- Feb 2019
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www.battlefields.org www.battlefields.org
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For twenty-five years this agitation has been steadily increasing, until it has now secured to its aid the power of the common Government.
Basically, the south hates the abolitionist movement with a passion.
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"Government cannot endure permanently half slave, half free,"
This could, contrary to the south's claims, flip flop either way. In fact, Lincoln was more interested in just preserving the union than freeing the slaves or anything like that.
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These ends it endeavored to accomplish by a Federal Government, in which each State was recognized as an equal, and had separate control over its own institutions. The right of property in slaves was recognized by giving to free persons distinct political rights, by giving them the right to represent, and burthening them with direct taxes for three-fifths of their slaves; by authorizing the importation of slaves for twenty years; and by stipulating for the rendition of fugitives from labor.
Referring to early compromises when it came to the creation of the constitution.
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The General Government, as the common agent, passed laws to carry into effect these stipulations of the States. For many years these laws were executed. But an increasing hostility on the part of the non-slaveholding States to the institution of slavery, has led to a disregard of their obligations, and the laws of the General Government have ceased to effect the objects of the Constitution.
This would seem, regardless of the law, to be a failure on the states part and not the government. Also refers to abolitionists and other similar groups.
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"No person held to service or labor in one State, under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor, but shall be delivered up, on claim of the party to whom such service or labor may be due."
Pretty sure this is what the fugitive slave act was based off of. Why with these two laws does the south think the government has failed?
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We maintain that in every compact between two or more parties, the obligation is mutual; that the failure of one of the contracting parties to perform a material part of the agreement, entirely releases the obligation of the other;
I think the South considers the Wilmot Proviso, the election of Lincoln, and Bloody Kansas to be failures of the federal government, but what else could fall into this category?
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Thus were established the two great principles asserted by the Colonies, namely: the right of a State to govern itself; and the right of a people to abolish a Government when it becomes destructive of the ends for which it was instituted.
So if I understand it correctly, South Carolina believes that the federal government has become destructive towards the states, despite no anti slavery laws being passed yet.
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A struggle for the right of self-government ensued, which resulted, on the 4th of July, 1776, in a Declaration, by the Colonies, "that they are, and of right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES;
I read, according to These Truths, that much of the language used to compare the relationship between the colonies and England was that the colonies were basically slaves. In addition, the Declaration of Independence had a first draft where Thomas Jefferson criticised slavery. Thus, it's very interesting that a southern state uses this argument.
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The people of the State of South Carolina, in Convention assembled
This seems to echo the opening preamble of the constitution. Interesting.
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separate and equal
I don't know exactly why, but this makes me think ahead to Jim Crow laws and the whole separate but equal idea (that was completely false).
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