Nice Job J.D, Steve Vick ----- Original Message ----- From: James B. Davis <jamesbdavis@hotmail.com> To: <VICK-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, February 07, 2000 1:38 PM Subject: [VICK-L] THE WAR FOR SOUTHERN INDEPENDENCE > Dearest VICK cousins, > > There has never been a "civil war" in this country. There was a "War for > Southern Independence," fought between the United States of America and the > Confederate States of America. > > This war was never about slavery...it was about states rights, and the > rights of states, guaranteed by the United States constitution, to withdraw > from the Union. A "union" is voluntary by definition. > > Abraham Lincoln, beloved though he may be, was not the great emancipator > and/or lover of freedom for all peoples as he has been portrayed. To quote > Mr. Lincoln himself: > > "I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing > about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black > races --- that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or > jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry > with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a > physical difference between the white and black races...I, as much as any > other man, am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white > race." (1) > > (1) Abraham Lincoln, as cited in the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858, > edited by R. W. Johannsen, Oxford University Press, New York, Ny: 1965, > pp. 162-163. > > Likewise, the so-called Emancipation Proclamation was not designed to free > slaves. A reading of the document reveals that Lincoln declared free only > those slaves "within any State or designated part of a State the people > whereof shall be in rebellion against the United States...in other words > only in those areas where Mr. Lincoln had no control. > > The document specifically excluded six parishes of Louisianna under Federal > control as well as the 48 counties designated as West Virginia. The > proclamation actually states that these excepted areas be "left precisely as > if this proclamation were not issued." > > Cousin David states that the victor has the right to write the history. I > agree on the condition that whatever is written is the truth. However, most > of what was written by the victors of this war was not the truth, but was > designed to make the victors "right" or "just" in their cause. > > The Southern states have been vilified for over 140 years for nothing more > than having the nerve to stand up for their rights to secede from the Union > and create their own nation. Hundreds of thousands of our ancestors fought > and died in this war. The great majority of them were neither slave owners > nor large property holders. > > Our beloved General Robert E. Lee did not own slaves, and did not lead our > army in support of that cause. At the beginning of the war, General U.S. > Grant's wife DID own slaves. There are so many untruths that we have been > forced to swallow, and it makes me so angry. > > I have a library of over 200 books, published from 1850-1895, about this > war. I have the 125 volumes of the "Official History" published by the U.S. > government 1891-1894 along with a companion atlas. I have books by generals > of both North and South, books by Jefferson Davis, and numerous historians. > The more I study the words and stories and documents written by people who > were actual participants and close observers of this conflict, the more > obvious it becomes that the history we were taught, and that most people > believe, is nothing more than a series of convenient lies and half-truths. > > Our brave dead soldiers were tossed into and remain in mass graves while the > Union fallen were later reburied. It is said, and is obviously true in this > case, that "To the victor go the spoils." Our ancestors suffered and gave > and lost so much. I must honor them by trying to make the truth known > whenever an opportunity arises. I regularly write letters to newspapers and > magazines which print incorrect information or editorials about the war, or > the South, or our flag as in recent weeks. > > Personally, I believe the South would have re-entered the union shortly > anyway, but without the loss of life, liberty, and economic ruin caused by > the war. I also believe slavery would have been abolished as well. > > David, you have opened a can of worms. I wish you good fishing. > > Jim Davis > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com >