The war between the states was a complex issue. To relegate the cause of that terrible war to one sentence or thought is political, not historical. In his inaugural address, Lincoln advocated the Corwin Amendment, which would have established the institution of slavery in this country in perpetuity. Don’t forget, Lincoln’s home state of Illinois forbade blacks to move there and deprived those who did of their citizenship rights. That is history, not a political slogan. Also forgotten in the politically correct rush to judgment is in the 1860 election: 61 percent of the people who voted did not vote for Lincoln.
Several Northern abolitionists supported secession including William Lloyd Garrison and Lysander Spooner. Relevant to the cause of the war is a New York Times editorial: “The commercial bearing of the question (secession) has acted on the North. We were divided and confused until our pockets were touched.”
Mike McLachlan (Herald, Feb. 28) linked the issue of the Confederate battle flag to racism by attaching its use to the KKK. A close examination of a multitude of pictures showing Klan rallies in various cities during the Klan’s heyday will not reveal the Confederate flag but the stars and stripes. The Confederate flag was not seen with the KKK until later. This can be seen at www.rulen.com/kkk So, if we use McLachlan’s standard, the U.S. flag must be considered as racist as the Confederate if the standard for making such a claim is based on usage by the KKK.
History is a huge barrier to overcome when one’s goal is the demonization of all things Southern. A letter from General William T. Sherman’s wife to the general contained the following: “I hope this may not be a war of emancipation but a war of extermination and that all under the influence of the foul fiend may be driven like swine into the sea. May we carry fire and sword into their states till not one habitation is left standing.” Let’s make an examination of the war an historical one as opposed to the political variety.
Michael Gaddy
Mancos
