The Feral Irishman: Just So We Are Clear (BUMPED )
The Ten Causes Of The War Between The States
By James W. King and LtCol Thomas M. Nelson
Historians have long debated the causes of the war and the Southern
perspective differs greatly from the Northern perspective. Based upon
the study of original documents of the War Between The States (Civil
War) era and facts and information published by Confederate Veterans,
Confederate Chaplains, Southern writers and Southern Historians before,
during, and after the war, I present the facts, opinions, and
conclusions stated in the following article.
Technically the 10 causes listed are reasons for Southern secession. The
only cause of the war was that the South was invaded and responded to
Northern aggression.
I respectfully disagree with those who claim that the War Between the
States was fought over slavery or that the abolition of slavery in the
Revolutionary Era or early Federal period would have prevented war. It
is my opinion that war was inevitable between the North and South due to
complex political and cultural differences. The famous Englishman
Winston Churchill stated that the war between the North and South was
one of the most unpreventable wars in history. The Cause that the
Confederate States of America fought for (1861-1865) was Southern
Independence from the United States of America. Many parallels exist
between the War for American Independence (1775-1783) and the War for
Southern Independence.
There were 10 political causes of the war (causes of Southern Secession)
---one of which was slavery--- which was a scapegoat for all the
differences that existed between the North and South. The Northern
industrialists had wanted a war since about 1830 to get the South's
resources (land-cotton-coal-timber-minerals) for pennies on the dollar.
All wars are economic and are always between centralists and
decentralists. The North would have found an excuse to invade the South
even if slavery had never existed.
A war almost occurred during 1828-1832 over the tariff when South
Carolina passed nullification laws. The U.S. congress had increased the
tariff rate on imported products to 40% (known as the tariff of
abominations in Southern States). This crisis had nothing to do with
slavery. If slavery had never existed --period--or had been eliminated
at the time the Declaration of Independence was written in 1776 or
anytime prior to 1860 it is my opinion that there would still have been a
war sooner or later.
On a human level there were 5 causes of the war--New England Greed-New
England Radicals--New England Fanatics--New England Zealots--and New
England Hypocrites. During "So Called Reconstruction" ( 1865-1877 ) the
New England Industrialists got what they had really wanted for 40
years--THE SOUTH'S RESOURCES FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR. It was a
political coalition between the New England economic interests and the
New England fanatics and zealots that caused Southern secession to be
necessary for economic survival and safety of the population.
1. TARIFF
Prior to the war about 75% of the money to operate the Federal
Government was derived from the Southern States via an unfair sectional
tariff on imported goods and 50% of the total 75% was from just 4
Southern states--Virginia-North Carolina--South Carolina and Georgia.
Only 10%--20% of this tax money was being returned to the South. The
Southern states were being treated as an agricultural colony of the
North and bled dry. John Randolph of Virginia's remarks in opposition to
the tariff of 1820 demonstrates that fact. The North claimed that they
fought the war to preserve the Union but the New England Industrialists
who were in control of the North were actually supporting preservation
of the Union to maintain and increase revenue from the tariff. The
industrialists wanted the South to pay for the industrialization of
America at no expense to them. Revenue bills introduced in the U.S.
House of Representatives prior to the War Between the States were
biased, unfair and inflammatory to the South. Abraham Lincoln had
promised the Northern industrialists that he would increase the tariff
rate if he was elected president of the United States. Lincoln increased
the rate to a level that exceeded even the "Tariff of Abominations" 40%
rate that had so infuriated the South during the 1828-1832 eras
(between 50 and 51% on iron goods). The election of a president that was
Anti-Southern on all issues and politically associated with the New
England industrialists, fanatics, and zealots brought about the Southern
secession movement.
2. CENTRALIZATION VERSUS STATES RIGHTS
The United States of America was founded as a Constitutional Federal
Republic in 1789 composed of a Limited Federal Government and Sovereign
States. The North wanted to and did alter the form of Government this
nation was founded upon. The Confederate States of America fought to
preserve Constitutional Limited Federal Government as established by
America's founding fathers who were primarily Southern Gentlemen from
Virginia. Thus Confederate soldiers were fighting for rights that had
been paid for in blood by their forefathers upon the battlefields of the
American Revolution. Abraham Lincoln had a blatant disregard for The
Constitution of the United States of America. His War of aggression
Against the South changed America from a Constitutional Federal Republic
to a Democracy ( with Socialist leanings ) and broke the original
Constitution. The infamous Socialist Karl Marx sent Lincoln a letter of
congratulations after his reelection in 1864. A considerable number of
European Socialists came to America and fought for the Union (North).
3. CHRISTIANITY VERSUS SECULAR HUMANISM
The South believed in basic Christianity as presented in the Holy Bible.
The North had many Secular Humanists (atheists, transcendentalists and
non-Christians). Southerners were afraid of what kind of country America
might become if the North had its way. Secular Humanism is the belief
that there is no God and that man, science and government can solve all
problems. This philosophy advocates human rather than religious values.
Reference: Frank Conner's book "The South under Siege 1830-2000."
4. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
Southerners and Northerners were of different Genetic Lineage's.
Southerners were primarily of Western English (original Britons),
Scottish, and Irish lineage (Celtic) whereas Northerners tended to be of
Anglo-Saxon and Danish (Viking) extraction. The two cultures had been
at war and at odds for over 1000 years before they arrived in America.
Our ancient ancestors in Western England under King Arthur humbled the
Saxon princes at the battle of Baden Hill (circa 497 AD --516 AD). The
cultural differences that contributed to the War Between the States
(1861-1865) had existed for 1500 years or more.
5. CONTROL OF WESTERN TERRITORIES
The North wanted to control Western States and Territories such as
Kansas and Nebraska. New England formed Immigrant Aid Societies and sent
settlers to these areas that were politically attached to the North.
They passed laws against slavery that Southerners considered punitive.
These political actions told Southerners they were not welcome in the
new states and territories. It was all about control--slavery was a
scapegoat.
6. NORTHERN INDUSTRIALISTS WANTED THE SOUTH'S RESOURCES
The Northern Industrialists wanted a war to use as an excuse to get the
South's resources for pennies on the dollar. They began a campaign about
1830 that would influence the common people of the North and create
enmity that would allow them to go to war against the South. These
Northern Industrialists brought up a morality claim against the South
alleging the evils of slavery. The Northern Hypocrites conveniently
neglected to publicize the fact that 5 New England States
(Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New York )
were primarily responsible for the importation of most of the slaves
from Africa to America. These states had both private and state owned
fleets of ships.
7. SLANDER OF THE SOUTH BY NORTHERN NEWSPAPERS
This political cause ties in to the above listed efforts by New England
Industrialists. Beginning about 1830 the Northern Newspapers began to
slander the South. The Industrialists used this tool to indoctrinate the
common people of the North. They used slavery as a scapegoat and
brought the morality claim up to a feverish pitch. Southerners became
tired of reading in the Northern Newspapers about what bad and evil
people they were just because their neighbor down the road had a few
slaves. This propaganda campaign created hostility between the ordinary
citizens of the two regions and created the animosity necessary for war.
The Northern Industrialists worked poor whites in the factories of the
North under terrible conditions for 18 hours a day (including children).
When the workers became old and infirm they were fired. It is a
historical fact that during this era there were thousands of old people
living homeless on the streets in the cities of the North. In the South a
slave was cared for from birth to death. Also the diet and living
conditions of Southern slaves was superior to that of most white
Northern factory workers. Southerners deeply resented this New England
hypocrisy and slander.
8. NEW ENGLANDERS ATTEMPTED TO INSTIGATE MASSIVE SLAVE REBELLIONS IN THE SOUTH
Abolitionists were a small but vocal and militant group in New England
who demanded instant abolition of slavery in the South. These fanatics
and zealots were calling for massive slave uprisings that would result
in the murder of Southern men, women and children. Southerners were
aware that such an uprising had occurred in Santa Domingo in the 1790
era and that the French (white) population had been massacred. The
abolitionists published a terrorist manifesto and tried to smuggle
100,000 copies into the South showing slaves how to murder their masters
at night. Then when John Brown raided Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859
the political situation became inflammatory. Prior to this event there
had been more abolition societies in the South than in the North.
Lincoln and most of the Republican Party (68 members of congress) had
adopted a political platform in support of terrorist acts against the
South. Some (allegedly including Lincoln) had contributed monetarily as
supporters of John Brown's terrorist activities. Again slavery was used
as a scapegoat for all differences that existed between the North and
South.
9. SLAVERY
Indirectly slavery was a cause of the war. Most Southerners did not own
slaves and would not have fought for the protection of slavery. However
they believed that the North had no Constitutional right to free slaves
held by citizens of Sovereign Southern States. Prior to the war there
were five times as many abolition societies in the South as in the
North. Virtually all educated Southerners were in favor of gradual
emancipation of slaves. Gradual emancipation would have allowed the
economy and labor system of the South to gradually adjust to a free paid
labor system without economic collapse. Furthermore, since the New
England States were responsible for the development of slavery in
America, Southerners saw the morality claims by the North as blatant
hypocrisy. The first state to legalize slavery had been Massachusetts in
1641 and this law was directed primarily at Indians. In colonial times
the economic infrastructure of the port cities of the North was
dependent upon the slave trade. The first slave ship in America, "THE
DESIRE", was fitted out in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Further proof that
Southerners were not fighting to preserve slavery is found in the diary
of an officer in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. He stated
that "he had never met a man in the Army of Northern Virginia that
claimed he was fighting to preserve slavery". If the war had been over
slavery, the composition of the politicians, officers, enlisted men, and
even African Americans would have been different. Confederate General
Robert E. Lee had freed his slaves (Custis Washington estate) prior to
1863 whereas Union General Grant's wife Julia did not free her slaves
until after the war when forced to do so by the 13th amendment to the
constitution. Grant even stated that if the abolitionists claimed he was
fighting to free slaves that he would offer his services to the South.
Mildred Lewis Rutherford (1852-1928) was for many years the historian
for the United Daughters Of The Confederacy (UDC). In her book Truths Of
History she stated that there were more slaveholders in the Union Army
(315,000) than the Confederate Army (200,000). Statistics and estimates
also show that about 300,000 blacks supported the Confederacy versus
about 200,000 for the Union. Clearly the war would have been fought
along different lines if it had been fought over slavery. The famous
English author Charles Dickens stated "the Northern onslaught upon
Southern slavery is a specious piece of humbug designed to mask their
desire for the economic control of the Southern states."
10. NORTHERN AGGRESSION AGAINST SOUTHERN STATES
Proof that Abraham Lincoln wanted war may be found in the manner he
handled the Fort Sumter incident. Original correspondence between
Lincoln and Naval Captain G.V.Fox shows proof that Lincoln acted with
deceit and willfully provoked South Carolina into firing on the fort (A
TARIFF COLLECTION FACILITY). It was politically important that the South
be provoked into firing the first shot so that Lincoln could claim the
Confederacy started the war. Additional proof that Lincoln wanted war is
the fact that Lincoln refused to meet with a Confederate peace
delegation. They remained in Washington for 30 days and returned to
Richmond only after it became apparent that Lincoln wanted war and
refused to meet and discuss a peace agreement. After setting up the Fort
Sumter incident for the purpose of starting a war, Lincoln called for
75,000 troops to put down what he called a rebellion. He intended to
march Union troops across Virginia and North Carolina to attack South
Carolina. Virginia and North Carolina were not going to allow such an
unconstitutional and criminal act of aggression against a sovereign
sister Southern State. Lincoln's act of aggression caused the secession
of the upper Southern States.
On April 17th 1861, Governor Letcher of Virginia sent this message to
Washington DC: "I have only to say that the militia of Virginia will not
be furnished to the powers of Washington for any such use or purpose as
they have in view. Your object is to subjugate the Southern states and
the requisition made upon me for such a object-an object in my judgement
not within the purview of the constitution or the act of 1795, will not
be complied with. You have chosen to inaugurate civil war; having done
so we will meet you in a spirit as determined as the administration has
exhibited toward the South."
The WAR BETWEEN THE STATES 1861-1865 occurred due to many complex causes
and factors as enumerated above. Those who make claims that "the war
was over slavery" or that if slavery had been abolished in 1776 when the
Declaration of Independence was signed or in 1789 when The Constitution
of the United States of America was signed, that war would not have
occurred between North and South are being very simplistic in their
views and opinions.
The following conversation between English ship Captain Hillyar and
Capt. Raphael Semmes-Confederate Ship CSS Sumter (and after 1862 CSS
Alabama) occurred during the war on August 5th, 1861. It is a summary
from a well-educated Southerner who is stating his reasons for fighting.
Captain Hillyar expressed surprised at Captain Semme's contention that
the people of the South were "defending ourselves against robbers with
knives at our throats", and asked for further clarification as to how
this was so, the exchange below occurred. I especially was impressed
with Semmes' assessment of Yankee motives - the creation of "Empire"!
Semmes: "Simply that the machinery of the Federal Government, under
which we have lived, and which was designed for the common benefit, has
been made the means of despoiling the South, to enrich the North", and I
explained to him the workings of the iniquitous tariffs, under the
operation of which the South had, in effect, been reduced to a dependent
colonial condition, almost as abject as that of the Roman provinces,
under their proconsuls; the only difference being, that smooth-faced
hypocrisy had been added to robbery, inasmuch as we had been plundered
under the forms of law"
Captain Hillyar: "All this is new to me", replied the captain. "I thought that your war had arisen out of the slavery question".
Semmes: "That is the common mistake of foreigners. The enemy has taken
pains to impress foreign nations with this false view of the case. With
the exception of a few honest zealots, the canting hypocritical Yankee
cares as little for our slaves as he does for our draught animals. The
war which he has been making upon slavery for the last 40 years is only
an interlude, or by-play, to help on the main action of the drama, which
is Empire; and it is a curious coincidence that it was commenced about
the time the North began to rob the South by means of its tariffs. When a
burglar designs to enter a dwelling for the purpose of robbery, he
provides himself with the necessary implements. The slavery question was
one of the implements employed to help on the robbery of the South. It
strengthened the Northern party, and enabled them to get their tariffs
through Congress; and when at length, the South, driven to the wall,
turned, as even the crushed worm will turn, it was cunningly perceived
by the Northern men that 'No slavery' would be a popular war-cry, and
hence, they used it.
It is true that we are defending our slave property, but we are
defending it no more than any other species of our property - it is all
endangered, under a general system of robbery. We are in fact, fighting
for independence. The Union victory in 1865 destroyed the right of
secession in America, which had been so cherished by America's founding
fathers as the principle of their revolution. British historian and
political philosopher Lord Acton, one of the most intellectual figures
in Victorian England, understood the deeper meaning of Southern defeat.
In a letter to former Confederate General Robert E. Lee dated November
4, 1866, Lord Acton wrote "I saw in States Rights the only available
check upon the absolutism of the sovereign will, and secession filled me
with hope, not as the destruction but as the redemption of Democracy. I
deemed you were fighting the battles of our liberty, our progress, and
our civilization and I mourn for that which was lost at Richmond more
deeply than I rejoice over that which was saved at Waterloo (defeat of
Napoleon). As Illinois Governor Richard Yates stated in a message to his
state assembly on January 2, 1865, the war had "tended, more than any
other event in the history of the country, to militate against the
Jeffersonian Ideal ( Thomas Jefferson ) that the best government is that
which governs least.
Years after the war former Confederate president Jefferson Davis stated
"I Am saddened to Hear Southerners Apologize For Fighting To Preserve
Our Inheritance". Some years later former U.S. president Theodore
Roosevelt stated "Those Who Will Not Fight For The Graves Of Their
Ancestors Are Beyond Redemption".
James W. King
Past Commander Camp 141
Lt. Col. Thomas M. Nelson
Sons of Confederate Veterans
PO Box 70577 Albany,
Georgia 31708
Even
intelligent people fall victim to the Democrat Big Lies. A liberal
physicist, for example, was shocked to learn that Osama greenlighted
9/11 because Clinton’s fleeing from Somalia taught Osama that Americans
were cowards. He’d never heard that.
