, pardon me, pal, huh? What am I, just the President of the United STATES!
Abraham Lincoln: [loudly eating a candy bar; audience shushes him] SORRY! Oh, hey, I love this part! I love this. Watch this. Listen to how she tells this jerk off. Watch this.
Abraham Lincoln: [calls toward the stage] Hey, hey! You tell him, honey! YEAH! WHOOOOO!
[sits back down]
Abraham Lincoln: Some people, they just don't know how to enjoy theatre.
Theatre patron: Hey, quiet down, will ya?
Abraham Lincoln: [stands up] Hey, stick it here, pal!
[knocks drink and popcorn off balcony]
Abraham Lincoln: Whoa!
Theatre patron: Watch it!
Abraham Lincoln: Hey, I'm sorry, pal! Look, send me your cleaning bill! To my GETTYSBURG ADDRESS! Ah, ha ha ha ha!
General: Mr. President, Mr. President, I understand that the young woman taking the role of Sarah tonight is the talk of Washington.
Abraham Lincoln: Oh, yeah?
[looks through opera glasses]
Abraham Lincoln: WHOA, YEAH! Hey, I thought mine eyes had seen the glory, but get a load of that babe!
[stands up and waves toward stage]
Abraham Lincoln: Hey, hey, hey, angelpuss! Whooo, whoo, whoo! Up here, huh?
Theatre patron: [Confederate accent] Will you shut up, suh?
Abraham Lincoln: [stands up] Hey, hey, you gonna do something about it?
Theatre patron: I may, suh!
Abraham Lincoln: Yeah, you and what Confederate Army, cracker-barrel?
Theatre patron: I warned you, suh!
Abraham Lincoln: [losing temper] Yeah, well, why don't you come up here and do somethin'? What, what are you gonna do, shoot me, pal, huh?
Host: And the rest is history. Please join us next week on "The Real Story" for "Hiroshima: Insurance Fraud of the Century".

 

[syrenn]

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."

~Abraham Lincoln

Lies my teacher told me: everything ... - Google Books

It always amazes me that the reason for the civil war is misunderstood.

The civil war was about preserving the union. It gained the moral patina of ending slavery.

 

[uscitizen]

The war was more aobut the economic aspects of slavery than the moral aspects.

 

[editec]

Would the Southern States had stayed in the union the noth offered to compensate the south for ending slavery?

I suspect that the average Southerner would have accepted that.

The aristos who really ran most of the South, perhaps not.

Look they really basically wanted a FEUDAL society with them filling in for the PEERS of the realm (that is why I constantly refer to them as ARISTOs btw)

Look at the way their society was structured.

It was FEUDALISM in the 19th century.

What they wanted was an anachronism society.

What they ended up with was a civilization in ruins.

History ran them over in the guise of bluecoats.

 

[hortysir]

Title correction:

"Civil War not MAINLY about slavery"

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

How could it have been about slavery when Lincoln didn't fight the war to free the slaves?

 

[westwall]

Ever notice how the Emancipation Proclamation didn't free slaves in areas controlled by the North? It only applied to areas controlled by the South.

Myth #8

 

[Lonestar_logic]

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."

~Abraham Lincoln

Lies my teacher told me: everything ... - Google Books

What's your point? The Confederate states obviously left over slavery per the OP. Lincoln wanted to save the Union in anyway possible, but that doesn't change the underlying cause of the war. The quote, while interesting, is basically irrelevant on that point.

Your going to believe news accounts the OP offered over what Lincoln stated?


Damn you're stupid!

 

[American Horse]

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."

~Abraham Lincoln

Lies my teacher told me: everything ... - Google Books

What's your point? The Confederate states obviously left over slavery per the OP. Lincoln wanted to save the Union in anyway possible, but that doesn't change the underlying cause of the war. The quote, while interesting, is basically irrelevant on that point.

The point is that slavery wasn't the central issue....Lincoln's ego was.

Wrong; it wasn't his ego. It was his sense of honor and duty to the constitution. He hated slavery but he comported himself within the constitution. Where he went beyond the constitution, he was acting as the commander in chief of the armed forces in an area of belligerence with rebel forces.

 

[Big Black Dog]

You folks got this history thing all wrong. One of the biggest reasons for the Civil War was because the North would not allow grits to be served in eating establishments above the Mason Dixon Line.