RE: What caused the American Civil War?
May 28, 2011 at 6:46 am
(This post was last modified: May 28, 2011 at 6:46 am by Pope Alfred.)
You can certainly point to multiple issues, but IMO it is inconceivable that it could have got to the point of war without the issue of slavery.
Yes, I know Lincoln wrote that famous letter including the words "My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that." But that is deliberately disingenuous. Secession was essentially to preserve slavery and a way of life under threat from the abolitionists, and the pressure to prevent it was, at bottom, also from the abolitionists.
Yes, I know Lincoln wrote that famous letter including the words "My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that." But that is deliberately disingenuous. Secession was essentially to preserve slavery and a way of life under threat from the abolitionists, and the pressure to prevent it was, at bottom, also from the abolitionists.
Only sheep need a shepherd.
