and what was at the root of the South's "loss of power and the threat of economic
stagnation combine with
the growth of Western and Northern states political power caused the South to
feel they losing control"?  Slavery.  Why would the South care about a loss of
power except that it feared that the US might threaten slavery?

For southern whites it is more comfortable and pleasant to think that the South
went to war over economics or "states' rights" or some theory of politics, but
take slavery out of the mix and none of these arguments are even plausible.

Paul Finkelman

[log in to unmask] wrote:

> In a message dated 2/22/03 9:09:24 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> >  was on the http://www.civilwarhome.com
> > site, checking out the State's Rights explanation under Civil War Potpourri
> > on http://www.civilwarhome.com/statesrights.htm which pretty much confirms
> > that the term State's Rights was merely a smoke screen for the intent to
> > spread slavery when the ethics of slavery were under scrutiny.
>
> Maybe you should go back a re read that.....the Southern states DID exercise
> states rights and control....to the extent that it had an impact on the war
> fighting capability of Lee's Army. While the Central Government needed more
> control several of the states with held that control and the central
> government could do NOTHING ABOUT IT. Sounds to me that if the state did like
> something,  the state had more control to do something about it.  Also the
> Southern States were not the first to think about secession...several New
> England states wanted to in the early 1800's as they were being adversely
> effected by trade regulations because of the War of 1812. IT was about power
> and money....just as the causes of the ACW were. Slavery was a factor, but
> the South's lost of power and the threat of economic stagnation combine with
> the growth of Western and Northern states political power caused the South to
> feel they losing control...I think this is real cause of the war.
>
> WC BUSER
>
> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
> at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html

--
Paul Finkelman
Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law
University of Tulsa College of Law
3120 East 4th Place
Tulsa, OK  74104-3189

phone 918-631-3706
Fax   918-631-2194
e-mail:   [log in to unmask]

To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html