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CAUSES OF THE GREAT CIVIL WAR BETWEEN
THE STATES.
We
of the South believe that there were three great primary causes that
brought on the war; lst African Slavery. 2nd-Constant
encroachment by the Federal or Northern party upon the reserved rights
of the Southern States. 3rd- The right to secede from the Federal Union.
The
Southern States claimed that the reserved rights of the States that had
never been delegated to the Federal Government gave them this right;
which the Federal Government denied.
So
it will be seen that when the Southern States believed that their
reserved rights had been invaded, their property was about to be
destroyed, and their social fabric upturned by the Northern party, the
South did attempt to bring into force these reserved rights, which
caused the Federal party to bring on a war of invasion and destruction,
that has scarcely been equaled in the annals of civilized or barbarous
warfare.
Who
can deny any State either North or South these rights, when you read the
second and third articles of confederation which say; "Article
2nd-Each State retains its sovereignty -Freedom and independence - and
every power jurisdiction and right, which is not by this confederation
expressly delegated to the United States in Congress."
"Article 3rd-The said States hereby severally entered into a firm
league of friendship with each other for their common defense, the
security of their liberties and their mutual and general welfare,
binding themselves to assist each other against all forces offered to or
attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of their religion,
sovereignty, trade or any other pretence whatever."
The compact of 1787 which finally
completed the American Union would never have been signed without the
2nd and 3rd articles, which we will show further on; the New England
States were great sticklers for the preservation of these reserved
rights; afterwards they were for these rights when it was to their
interest-and against them when not; So the war was brought on and the
South failed, yet, we have not escaped the humiliation of others who
have fought and failed. The victors write the history of the vanquished
and control public sentiment whether it be true or false, until it finds
a lodgment in the public mind and becomes settled as historical facts.
Such is the course that our enemies at the close of the war, and since,
have attempted to pursue.
We
know that we have been the objects of misrepresentation and bitter
calumny, emerging as we did from a four years struggle against all enemy
nearly five times our numbers and tell times our resources; we had
nothing to write and print history with, while we were rich in
historical facts.
No
nation or people is worthy of a recorded history that is not willing to
shed its blood and make sacrifices to sustain established convictions,
and surely the South has done this.
Now
it behooves us who are living, thirty-eight years after the war, and who
participated in it, to write its history as we know it. Let us be all
exception to the rule, and write our history as it was made, be it good
or bad.
Did
the South have sufficient cause to take up arms in defense of her
interests as written in the Federal Constitution from its foundation in
1787 , and held as law, and respected as law, by the supreme court of
the United States until 1860 is one of the principal questions that will
be asked by the future historian.
We
claim that the South lived faithfully under this compact during that
period. Our independence was declared on July 4th 1776, but the Federal
Constitution was not ratified and signed by the Slates in convention
until 1787 , eleven years after the declaration of independence.
Our
first chief magistrate was George Washington, who was elected from a
list of twelve candidates, and during his term of office, the people of
the young Nation, dividing themselves into two Opposing parties, each
striving for office advocating diverse principles.
The
New England States were led by John Adams of Massachusetts, who believed
in and advocated the concentration of power in the Federal Government,
and this was called the Federal party. The Southern States were led by
Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, and maintained State's rights as against
Federal encroachment, theirs was the Democratic party. (See Articles
of Confederation, Sec, 2.)
The
States' rights party believed that all the powers of the individual
States that had not been delegated by their authorized delegates, still
remained with each State to do with, in her sovereign capacity as she
might see fit. The Federal party denied these rights.
These
principles advocated by these two parties, were the first stumbling
blocks of the then young nation.
After
George Washington's term of office was completed, John Adams of
Massachusetts, the leader of the Federal party was elected to the
presidency in 1797, and it was during his term that the. "Alien and
Sedition Laws" were passed by the Federal Congress, which action was
opposed by the statesmen of the South, because in their opinion, these
laws invested in the Executive, powers not conferred by the
Constitution.
These
Alien and Sedition acts were not the only rocks upon which the two
parties split during Mr. Adams' term.
The
creation of a National Bank was a subject of bitter controversy, the men
of the North sustained this measure with great energy, while those of
the South opposed it as unconstitutional and of doubtful expediency. |
