I have been reading the past few days about the difference people feel about
the Confederate Flag. I understand how a lot of people feel about it on both
sides of the fence. I am not a raciest, and fly the 1st. National Confederate
Flag in front of my home and display it on my personal mini van.
My feelings are that the Confederate Flag and the people that support it
wouldn't be getting all of the flap about it if it wasn't for groups like the KKK
and the White Supremacists. They are the ones that ruin the true meaning of
the Confederate Flag and the men that fought under it.
I also feel that if we are going to down the Confederate Flag because of
Slavery then maybe we should be downing the American Flag. For wasn't it the
American Flag that Slavery was first under?
If history serves me right, wasn't it Abraham Lincoln who said that if he had
his way the slaves would be shipped back to their countries?
Read his EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
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Whereas on the 22nd day of September, A.D. 1862, a proclamation was issued
by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the
following, to wit:
"That on the 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, all persons held as slaves
within any State or designated part of a State the people whereof shall then be in
rebellion against the United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever
free; and the executive government of the United States, including the
military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of
such persons and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them,
in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
"That the executive will on the 1st day of January aforesaid, by
proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people
thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and
the fact that any State or the people thereof shall on that day be in good
faith represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto
at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such States shall
have participated shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be
deemed conclusive evidence that such State and the people thereof are not then
in rebellion against the United States."
Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by
virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-In-Chief of the Army and Navy of the
United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and
government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for
suppressing said rebellion, do, on this 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, and in
accordance with my purpose so to do, publicly proclaimed for the full period of one
hundred days from the first day above mentioned, order and designate as the
States and parts of States wherein the people thereof, respectively, are this
day in rebellion against the United States the following, to wit:
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana (except the parishes of St. Bernard,
Palquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension, Assumption,
Terrebone, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the city of New
Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina,
and Virginia (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia,
and also the counties of Berkeley, Accomac, Morthhampton, Elizabeth City, York,
Princess Anne, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth),
and which excepted parts are for the present left precisely as if this
proclamation were not issued.
And by virtue of the power and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and
declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States and parts
of States are, and henceforward shall be, free; and that the Executive
Government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities
thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.
And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from
all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that,
in all case when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages.
And I further declare and make known that such persons of suitable
condition will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison
forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in
said service.
And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by
the Constitution upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment
of mankind and the gracious favor of Almighty God.
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IF I am reading this right then the issue of Slavery wasn't brought into the
issue of the War Between the States until the 22 day of September 1862 and not
a law until the 1st day of January 1863. That is two years after the war
started.
Also, if you notice, the only slaves that were released were in the States
that were in Rebellion against the Federal Government. So what happen to the
Slaves in the Northern States? Weren't they still slaves? If History serves me
correct, didn't General Grant still have his slaves after the War between the
States was over? Wasn't it true that General Lee didn't even own slaves?
I have found so far 14 Virginia Confederate Soldiers Ancestor's. From working
on my family history I have found that none of my ancestor's owned slaves. So
I don't think that they were fighting to preserve slavery.
I am very proud of my Southern Heritage. I am tired of losing of my History
and Heritage to those that choose to change it to the way they want it to read,
and not the way it truely happened.
Theresa Willson
Richmond, VA
"Do your duty, and our country will be safe"
Major General James Ewell Brown Stuart
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