“The surest way to secure peace, is to show your ability to maintain your rights. The principles and position of the present administration of the United States—the republican party—present some puzzling questions. While it is a fixed principle with them never to allow the increase of a foot of slave territory, they seem to be equally determined not to part with an inch ‘of the accursed soil.’ Notwithstanding their clamor against the institution, they seemed to be equally opposed to getting more, or letting go what they have got. They were ready to fight on the accession of Texas, and are equally ready to fight now on her secession. Why is this? How can this strange paradox be accounted for? There seems to be but one rational solution—and that is, notwithstanding their professions of humanity, they are disinclined to give up the benefits they derive from slave labor. Their philanthropy yields to their interest.The idea of enforcing the laws, has but one object, and that is a collection of the taxes, raised by slave labor to swell the fund necessary to meet their heavy appropriations. The spoils is what they are after—though they come from the labor of the slave…”

Alexander Stephens, 21 March 1861

“I have not stated the wealth of the North, but it is not my purpose to detract from it. They were a people of wealth. Most of it, however, came from their connection and trade with us. They were an ingenious and manufacturing people. We are an agricultural people. Their interests and ours were blended together. Our prosperity enabled them to become prosperous, and their States grew up by our trade and commerce. Most of their wealth, when you come to estimate it, was nothing but profits derived from our trade. Cut off that trade….Close up the harbor; cut off manufactures. What does it consist in? Bricks and mortar–nothing else….It will disappear: for the bricks and mortar will be worth no more, unless there are tenants and the profits derived from labor, than the bricks and mortar in the arid plains of Babylon.

Sixty-one millions of New-England capital consisted alone in cotton manufactures and cotton spindles. These factories look to us for our raw materials. This capital is now literally paralyzed; it is dead capital; and will be as long as this war lasts….

The great difference between the North and the South to carry on the war –and this I say to you in prospect of a long war, for I wish our people to see the full magnitude and to feel the full responsibility which rests upon us in it, and to see our responsibility to meet it– is this: The North sold us some two hundred and fifty millions annually. This was their riches; hence came their wealth; hence grew their cities. Their wealth was but the accumulation deposited from our commerce, just as the delta of the Nile was enriched by the the deposit of rich alluvial soil brought from the mountains and deposited in it. The riches, money and power of the North came in the same way. Our cotton was the source of it…”

Alexander Stephens, 11 July 1861

The Petition has been up for several days with only 80 signatures (and some of those appear to be rather sarcastic in tone- “Scal A. Wag”).

Y’all ready to throw in the towel?

There are VERY few things left in our world that you can grab onto and hold that are solid…and family history and heritage are a couple of them.
Sticking a few little battle flags on fallen family soldier from the Civil War on graves, and a small parade in a few towns give a select group of people a day of getting together to chat and talk history….maybe we need a little more of it. Yes, you cannot go forward until you look back.

It usually all comes back to slavery. A couple VERY simple things to say. Slavery was around WAYYYYYY before the Civil War, Lee, Jackson, and the Battle Flag. If anyone wants to throw slavery into the mix, go after the U.S. Flag, it was flying over all the state capitols when slavery was in force. Also…a lot of times, rival tribes actually captured and sold their own country men and women (Africans), to slave traders, so if anyone wants to point fingers or think about who is in fault, might try looking at the source. Yes, sloavery was wrong, no man should be property of another, but it happened, the war was won, slavery was abolished. End of story. Lee-Jackson day is for remembering Virginia soldiers and home state generals that fought for what they believed in…”DEFENDING THEIR STATE AGAINST AN AGRESSOR”…mainly the US Goverment that sent troups into Virginia to attack the more southern cotton states.

Leave the Lee-Jackson day alone…

Usually disagree with you. But you’ve done an excellent job defending your position. Seriously, it’s 10 against 1 and you’ve held your own. I shall never underestimate your debating skills.

I’ve got to stop before my liberal chip blows up.

All private school here, dimwit.

I never knew that we fought a revolution against England so we could own slaves. I learn SO much!

Yes, Brian, the South seceded from the Union, and for essentially the same reasons that the Colonists seceded from Britain: they sought independence from an oppressive government, and a tyrannical dictator.

I suppose you would consider Washington, Jefferson, and those who advocated breaking from British domination “traitors”?

Your opinion is common, but quite the opposite of truth.