Following the suggestion of a fellow Alabama Gazette columnist, I read through “Let’s celebrate the real history of Jefferson Davis”, by Josh Moon. No surprise—it is just more “Righteous Cause” blather.
The sub-title claims the South fought to “protect” slavery, yet the institution was constitutionally legal and Abe Lincoln and the Republicans stated ad nauseum that they had no intention or authority to interfere with slavery where it existed. A central reason for Republican opposition to slavery expansion was clearly explained by Horace Greeley: “All the unoccupied territory…shall be preserved for the benefit of the White Caucasian race—a thing which cannot be except by the exclusion of slavery.”
Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Oregon enacted laws that partially or totally restricted Blacks from living in those States yet we are supposed to believe they were fighting to end slavery. Both Alexander Stephens and abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison understood that remaining in the Union was the best way to protect slavery.
Jefferson Davis believed in federalism (States’ Rights) and understood the U.S. Constitution is a compact among sovereign States, i.e., a voluntary federal republic. To reiterate a point made in a previous article, in 1846 Davis succinctly described the only legitimate federal powers are those delegated by the States.
Conscription was used on both sides. “Drafts” have been implemented as far back as ancient Egypt. However, the Union went far beyond conscription. Approximately 500,000 Union soldiers were foreigners. They scoured Europe to “recruit”, sometimes offering financial incentives. Many “Union recruits” were actually mercenaries and some were literally criminals. The July 1863 New York Draft Riots–the most violent riot in American history–came about as a result of many Irish and German immigrants (largely Catholic) being forced into Union service. Most came to America for opportunity, not to join a fight they had no interest in. The Draft Riots resulted in massive property damage, assaults, and the hanging of the largest number of Blacks in American history.
Both sides also offered exemptions. Lincoln made sure his son, Robert, was never in danger of serving in combat. Most of those representing the corporate and banking interests who waged war against the South never wore a Union uniform. Conversely, a large number of affluent Southerners served in the Confederate military.
The article claimed the South committed treason. The Southern States held conventions and voted on secession, essentially reversing the process in which they joined the Union. Article 3, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution describes treason in plural form – they and their – this references the States (uninvited invasion of a State is treason). There is a strong argument that Lincoln committed treason by calling for 75,000 volunteers to invade the seceded States and a clearer case when he authorized the invasion of Maryland in September 1861. Under Article IV, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution, the federal government does not have authority to enter a State unless invited by the governor or the legislature.
Jefferson Davis was held in prison for two years awaiting a trial over treason. Davis wanted a trial; his primary representative was the renowned New York attorney, Charles O’Connor. On the Union side, there was considerable trepidation about a possible trial. U.S. Chief Justice Chase and Judge Franz Lieber warned it would be a mistake to put Davis on trial since, as Chase noted, from a constitutional standpoint, “secession is not rebellion” and “We cannot convict him of treason.” Lieber said “Davis will be found not guilty.”
Slavery was a point of contention; however, the war was fought over secession. Once the North realized the Confederate Constitution’s low import duties would attract trade to Southern ports, the powers that be envisioned financial ruin. Multiple editorials in Northern newspapers referenced this impending calamity. This is exactly what Lincoln told Southern peace representatives: John Brown Baldwin on April 4, 1861; George Randolph, A.H.H. Stuart, and William B. Preston on April 12-13, 1861; and Rev. Richard Fuller and his associates on April 22, 1861. Lyon Gardner Tyler, son of President John Tyler, referenced the three meetings and Lincoln’s commentary (What about my tariff?) as the tipping point. Lincoln also emphasized revenue collection (not slavery) as being paramount in his March 4, 1861, First Inaugural Address and in the Blockade Proclamation.
Jefferson and Varina Davis “adopted” a young Black child name Jim Limber Davis – he was eventually taken away by Union soldiers from Michigan. In addition, research by Phillip Magness and Sebastian Page discovered records in the British Archives revealing Lincoln’s continued attempt to deport Blacks from the U.S. virtually until the day he died.
Rather than the so-called “Real Jefferson Davis”, we should study the “Real Abraham Lincoln.” Rest assured the Lincoln Cultists will do everything possible to demonize anyone who dares to expose the Real Lincoln.
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Sources: Emancipation after Colonization: Lincoln and the Movement for Black Resettlement, by Phillip Magness and Sebastian Page; The Long Surrender, by Burke Davis; Copperhead Chronicles, by Al Benson, from freerepublic.com; A Confederate Catechism, by Lyon Gardiner Tyler; The “Righteous Cause Myth” has been detailed by Brion McClanahan and others associated with the Abbeville Institute. The Josh Moon piece appeared in the Alabama Political Reporter. NOTE: Author Dr. Jeffery D. Addicott stated approximately 800,000 immigrants were in Union service. Remember, July 4th symbolizes the successful secession from the British Empire.
Mr. Moon writes, “I’d just like to point out here how one key figure that illustrates the desperation of the South. According to National Institutes of Health, the life expectancy for an American male didn’t reach 50 until 1904. For much of the 1860s, it was below 40, even prior to the start of the Civil War.”
This is the beauty of the digital age. You can send me to an article and I can read it and reply to refute. The above is an example of how the uneducated are bamboozled by their handlers. Mr. Moon seems to think living long enough to approach your 50s was a death sentence in the 1860s. He probably also thinks men “evolved” into longer-living creatures over the past couple hundred years. Mr. Moon is a victim and should be treated with compassion. He is a “useful idiot” to use a well known term.
If Mr. Moon ever walked thru a cemetery, even once in his life and paid attention to the headstones there, he’d see lots of tiny headstones from a hundred years ago and very few today. I would explain to him the fact children died of various diseases in those harder days and that LOWERED life expectancy…but this would be only one layer of the onion and I would have to explain to him the fact he’s been lied to since his first breaths on this planet. If he knew the truth and realized there should be over 100 million tiny headstones in US cemeteries since 1973, he’d realize life expectancy has been dramatically lowered since our mothers were allowed to kill us in their wombs.
Mr. Moon made not one mention of the Corwin Amendment. I doubt he even knows of its existence.
I am certain the APR published his article because it realizes his ignorance OR, as in the recent US Navy 4th of July poster released using Russian fighters, ships and soldiers standing over a grave, the publication’s editors are as confused as its contributors.
William Platt
Mr. Moon writes, “Utilizing an army of poor men forced to fight…”
I would like to point out to Mr. Moon the following fact. In the State of Florida, there were 15,000 registered voters in 1860. Florida sent over 15,000 soldiers into Confederate Armies. Apparently, there were enough men remaining to force all of the men in the State into military service. This seems doubtful. Perhaps the women were used to force their men into the armies. I would link here to an article in gahistoricnewspapers (except links seem to make my comments vanish) where a cousin of mine recently found a letter to the editor of Southern Confederacy newspaper describing the attitude toward the War in Washington County, Florida. The writer claims, “every man available is a volunteer” and that the county had raised more men for volunteer service than it had registered voters.
Moon writes, “…died in order to protect his rights – and the rights of other wealthy landowners – to continue treating other humans as property and force them into free labor.” At least Moon doesn’t proclaim the standard “rights of white landowners” , perhaps because Moon realizes black and ‘native” people owned slaves as well in Alabama. And as far as the “free labor” part, I suppose Moon believes slaves were not fed, housed and clothed by their masters…nor were they able to enjoy holidays and Sundays off to rest. Moon must not have read any of the thousands of slave narratives available on the internet describing the reality of being a slave in a Christian nation. Instead, he must have relied upon the lies of the ancestors of the same liars we continue to suffer under.
Perhaps Moon can explain how all the white men could go off to war (even at the prodding of a bayonet) leaving their women and children in the care of slaves without coming home to find them dead as a result of slave uprisings. I venture to say Moon has never read UP FROM SLAVERY by BT Washington and specifically has not read page 8 where Washington declares, “in order to defend the White women and children left in our care, the slaves would have laid down their lives”…if you can’t find it on page 8, continue to hunt around as I am 100 percent certain the quote is in the first chapter. I ask you to hunt around because there are many gems in Washington’s AUTOBIOGRAPHY (he wrote the book himself).
William Platt