A War Fought Over Slavery?

"We, the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts -- not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow men who pervert the Constitution." -- Abraham Lincoln (who as president denied the right to government by consent of the governed to the citizens of 11 states, and denied freedom of speech and freedom of the press to citizens in Maryland, Ohio, and other Union states.)

Was the War Between the States really fought over slavery? We've been taught our whole lives that it was, but when the evidence is viewed objectively, a much different picture is revealed.

Both the USA and the CSA had states where slavery was legal throughout the entire war, and just as many Union soldiers as Confederate soldiers owned slaves. How ridiculous it is to assume that Union soldiers who owned slaves were fighting to free them! Union General Ulysses S. Grant said that if he "thought the war was to abolish slavery, I would resign my commision and offer my sword to the other side."

We have been taught that Abraham Lincoln's firm stance against slavery prompted the Southern states to flee the Union, so that they could continue to practice slavery. This seems particularly doubtful, however, given that in his inaugural address (March 4, 1861), Abraham Lincoln said the he had "no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so."

A little known fact, that our history teachers have neglected to pass along to us, is that Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator, offered to guarrantee the Southern states permanent Constitutional slavery, if they would renounce secession. The Confederate states refused his offer, but made a counter offer. The South would free all slaves in return for independence, which Lincoln refused.

Most believe that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves with his great Emancipation Proclamation, but his proclamation did not apply to northern slaves, only southern slaves in Union occupied areas of the South. He was pressured into freeing those slaves because they were being forced by the Union Army to work on plantations that the Union Army had comandeered, producing cotton for the uniforms of Union soldiers!

A war fought over slavery indeed!

Check out these related articles:

Wanted for War Crimes: Abe Lincoln!
Independence for Dixie! How the South would govern itself differently.
What's the difference between a Paleo-Federalist and a Southern Nationalist?
Why Civil War is a misnomer.

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