Re: OT:Thanksgiving

In article <13kuv5hdahco9bc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Rick Smith <ricksmith@xxxxxxx> wrote:

<docdwarf@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:fimmjs$r0q$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In article <ZMA3j.19766$K27.16492@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Judson McClendon <judmc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

[snip]

Most early Americans fled oppression in Europe, and did not like
the idea of a powerful central government here.

(The primary reason for the U.S. Civil War was to reverse this, not to
free slaves, as is commonly thought. Freeing slaves was the
tentative excuse, but not the reason.

Mr McClendon, several people have disagreed with this assertion... one of
them was Alexander H. Stephens, who addressed this very matter in a speech
he gave on 21 March 1861 in Savannah, Georgia, USA.

From http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?documentprint=76

--begin quoted text:

But not to be tedious in enumerating the numerous changes for the better,
allow me to allude to one other - though last, not least. The new
constitution has put at rest, forever, all the agitating questions
relating to our peculiar institution - African slavery as it exists
amongst us - the proper status of the negro in our form of civilization.
This was the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution.

[snip]

--end quoted text

Slavery was 'the immediate cause of the late rupture and present
revolution' and the corner-stone of the Confederacy was 'the great truth
tha the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery - subordination
to the superior race - is his natural and normal condition'.

So asserted Mr Stephens... who was the Vice President of the Confederate
States of America. What would *he* know about the reasoning behind the
Civil War, anyhow?

The Civil War did not begin until April 12, 1861, about three
weeks after Mr Stephen's speech. This suggests he may have
been referring to something other than the Civil War.

Mr Smith, Vice President Stephens begins his speech with 'I was remarking
that we are passing through one of the greatest revolutions in the annals
of the world. Seven States have within the last three months thrown off an
old government and formed a new.'

Secession from the Union began on 24 Dec 1860 (South Carolina) and by 9
Feb 1861 six other states joined and formed the Confederate States of
America. I do not believe that there were too many other 'latest
ruptures' which Mr Stephens might have been addressing; if you have
evidence that might support that view it could be interesting to see.

DD

.

Relevant Pages

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    (comp.lang.cobol)
  • Re: OT:Thanksgiving
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    (comp.lang.cobol)
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  • Re: OT:Thanksgiving
    ... tentative excuse, but not the reason. ... Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; ... Civil War, anyhow? ...
    (comp.lang.cobol)
  • Re: Civil War Teasers
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