Title: Judge Napolitano: Lincoln Set About On The Most Murderous War In American History Source:
[None] URL Source:[None] Published:Mar 9, 2015 Author:Judge Andrew Napolitano Post Date:2015-03-09 12:57:06 by James Deffenbach Keywords:None Views:1028 Comments:92
It's not clear if slavery was the *reason*, your honor?
South Carolina Statement of Secession:
'The General Government, as the common agent, passed laws to carry into effect these stipulations of the States. For many years these laws were executed. But an increasing hostility on the part of the non-slaveholding States to the institution of slavery, has led to a disregard of their obligations, and the laws of the General Government have ceased to effect the objects of the Constitution. "
Georgia:
"The people of Georgia having dissolved their political connection with the Government of the United States of America, present to their confederates and the world the causes which have led to the separation. For the last ten years we have had numerous and serious causes of complaint against our non-slave-holding confederate States with reference to the subject of African slavery."
Mississippi:
In the momentous step which our State has taken of dissolving its connection with the government of which we so long formed a part, it is but just that we should declare the prominent reasons which have induced our course.
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.
Your discussion of reasons submitted by various state governments, is categorical proof that slavery was not the reason for secession.
It was a state's rights issue directly concerned with how new states were defined by federal government; albeit slavery was a central consideration. What was genuinely happening was the Missouri Compromise of 1820. This federal decree placed the political influence of the southern states into a defensive position given the fundamental tenets of the US Constitution for apportionment as physical state governments were added.
Your discussion of reasons submitted by various state governments, is categorical proof that slavery was not the reason for secession.
Right...because when someone/something states that their "position (i.e. trying to leave the Union) is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery" they really mean that it *isn't* thoroughly identified with it.